Author : Asher Wismer

The Boast sat on the hill and watched the man-things playing with fire. They burned themselves, each other, and finally set the forest alight. The fire didn’t reach the Boast, so it just watched.

The Boast sat on the hill and watched the man-things hunt. They used rocks and sticks, the former for throwing, the latter burned to a point in their fire. The Boast was inedible, so it just watched.

The Boast sat on the hill and watched the man-things farm. They used domesticated horses to till the land, domesticated cattle for manure and meat, domesticated sheep for clothing. The Boast could not be domesticated, so it just watched.

The Boast watched the man-things discover electricity, and wire the forest with lights. The Boast didn’t sleep, so it just watched.

The Boast watched the man-things create shooting weapons and wage war for gold and oil. The Boast had neither, so it just watched.

The Boast watched the man-things create bombs, and destroy millions of themselves in seconds. The Boast moved to a different hill.

The Boast watched the man-things unleash terrible biological weapons, decimating life on the planet, sickening crops, cattle, fish, trees. The forest disappeared. The rivers dried up. The man-things came to the Boast and screamed, “Why didn’t you stop us? Why won’t you help? Why can’t you come down from your hill and dictate peace and prosperity?”

The Boast didn’t understand English, so it just watched.

Later, the Boast sat on the hill and watched the roach-things playing with fire.