As
Ahmed pressed
the enter key,
the most amazing
thing happened.
A Rainbow of
light seemed
to rise out
of the ground
beneath their
feet. It stretched
up over their
heads and out
over the top
of the bridge
across to the
pot of treasure
on the other
side. They were
standing on
the rainbow!
Tentatively,
the Better World Kids looked
out at the rainbow
as it hung suspended
above the bridge.
They held hands
as they walked
together over
the great chasm,
and finally
they were standing
in front of
a small pot
of golden treasure.
The kids couldn't
believe their
eyes. The gold
shimmered and
sparkled in
the sunlight,
holding their
attention. It
was a long time
before any of
them could even
look away. Finally
Sunanda did
though, after
a pleasurable
sigh of joy.
It was then
that she noticed
a sign next
to the treasure.
"Congratulations,
Better World Kids,"
she read. "Look
guys!" she gasped.
They read the
rest of the
sign together.
"You did it!
This Eco Treasure
is yours. I
have confidence
that you will
use it to help
make your wish
for a better
world come true."
There was a
contract and
a check tacked
onto the sign.
The check was
for $1 billion
dollars!
The kids could
not believe
that this was
happening. They
knew that with
a billion dollars
they could really
help change
the world. They
had been dreaming
about so many
ideas and plans
that they'd
wanted to pursue.
Now they'd be
able to do all
of them and
more.
And that's exactly
what they did.
As soon as the
weekly Better World Kids meeting
was adjourned,
the kids went
back to their
own homes and
communities.
They told their
families about
the Eco Treasure
they'd found,
although they
left out the
part about finding
it IN Cyberspace.
Of course their
families thought
they were all
kidding. But
Sunanda's father
arranged for
all of the families
to travel by
plane to meet
together and
discuss the
contract that
they all had
to sign.
The Better World Kids were so
excited. Although
they magically
got together
for their Better World Kids meetings
each week in
cyberspace,
somehow, meeting
together in
real time and
space seemed
even more magical.
The Better World Kids' families
sat with their
mouths open,
unable to speak
at all, as the
Better World Kids
shared with
them all of
the ideas they
had.
They told their
families about
all of the amazing
things that
people were
doing across
the globe to
help make the
world a better
place and about
their idea to
unite those
efforts to create
a global movement
that would help
to transform
the world.
"Think
about what the
world would
be like if striving
to create a
better world
was the common
goal that everyone
shared," Sunanda
said.
"Think
about what it
would be like
if ALL kids
and adults learned
the skills and
tools to work
their problems
out peacefully,"
Ahmed added.
"And
if people worked
not just to
make money,
but to make
the world safer
and better for
everyone..."
Erin declared,
"... all the
planet's ecoystems,
all the people,
and the animals
and plants…"
"Think
about what it
would be like
if our heroes
weren't just
sports stars
and entertainment
celebrities,
but those who
were working
to make the
world a better
place for everyone…"
Maya piped in.
"If
we were inspired
and encouraged
to work together
for a better
world in the
TV shows we
watched, and
the nightly
news reports,
and in our video
games, and the
music on the
radio and in
movies and magazines
and books…"
Johnny continued.
"Can
you imagine
walking in to
a bookstore
or Video Store
with a whole
section of exciting
choices about
working For
a Better World…"
Ling laughed.
The kids had
a million ideas
about things
they could do.
"Let's start
now!" everyone
agreed. And
so they did.
Chapter
6. Is Peace
on Earth only
a dream?
Sunanda
woke up with
a start. "Where
am I?" she thought
for only a moment
as she saw that
she was lying
on her bed.
Her laptop was
humming quietly
beside her and
she glanced
down at the
clock.
"Oh
thank goodness
I didn't miss
our Better World Team meeting,"
she sighed.
"I must have
been napping,
but I woke up
just in time!"
Then she saw
the unopened
package on the
bed and she
had the strangest
feeling. Suddenly
she felt very
confused. "Wow,
that was a strange
dream. It felt
so real…"
She found herself
automatically
typing in the
Better World Team
web address.
Suddenly she
was in Cyberspace,
and all her
friends were
there waiting
for her.
"What's
the matter,
Sunanda?" they
all asked, because
she really didn't
seem herself.
"I
just had the
weirdest dream
..." She told
them all about
the Eco Treasure
Hunt they had
all gone on
together in
her dream, and
the wonderful
eco treasure
they found,
and how with
all that money,
they had taken
a giant leap
forward in creating
a better world.
"That's
some dream!"
the Better World Kids agreed.
"If only it
were true."
Sunanda sighed
sadly. Then
she saw the
package in her
hand. "Oh, yeah,
I forgot about
this package
that came today.
I guess this
is what got
my imagination
running wild,"
she sighed.
"It's probably
just a book
or a CD from
another Better World Team, like
that one I got
last month..."
"Well,
that CD was
really inspiring,"
Ling said. "So,
I'd love to
hear this one."
"Yeah,
there are so
many people
creating beautiful
works that are
helping to inspire
a better world
…" Jamal said.
"But,
maybe there
really IS a
treasure map
inside the package,"
Sunanda teased.
"Wouldn't
that be wonderful,"
Sunanda sighed
yet again.
The
Better World Kids
agreed, but
they knew they
already had
the greatest
treasure they
could hope for
- each other!
"Well, open
it already,
Sunanda!" the
kids urged.
And
that's just
what she did.
