It was dark outside in the NQSC, as a seven year old Epsilon was tucked away in bed. He was supposed to be asleep, but a burning sensation in his chest refused to let him rest.
It pulsed like a drumbeat beneath his ribs, his fingers twitching at his sides, aching to clench, to strike. His jaw locked, muscles tensing as he ground his teeth, swallowing back the furious words clawing at his throat, but he held it in.
[Wrath]
And then they came, insidious whispers that creeped like ivy through his mind, tightening its grip with every word as they poisoned him.
'Why her and not me? WHY HER AND NOT ME!?'
[Envy]
The two emotions swirled inside of him like a storm, devouring each other, and yet, helping each other to grow bigger, stronger, with the sole goal of forcing the immature seven year old to act on these emotions.
He desperately tried to hold them back, but he was a dam with cracks already forming, with pressure building up behind every forced breath, and every clenched fist. One more push, one more drop of provocation, and the flood would break loose, drowning everything in its path.
This was fine... he could manage it like this.. At least until he heard the faint voices of his parents down stairs...
"She's just so cute isn't she? I could just sit down and cuddle her all day..."
"We did do that all day..."
And then he snapped.
Despite his rage which burned like an inferno, his outburst was discrete and quiet. Taking his pillow with him, he carefully tip toed out of bed, and crossed his room silently.
Wrath usually dulled the mind, and yet, he remained sharp enough to not step on any of the creaky floor boards which would alert his parents. He never lost his swiftness and speed, and stayed focused on the goal.
Very quickly, he found himself in his parents room. There was a big bed in the centre, but what he was interested in was the crib at the far end of them room.
Slowly he made his way up to it, and gazed inside it with an empty look. Epsilons eyes locked onto its target with the kind of intensity that made the air feel heavier, the room smaller.
He stared at his sleeping little sister for a good while, then made a promise, that what he would do next would not be stopped.
He raised the pillow over her head,
and then he...
he...
**
He recalled the lovely green grass that he had seen today, and asked,
"Why is grass green?"
The world replied,
"Grass appears green due to the way its cells interact with light, primarily through the presence of chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for photosynthesis. Sunlight is composed of many different wavelengths, which we perceive as different colours. When sunlight strikes a blade of grass, certain wavelengths are absorbed while others are reflected. Chlorophyll absorbs light most efficiently in the red and blue wavelengths but reflects green light, which is why our eyes perceive grass as green.
Chlorophyll is a crucial molecule found in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where photosynthesis occurs. It plays a key role in converting light energy into chemical energy by capturing sunlight and using it to synthesize glucose from carbon dioxide and water. Since chlorophyll absorbs red and blue light, it uses these wavelengths to drive the chemical reactions that sustain the plant. The green light that is reflected is not as useful for photosynthesis, so it bounces off the plant's surface and reaches our eyes.
The reason chlorophyll evolved to absorb red and blue light while reflecting green can be traced back to the nature of sunlight and the Earth's atmospheric conditions. The sun emits a broad spectrum of light, but the most abundant and energy-rich wavelengths that reach the Earth's surface are in the red and blue regions. Plants evolved to maximize their absorption of these wavelengths to optimize energy production. The fact that green light is reflected rather than absorbed is a by-product of this evolutionary adaptation.
Interestingly, not all plants are strictly green. Some plants have additional pigments, such as carotenoids and anthocyanins, which can produce red, yellow, or purple hues. These pigments serve various functions, including protecting the plant from excessive light exposure or deterring herbivores. However, chlorophyll remains the dominant pigment in most grasses, ensuring that they primarily appear green.
The intensity of a plant's green colour can also be influenced by environmental factors. The health of the grass, the availability of nutrients, and exposure to sunlight all impact chlorophyll production. For example, nitrogen is a key component in chlorophyll molecules, so a deficiency in nitrogen can cause grass to appear pale or yellowish. Similarly, prolonged exposure to extreme heat or drought can reduce chlorophyll levels, leading to a loss of the vibrant green colour.
As seasons change, so does the colour of some grasses. In autumn, cooler temperatures and shorter daylight hours signal to many plants to break down their chlorophyll, allowing other pigments to become more visible. This is why some grasses take on a brown or yellowish hue in colder months. In deciduous trees, the same process reveals reds and oranges that were previously masked by chlorophyll's dominant green colour.
Ultimately, the green colour of grass is a result of physics, biology, and evolution working together. It is the consequence of how chlorophyll interacts with sunlight, how plants have adapted to maximize energy absorption, and how environmental conditions influence plant health. While we may take it for granted, the green we see in grass is a direct reflection of the fundamental processes that sustain life on Earth."
"Is that right..."
Epsilon did not catch a single thing the world just said. And yet, he felt he understood it all very clearly.
Satisfised with that answer, he plunged himself beneath the waves.