Wow. I mean… well, just wow. How could I have ignored this my whole life? Who knew that the planet Earth had more to it than just TV?

Those were my first thoughts when I emerged from my pod. It had been my first time out of the world of TV, and I was just stunned at what the real earth looked like. Before me lay a valley. I recognized the geographic structure from some of the documentaries I used to watch as a little kid. But this wasn't a recorded image of a few hundred years ago, this was real life. I was standing on the very edge of a large meadow, full of vibrantly colored wildflowers, their petals reaching up to the sun, embracing life and accepting a new glorious day. All around the flowers was grass. It was a deep green, and I could see them bending in the high wind, as if moving in tune with the whole world.

That was just ten minutes ago. Presently, I had gotten over my shock at seeing this dazzling array of nature and wandered closer to the wonderful land. As I wobbled along

( this was one of the only times I had been out of my pod, and I had hardly learned to walk) I glanced back to my past life. I didn't like what I saw.

Emerging before me, in complete contrast to the serenity of the meadow, was an ominous wall of grey, dull metal. Protruding from the humongous wall were little bulges, which I identified as the TV pods. I couldn't see their contents from where I was standing, but I knew there were people in those things. It then came to me that they had no idea what was out here, waiting for them for all eternity.

The thought that those people might never see these wonderful lands made me sad.