I'm a Bacterium

         I’m so small, and I’m always around. I can be anywhere I want to: lying on your sofa when you’re sleeping, sitting next to you when you’re browsing internet, and watching TV with you in the coldest night of the year. I’m always here and there, wherever you go. It’s just a pity you never notice me—not even once.

         Why? Because I’m a bacterium!

         I have tons of brothers and sisters, and they’re just like me. They can follow you wherever you go, they can crawl into your stomach, and their number is more uncountable than the stars. Why? Because we are bacteria!

         I’m a bacterium and I shall be everywhere. I’m so tiny that you can’t see me, but I’m always next to you and your dog when you’re having a morning walk. I’m there, right on the back of your dog, examining ticks sucking his blood dry. But what can I do to stop them? They’re giants for me. After all, I’m just a bacterium!

         I hate it when you clean your house—with or without knowing it, you’re killing my family. I hate it when you’re using vacuum cleaner—with or without knowing it, you’re trying to destroy my species. I hate it when I have to see toothpaste advertisement in TV—with or without knowing it, you humans have declared war against my race. You’re the one who attack us first, but you use disease and illness as an excuse to murder us. And what can we do to protest? We are just bacteria!

         So, please do forgive me if I hate you with all my heart. What choice do I have? This is war, and war is never nice.

         And there I am, standing right on the floor as you’re holding that mop and slaughtering my brothers and sisters.

         They are screaming every time that cursed thing touches their body—oh, how loud their scream is! But you’re invincible as always. You don’t even notice their wail as you chop them into pieces. And as I’m standing there, watching my beloved family gone one by one, you’re just holding tight that MP3 and mumbling parts of the song you’re listening to. Is that the justice your people always talk about?

         So, please do forgive me if I can’t take it anymore. And before my remaining brothers and sisters can hold me, I have run as fast as my membrane cell can bring me, right to your giant feet. I’m also calling your name again and again in fury, warning you to save your wretched life before I catch you. Because it’s against my nature to slaughter a human being—after all, I’m just a bacterium!

         And yet, you still don’t pay any attention to me. Oh, how I would like to climb to your head and tear your eardrums off! They don’t deserve to have such despicable owner like you! But what can I do? I’m just a bacterium!

         I can hear my brothers and sisters are shouting at me, telling me not to do anything foolish, but I barely listen. Your people say that fury can blind eyes, and I believe it’s true: I can’t even think straight by that time. Every cell of my nucleus keeps saying this is insane and that I should turn back and run while I still can. But please do forgive me for not giving up that easily, for I’m still thinking it’s your people’s fault to begin with. For I’m harmless from the beginning—I’m just a bacterium!

         And so, there I am: avoiding your deadly mop as you move it to and fro in attempt to slaughter me. But you can’t catch me; I’m way faster than your incapable hands. My brothers and sisters, however, don’t find it as amusing as I do. They keep running and calling my name from the behind, telling me to save my own neck first before acting heroic. But I have no time to assure them not to worry; I’m too busy struggling with your enormous mop and sprinting to your feet. And I shall assure you, the distance between me and your feet isn’t short at all. For I’m just a bacterium—one centimetre is like Sahara Desert to me.

         And even after I succeed to past through your deadly mop, my path isn’t going any easier—not at all! For after you have completed your genocide, this slaughter zone is buried with dead bodies of my beloved brothers and sisters. There’re zillions of them, but none makes even the slightest gesture. And the place itself, which once was a paradise for all bacteria, is now completely flattened to the ground. Not even one ruin left; just like what happened to the other paradises you have destroyed.

         But, even though everything we owned has been completely abolished, what can I do? I’m no match even against those toenails of yours—I’m just a bacterium!

         Feeling my cytosol boiled with fury, I can’t help myself rushing towards your feet with a new determination. Please do forgive me if I can’t control my temper, for you people have gone too far this time. My beloved brothers and sisters won’t rest in peace if I don’t avenge them. Please do forgive my selfishness, but the only way you can redeem yourself is with your death.

         ...And you really should beware now, for I have managed to jump onto your feet, and now I’m ready to put you in peril....

         Alas, this life is always unfair, especially to a smaller being like me. Just before I can start my revenge, you have put your mop down and walked back to the other room. And as I’m trying not to slip off your feet, a womanly voice booms from the kitchen.

         “Amanda! Don’t forget to wash your feet before going to bed! I’ve just cleaned it!”

         “Okay, Mom!”

         And with that, you’re back to move again; this time to a place I’ve never seen before. It’s all covered with pure white, from its walls, door, towels and even an unknown, chair-shaped basin at one side of the room. And I don’t have much choice but holding onto your feet tightly as you walk past the chair and right to the glass door at the other side of the room. My mind can’t help wondering what this is all about.

         ...To my terror, you open the glass door, pick the little shower on the wall and aim it right to me.

         And I scream. Oh, how loud I scream! And it still grows louder as you take that soap and start rubbing it on me. Yet you’re still invincible as always, and the best I can do is shrieking and shrieking, before I’m completely shattered and disappear from this cruel world....

         I’m just a bacterium. Hygiene is my enemy.