The girl is walking across the desert towards a hill, the only feature in the otherwise gently sloping terrain apart froma black plume of smoke which is rising distantly in the air. As she gets nearer to this oily cloud of smoke, scurrying human activity can be seen on the ground beneath. Occasionally, a gout of bright flame bursts along the ground, and more smoke is added to the cloud rising swiftly in the air. At first, lines of concentration furrow the girl's forehead as she tries to make out what is going on, then the concentration is replaced by bewilderment, then, a little later, by anger.

Men in shirt sleeves are rushing about, their faces grimy and shiny with sweat. They look bewildered and panic-stricken, but this is obviously their normal state of mind. On their backs they carry the large chemical tanks of flamethrowers, and the straps have rubbed into their shoulders so long that they are obviously in great pain. All around the ground is seared in black. It appears that nothing could possibly grow in such a devastated place, but straggly vegetation is visibly thrusting itself up through the soil. Every moment one of the strange plants is beginning to bloom...A bud appears, almost instantaneously, and begins to open. Lush, colored petals are visible, promising future beauty. But as soon as one of the men sees this he moves up and emerses the plant in a bath of flame from the nozzle of the weapon he is carrying. All that is left when the fire dies away is charred black soil. But only after a few seconds, pushing up through the inhospitable earth, can be seen a new plant.

The girl clearly doesnt like this place, but when one of the men comes close to her, a fevered expression on his face, she lightly touches his arm.

Girl- What is this? What are you doing?

Man- Killing them.

Girl- But...why?

Man- To stop them from growing.

The man turns away to spread a carpet of flame, then turns back to the girl.

Man- The only way is to kill them. If we weren't doing this good work they'd be spreading all over the desert.

Girl- But why do you want to stop them?

Man- We dont want these...these filty blossoms all over the desert. For one thing they'd encourage laxness; all our men would be too lazy to do any useful work, like they're doing now.

Girl- But the only reason they're working is to kill the flowers.

Man- And besides which, we're used to the desert. When i see those disgusting petals coming out i feel a strange...tension inside of me. What would happen if i gave way to that, and watched them evolving all the way? And anyway, why are you so interested? I don't like the kind of talk you're giving me.

Girl- It's just that i can't understand you. You're killing something that's beautiful and alive, something that can grow and give you pleasure....

The man looks at the girl with a disgusted expression on his face, and quit deliberately spits at the ground by her feet. Then, he turns back to his work.