Year 2030.

James came home from school. There is actually no need of schools these days but nevertheless one attends, never knew the reason actually. He lives with his mother. He hasn't seen his father for a long time now. It has been years. Last time he met his father was when he was 5 years old and he doesn't remember much about that time either. His mother has told him a lot many things, but he just couldn't be so sure about everything his mother said. He never really understood what he did. But as usual he would get a check every month, which he basically saved up. He fell in love with a girl, whom he once met in a annual science fair held a few miles north of where he stayed. She was from a different district which was rather too far from where he stayed. 

Let's just soak in the mental picture of the changes that took place in the last few decades. His mom used to tell him about the age of new invention and when computers were just beginning to hit the market and that she wasn't allowed to use a laptop until she was in college and that too because the course she opted for demanded some work on the laptop. To hell with that, James had his first tablet for his 5th birthday which was much more advanced than he could even understand the first thing about it. His father gave it to him. He actually made that. James didn't knew that. He always thought that the inscription JM which looked like some company's logo was actually his name "James Mathew". The world was changing, changing fast. The life was on a high lane, a path on development in every path man could ever think of. It was all new and people just jumped on the first opportunity that presented itself. So, what development and renovation achieved in making the lives simpler, in turn started making the lives harder to live. The innovation and development was fast and steady to say the least, but it was taking a heavy toll on the environment. By the time people started realizing that the environment is in a crisis, though they started implementing ways to minimize the impact on the atmospheric environment. But that failed, when in 2020 a huge environmental crisis occurred and a major portion of the world population had to suffer the consequences of the outbreak. There was global warming to begin with, the rising sea levels and the experimental procedures which aimed at creating better lifestyle and increase life expectancy broke into radiation zones. This radiation then started affecting the human lives counter attacking their actual purpose of creating them in the first place. People never knew they were unwell, when all of a sudden they passed out and also the average life span gradually started deteriorating. Within a year, the lifespan got half of the average lifespan a decade ago ( Year 2010 ). 

Everything changed that year. It was like a waking call. Though, everybody had been expecting this day to come, but this was way too soon. It was time to change. James father had to leave him for the very reason. His father was one among the few scientists to develop some sort of gases almost invisible to the naked eye but these also prevented the radiation from filtering through it. So, this led to the formation of districts. Some called them colonies and some still used the country's name if the whole country was protected. People had to be very careful while moving past these radiation zones. They were like everywhere. It was more like these districts were an oasis in the desert, the desert being the radiation. Yes, that was the situation of present world. Though almost everything has gone eco-friendly and use of clean fuel and stuff, but still people are still living on the knife's edge. They have stopped worrying about the future, which seemed to be totally unpredictable and just lived every moment of their lives as if it was their last day. 

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James was always hooked on his tablet. He was good at coding and stuff. And also he liked to own things. He just turned 15 and things he wanted to own started piling up. From shoes to bikes. He was spending all the money his dad used to send him on buying stuff. Now, one just couldn't get out of their district zone without prior protection from the radiation. The best way one could get anything was buying online. And the best part was that all the flights were computer controlled. So, it was far easier to send a plane filled with things and then they will be delivered to the door step the very same day. If computer controlled planes were out of question, there are always metros which ran underground. Though, they took a little longer time when compared with planes, but they did work like charm. It was like ordering a pizza and getting delivered within 30 minutes. And then James also started chatting with someone who makes him feel special; whom he met in a science fair a few months ago. He just couldn't get enough of her and just trying his best to meet up with her. And to make up for the time and the distance they are separated, they used to exchange some kind of gifts. He would send some of his stuff, sometimes would buy online, which still was the safest, most affordable and the easiest way to get anything.

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Matthew Stanley is an scientist. He is James father. Though he hasn't met his son in little over a decade, they still used to talk over phone or over the internet keeping themselves equipped what the other person is upto. When he came to know about the girl that his son was interested in and was so longing to meet her, they forced him work a little harder to maintain balance in the atmosphere and reduce radiation to zero level, if possible. He always loved to build things, create fascinating things using the natural resources. And these so called resources are decreasing with each passing day. He would sometimes blame himself for the world around him. He was one among the few scientists who were hired to create and develop the life altering things. Though he saw the danger while they were still developing and raised his concerns, no one listened to him as the other became too ambitious and felt they could see the future and that they could just make history. Matthew pursued his own ideologies which were quite contrast to the others in his private lab. Though they showed progress on a small scale in testing, but he feared what would happen when used on a higher level like humans themselves. But then the catastrophic event happened which risked the very existence of human life. They had no other choice to use one of Matthew Stanley's prototype, which as a matter of fact worked perfectly. The artificial man-made atmospheric gases made from various chemicals and a few rare natural resources did help in sustaining the radiation on a larger level. No one knew about it. No one were told who created it, until the whole world was on a safer place. 

So, when he came to know about the girl his son was interested in, he wanted to make the world a better place for him. He wanted his son to have a life he could never had as he was always away from the family. So, he was on a mission now. When he started with his work, the list was pretty big and a lot of things were needed to make it happen. Some of the things were on the other side of the planet. But he had to worry the least. He ordered everything he need online, which still was the most convenient, most affordable way to get anything. Since some were on the other side of the planet, he feared that they might take take to reach him which in turn might delay his mission. But to his surprise he received them the very next day. He made no attempt to waste any more time and started building what he wanted to build. 

Within a year, he was successful in making his mission a success. The radiation levels started decreasing and there was a lot of improvement in the environmental balance. Though, they still had to live life like on knife's edge, as any slightest mistake could affect the ecosystem. But his discovery proved to be far better than he had expected. The use of eco-friendly things and clean fuel was advised so avoid any more catastrophic events which might hinder the very existence of the human kind and all the other living beings.

Now he is home to his family back after 11 years and enjoying the time with his son. They have moved to a place near his son's love. So that when he could grow up, they could all stay together in the days to come. 

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This is written for 'The Future of Shopping', a contest by IndiBlogger in association with e-bay. And also check out the 'EBAY Chrome extension' .