Dear Earth With Love: & Other Stories

By Fizza Younis

A multi-genre collection of flash fiction for people who love to read short and satisfying one-shots. These stories will touch your heart and make you feel alive. Each sudden fiction piece in this collection tries to relay a message for those who know how to read between the lines, leaving a lasting impression. Expect the unexpected.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fizza Younis
• Release date: May 17, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224076659

Fizza Younis

Dr. Fizza Younis resides in the vibrant city of Lahore, Pakistan, where her journey through life has been as diverse as the tapestry of her country. With a Ph.D. in economics, she has delved deep into the intricate webs of financial theory, but it's the enchanting realms of fiction and poetry that have captured her heart. As a dedicated indie author and ardent reader, she revels in the art of storytelling, crafting narratives that transcend the boundaries of her academic pursuits. Rooted in the principles of minimalism, equality, and harmony, her writing reflects her steadfast beliefs. Her stories are both mirrors of her philosophy and windows into the lives of intriguing characters navigating the labyrinth of existence. In her world, characters come alive, and their misadventures resonate with the shared joys and tribulations of humanity. With every word, she sprinkles love and encouragement, creating a cocoon of empathy and connection that envelops her readers. Though she might describe herself as an average person leading a mundane existence, in the world of fiction, Fizza is nothing short of spectacular. Join her on a journey through the written word, where ordinary lives take on extraordinary hues, and the essence of humanity is distilled into every sentence.

Book preview

Dear Earth, With Love

I might be a stranger to you, but I have been watching you from afar. Waiting patiently for the right moment to garner your attention. You, a rare blue planet. In the entire universe, there are few like you. Oh, how I admire your resilient nature.

Anyhow, I observed that you have a bit of a pest problem. You can’t imagine how sad it makes me feel to see you suffer. We must stop the pain these humans are causing you. They are killing you slowly and don’t even seem remorseful. These vile beings have no regard for your safety. Oh, how I hate them!

I hope you don’t think me too forward, but I have intervened. It was simply impossible for me to stand by idly letting the humans try to murder you in cold blood. Don’t worry, I have sent my best agents to protect you. They will take care of the pests’ problem for you. They are invisible and work with efficiency.

Soon, they will start killing the humans, slowly and painfully. Exactly the way they deserve to die. Within a few years, we will restore your health. I promise. I have dealt with this before, so I know what I am doing. You can trust me.

In a galaxy far away, there was another planet like you, and I admired her too. But she had the same problem with her humans. They were slowly destroying her beauty. So, I had to help her and sent my agents to take care of the problem. Unfortunately, she didn’t take it so well. As it turned out, she was rather fond of her humans. She called me a creep and told me to stay away from her. Can you believe that?! I do a thankless job of protecting the planets.

I might have been heartbroken at first, but then I moved on because she wasn’t worth my time. You, my dear Earth, are so much better than her. And here we are. It pains me to watch you go through something so tragic. Not for long, though. I assure you, my love. These humans need to go. I’m going to make it happen.

Hopefully, your reaction will be different. Humans are not worthy of you. Let me finish them. I’m going to do it without mercy. So, that’s what I wanted to let you know. Please, don’t hate me for taking care of you.

Yours Truly,

The Protector of the Blue Planets.

Just Another Slogan

‘They lie when they say you can’t do it. You can do anything you put your mind to, darling girl.’ My mother’s words repeated in my head. I grew up knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that I could do anything I wanted and be anyone I aspired to be. Unfortunately, most little girls weren’t so lucky, and that saddened me. I wished for a world where anyone could be anything without second-guessing their every move.

Kate, it’s time for your speech, Lacy said, peeking through the curtains. You ready?

Let’s do this, Kate said, standing up and folding the piece of paper she had just been reading. Her secretary, Lacy, had written this speech for her, like every other speech she had delivered to date. Half of the time, she didn’t even believe the things she talked about, but that’s how the world worked. Her job was simple, to make others believe them. That’s what brought in the donations they needed to keep their NGO going. It was all for the betterment of the underprivileged girls.

You were brilliant today, one of her admirers said after the speech.

***

Thank you, Kate replied, trying to ward off his hand on her posterior without being obvious.

They were at an after-party to mingle and make contacts. These affluent financiers were their biggest donors. It didn’t matter that more than half of them were tagged in those ‘hashtag me too’ posts going around the social media sites. It didn’t matter that many of them would try to cop a feel and stand too near for her liking, Kate had to talk to them. She must laugh at their lame jokes and pretend that she cared about what they had to say.

It’s time to cut the cake, Lacy prompted.

Soon everyone was clapping and congratulating her on another successful event hosted. She didn’t even know if this money would reach the needy or into the pockets of a corrupt administration. The truth was that no one here cared for the girls they were pretending to support. They all had their own agendas for being here. For Kate, it was just a job that paid well. She was the face of the NGO—a success story.

When she retired from her modeling career because she was getting old for a model, Kate didn’t know what she’d do next. This job sounded like a dream come true. She wanted to champion the cause that would help the unfortunate girls around the world. She had envisioned herself as a superwoman, protecting people like herself. A shudder went through her body as she recalled her childhood.

Little girls weren’t supposed to have dreams. They didn’t have a choice, and everything was determined by the men in their lives. ‘Feminism,’ the word had meant something to her once, not anymore. It was just another slogan, another way for NGOs to get donations that would never reach the needy.

***

Is everything alright, Katie? Lacy asked. She wasn’t only a secretary, but also her best friend. Right now, the two women were on their way to their shared house. Kate had always protected Lacy from the reality of their situation. Lacy was an idealist, and it was better if she didn’t know the truth about their sham of an NGO.

I’m fine,