The Lockdown Times

"The Lockdown Times" in the fantasy genre is a work on the moods of the natural world in the backdrop of the total lockdown of the year 2020 clamped in India to arrest the spread of COVID-19. It is a seriocomic narrative on how the total lockdown had helped the natural world to become bold. The plot is set in the Malabar region forests of the Western Ghats mountain range of India with the Natural Environment of the Malabar Region presented in a lead role as a female character.When anthropogenic assaults on her especially during the past two centuries turned unbearable, the Environment of the Malabar Region fled from her natural abode on the surface and took refuge in an abyss deep inside Mother Earth's core. She remained there for many years because she felt the abyss safe and more comfortable than her surface abode.However within ten days of the 2020 total lockdown coming into force, Environment resurfaces on sensing things turning Environment friendly above. Back on the surface, a desire sprouts in her to reside permanently in her Malabar Region abode because that after all is her natural abode. But she is cautious, and wants to take a final decision only after being convinced that the Environment friendly changes taking place will be abiding. At that juncture she is not aware of COVID-19 or the total lockdown. The narrative begins with the plight of a troop of monkeys that had colonised the precincts of an ecotourism complex at a village nestled in the Western Ghats. Their prime source of food since generations was the food offered by visitors arriving at the complex. But when the complex got indefinitely closed during the lockdown, the monkeys stared at starvation. The story moves on to narrate how they, facing many challenges, adapted to the changed situation.One day while the lockdown was still in force the leader of that troop happens to meet Environment who had resurfaced and they have an emotional interaction. That paves the way for Environment to interact with more wild animals of the Malabar Region. She pours out to them the pangs of the anthropogenic assaults she suffered, which made her flee from her abode. She tells them about the feelings that had prompted her to return and how she now feels more comfortable in her natural abode than in the abyss. After sensing her presence, the wild animals too want her to remain in their midst because they could feel the never before experienced goodness of having their natural Environment amidst them. Environment and the wild animals then join hands to chart out a plan to get a clearer picture of what was suddenly triggering the Environment friendly mood. The purpose is to help enable Environment take a decision on whether to reside permanently in her natural abode or return to the abyss. For that purpose, they decide to launch an online news portal which they name "The Lockdown Times."The animals take the role of journalists. Some become reporters and beats are assigned to them; a news desk is set up and they organise an editorial board. The information sourced by the reporters is uploaded through "The Lockdown Times". Through the portal Environment and the wild animals learn a lot on COVID-19 and the lockdown. They also learn on how and why things turned Environment friendly during the lockdown. Based on the reports appearing in the portal, Environment seeks the advice of senior animals. Weighing all sides of that advice, Environment decides to remain on the surface of the Malabar Region forests for the time being. But what about things down the road? "The Lockdown Times" team charts out a plan which they keep close to their chest. That plan involves earning a humane heart towards Environment from the side of the humans. In anticipation of that benevolence they move forward with that plan. Soon they get some positive feedback and keep their fingers crossed.