My Palace

     I looked to my right and saw a gigantic house being punished with smoke. I looked to my left and saw a huge crowd of horses being forced to work over and over. I looked above me and saw a beautiful blue ceiling. Welcome to my palace.

     I looked at myself and saw unlimited supplies of canned goods, infinite pieces of papers, and black pearls. How rich and powerful I become by the minute.

     For generations, I was the one hero who saved everyone from catastrophe. Except for my sister Umi, who hasn't been any help since the day she was born. My palace lies here in South. And West. And East. And North. I am powerful. Very powerful.

     I provide them everything they need. Confidence to start the day. A little something to help them live. And a source of family fun.

     And yet I am treated like nothing.

     No matter how powerful I may be, no matter how much Umi keeps being the bad girl, and no matter how much I help people, I am no use. To them, I'm just a piece of dirt. I bet no one would even care if I went away. But that's just how they think of me right now. Just let them wait until I'm all used up, and not taken care of. 

     The clock is ticking. Year by year, I grow weaker and weaker. I may seem big in numbers, but the time is near. I've been here through the thick and thin, I've wept. I've suffered. I've been humiliated. I'm nothing. I'm dead. 

      I looked at myself and saw empty cans, used papers, and black dirt. I've sacrificed myself for them to be clean. I let them take some of me just to drink. I let them go inside of me to play and have fun with their families. I looked to my right and saw a smoky factory. I looked to my left and saw a swarm of cars with unchanged oil engines. I looked above me and saw the beautiful blue ceiling - slowly turning gray, slowly disappearing.But somehow there is hope. I know they can't let me die. They need me, despite how they act. Because I. . . am Water.