A Brighter Tomorrow

Written by Amanda Talen

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A Brighter Tomorrow

She said I could come with her this time as long as I promised not to tell Mom. I felt my

heartbeat in my fingertips as I slowly shut the door behind me. As we approached the

edge of the forest, the cool air hit my skin and sent shivers through my body. The freshly

misted forest floor was doing a spectacular job of keeping my lower half wet and cold.

My many complaints did not phase her, we trudged on. With cold clarity, I began to

realize just how dark everything around us was. The canopy above blocked out the

moonlight, wrapping us in darkness. A loud crunch was heard, and without a moment's

hesitation, we started running as if we were two gazelles in the pride lands. The taste of

iron coated my throat.

We ducked behind a large tree surrounded by dense shrubs. Breathless, I screamed at

her to turn her flashlight off. Realizing only then her hands were empty.

Marissa spends the majority of her time conducting experiments in our garage

convinced plants are the key to solving the renewable energy crisis. Each night between

9:00 pm and 6:30 am, our neighborhood is plunged into darkness due to electricity

rationing. As winter approaches and the nights grow colder, her obsession with finding a

solution intensifies.

“I need to show you something”, she insisted with urgency. Dragging me into the

garage, she pulled out one of the glowing plants we discovered just a few days prior. “I

think this plant will change everything!”.

The air in the garage was damp and had a scent that resembled the sweet smell of

spring. Shelves were lined with jars, each containing something unique to the

ecosystem surrounding our house. The glowing plant was bright, and the radiating

beams smothered the whole room with light and warmth.

“Look!” she exclaimed, pointing to the glowing plant. “This plant has bioluminescent

proteins that could enhance photosynthesis reactions in other plants.”

Trying to understand the gibberish that came out of her mouth I stuttered

“bioluminescent proteins?”

“Exactly! They allow organisms to produce light through biochemical reactions. I found a

way to extract energy from the leaves of these succulents, but when it gets dark they

don’t produce enough voltage to power anything. If I can find a way to harness the

bioluminescence and proteins, we could produce enough sustainable power for our

home during the blackout periods!”.

Weeks passed and storms flurried as Marissa tirelessly experimented, conducting trials

late into the night. She wanted to amplify the bioluminescence properties to create

enough light energy to transfer through to the succulents. I watched as she measured

exposure rates and nutrient levels, testing different conditions and breeding plants. It

was both exhilarating and exhausting.

I was suddenly awoken by a bright light seeping under my bedroom door. She did it!

Stepping out of my bedroom was as if someone brought a thousand suns into our

house. The air was warm and remarkably I could still feel my toes. Rushing into the

garage I was met with excitement bounding out of Marissa.

“But Marissa, how did you make it work?” I questioned.

“As long as the succulents are undergoing photosynthesis, they produce a flow of

electrons that can be pulled away as a ‘photocurrent’[5]. I first needed to find a way to

amplify the energy so it would be sufficient enough for our house. I modified the

biochemical reaction process and connected a few of the leaves to yield a sustainable

higher voltage. I then modified the plant we found to produce enough bioluminescence

to mimic the sun, ensuring the succulents constantly produce energy. It is a natural

energy loop, a miniature sun system." Inspired by biomimicry, Marissa found a way to

utilize nature’s energy to create a sustainable, bioinspired solution that was more

consistent than the artificial grid.

“Wow, someone's a nerd!” I laughed. “Does this mean I can have tea whenever I want?”

I hugged her, overwhelmed with joy.

“What a great idea! Let's gather the neighbors for some tea, they are probably freezing!”

Marissa urged.

We quickly went on to boil water and prepare snacks. As neighbors trickled into our

now-lit home, their expressions shifted from skepticism to awe. We explained the

science behind the glowing plant, and how it harnessed bioluminescence to enhance

the energy output of the succulents.

“Imagine if we could spread this technology throughout the neighborhood!” Marissa

exclaimed, her head spinning with possibility. “We could create a network of

bioluminescent, energy-producing plants to light up and heat our entire community!

There would be no need for electricity and it would purify the air and support existing

plant and animal life simultaneously.”

With each cup of tea poured, hope and warmth filled the room. Our small garage

experiment had blossomed into something much bigger—a potential solution for our

community’s energy shortage. In the next few weeks, we planted more glowing hybrids

and succulents in gardens, yards, and even along sidewalks.

As the weeks turned into months, the network of bioluminescent life began to thrive. As

the foliage grew, the local ecosystem began to revive. The plants spread, illuminating

the streets, and encouraging biodiversity. Wildlife returned that had long since

abandoned the area, birds chirped, and insects buzzed, creating a vibrant ecosystem

where there once had only been silence.

Just as everything seemed to be falling into place, we heard a distant buzz growing

louder, sending chills down my spine once again. A spotlight pierced the night sky,

hovering above our home. The helicopter’s whirring blades shattered the tranquility we

had created.

“Marissa, what’s happening?” I whispered, fear creeping into my voice.

“I don’t know,” she said, eyes wide with concern. “They must have heard about the