The wildflowers, as we called them, were first discovered growing in modest clusters in remote areas. They were a marvel to witness; resembling dandelions, with long, thick, unbranching stems, and a flowering head. But they were big beyond belief, taller than the tallest tree, measuring in at 300 feet. People flocked to see them.

But the awe and admiration started to switch to concern fairly soon. The clusters were growing quickly, and new bunches were turning up everywhere. Teams were sent in to cut them back, but they found that even with great effort, they couldn’t keep up. The plants sprouted and grew so fast, and each produced millions and millions of seeds, spreading on the wind.

Within weeks the danger was clear, forcing us to commit all possible efforts to destroying the wildflowers. But even with everyone of able body cutting, sawing and hacking, we weren’t making progress. A quick calculation could show that they were already too numerous; no matter how we tried, we couldn’t keep up with their multiplication. Our fight had become futile. Farmlands, towns, and cities were encroached upon and swept over. A slow moving, unstoppable wave of them covered the Earth, forcing us to live in the dark and gloom beneath their suffocating blanket.

All of us on Earth, whatever place we’re from, could describe to you a similar scene… Standing with our friends and loved ones, watching as yet another wildflower grew toward a final clearing. Looking up with hopelessness as it unfurled its bloom, and the last tiny section of blue sky still left unclaimed was swallowed up forever.