From the moment I woke up, the smell of wood was everywhere. It was in the air I breathed, the walls that surrounded me, even the bed I slept in. Everything was made of wood, and yet, it was becoming rarer every day. I could remember a time when trees were everywhere, their green leaves rustling in the wind. Now, they were a luxury, a memory. And Cambium, they were the ones who controlled it all.

As a carpenter, I had always been drawn to the beauty and strength of wood. It was my passion, my livelihood. But in this dystopian world, where resources were scarce and the environment was crumbling, being a carpenter was a dangerous profession. The demand for wood had skyrocketed, and Cambium, the powerful corporation that held a monopoly over the remaining supply, had become ruthless in their pursuit of profit.

I lived in a small town on the outskirts of the city, where the remnants of nature still clung desperately to life. The once lush forests had been reduced to mere patches of green, surrounded by concrete and steel. It was a constant reminder of what we had lost, and what we were fighting to protect.

Every day, I would venture into the city to work at the local carpentry shop. It was a small, hidden oasis amidst the towering buildings and polluted air. The shop was run by an old man named Samuel, who had been a carpenter for as long as anyone could remember. He had seen the world change, witnessed the destruction of the forests, and the rise of Cambium.

“Morning, kid,” Samuel greeted me as I entered the shop. His voice was gruff, but there was a warmth in his eyes that made me feel at home. “Got a new project for you today.”

I nodded, eager to escape the reality of the outside world and lose myself in the art of woodworking. Samuel handed me a set of blueprints and a piece of salvaged wood. “This one’s special,” he said, a hint of excitement in his voice. “It’s for a client who wants a dining table made from the last oak tree in the county.”

My heart skipped a beat. The last oak tree. It was a rare and precious wood, one that Cambium had been hoarding for their wealthy clients. The fact that Samuel had managed to get his hands on it was a small victory in itself.

I set to work, my hands moving with practiced precision. As I carved and shaped the wood, I couldn’t help but wonder about the true cost of this table. How many trees had been sacrificed for the sake of luxury? How many forests had been destroyed to satisfy the greed of the elite?

But my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the shop door swinging open. I turned to see a familiar face, one that sent a shiver down my spine. It was Marcus, a high-ranking executive from Cambium. He was tall and imposing, with a coldness in his eyes that made my blood run cold.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” Marcus said, his voice dripping with false charm. “I heard you have something interesting here.”

Samuel glanced at me, a flicker of concern in his eyes. He knew as well as I did that dealing with Cambium was dangerous. But he also knew that we couldn’t survive without their business.

“Yes, we do,” Samuel replied cautiously. “A dining table made from the last oak tree in the county.”

Marcus’s eyes lit up with greed. “I’ll take it,” he said, his voice filled with a sinister satisfaction. “Consider it a gift from Cambium.”

I felt a surge of anger rise within me. How dare they take something so precious and use it as a bargaining chip? But I knew better than to speak out. In this world, speaking out against Cambium was a death sentence.

As Marcus left the shop, the smell of wood lingered in the air, a bitter reminder of the power they held over us. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something more to this. Something hidden beneath the surface. And I was determined to uncover the truth.

The Dark Secrets

Days turned into weeks, and the memory of the last oak tree haunted my every thought. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something sinister about Cambium’s control over the wood supply. The way they hoarded the rarest and most valuable species, leaving the rest of us to scrape by with scraps.

I spent my nights researching, digging through old records and news articles, trying to piece together the puzzle. And then, one night, I stumbled upon a hidden document. It was a leaked memo from within Cambium, detailing their secret operation to exploit the last remaining forests.

According to the memo, Cambium had been systematically destroying the forests under the guise of “sustainable logging.” They would cut down a few trees, leaving the rest to regenerate, and then move on to the next area. But what they didn’t reveal was that they were using advanced technology to accelerate the growth of the new trees, allowing them to harvest them at an alarming rate.

It was a shocking revelation, one that made my blood boil. Cambium had been lying to the world, pretending to be the saviors of the environment while secretly profiting from its destruction. And I knew I had to do something about it.

I reached out to a group of environmental activists who had been fighting against Cambium for years. They called themselves the Green Resistance, a small but determined group of individuals who refused to let the world crumble under the weight of corporate greed.

They welcomed me with open arms, eager to have someone on the inside who could expose Cambium’s dark secrets. Together, we devised a plan to infiltrate one of Cambium’s logging sites and gather evidence of their illegal activities.

It was a risky endeavor, one that could cost us our lives. But we were willing to risk it all for the sake of the planet. We knew that if we didn’t act now, the last trees standing would be nothing more than a distant memory.

The Journey Begins

Under the cover of darkness, we set out on our journey to the logging site. It was located deep within the heart of the forest, hidden from prying eyes. We traveled in silence, our footsteps muffled by the thick layer of fallen leaves.

As we neared our destination, the air grew heavy with tension. We knew that any misstep could lead to disaster. But we were determined to expose Cambium’s crimes, no matter the cost.

Finally, we reached the edge of the logging site. It was a sprawling expanse of destruction, the once vibrant forest reduced to a barren wasteland. The sound of chainsaws echoed through the air, a haunting reminder of the devastation that was taking place.

We split into small groups, each with a specific task. My role was to gather evidence of Cambium’s illegal logging practices. Armed with a hidden camera, I ventured deeper into the site, careful to avoid the watchful eyes of the workers.

What I saw was even worse than I had imagined. The workers were cutting down trees indiscriminately, leaving behind a trail of destruction. The advanced technology that Cambium had boasted about was nothing more than a facade, a way to justify their greed.

I captured everything on camera, documenting the destruction and the lies. But as I made my way back to the rendezvous point, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched.

Suddenly, a spotlight illuminated the forest, blinding me momentarily. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. And then, a voice echoed through the darkness.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” It was Marcus, the same man who had taken the last oak tree from Samuel’s shop. He emerged from the shadows, a sinister smile on his face.

“Did you really think you could expose us?” he taunted, his voice dripping with malice. “You’re just a bunch of idealistic fools, fighting a losing battle.”

I clenched my fists, my anger boiling over. “You can’t hide the truth forever,” I spat, my voice filled with defiance. “The world deserves to know what you’re doing.”

Marcus laughed, a cold, hollow sound that sent shivers down my spine. “The world doesn’t care,” he sneered. “All they care about is their own comfort, their own luxury. They’ll turn a blind eye to anything as long as they get what they want.”

But I refused to back down. I had seen the destruction with my own eyes, and I knew that I couldn’t let Cambium get away with it. I had to fight, not just for the last trees standing, but for the future of our planet.

Allies and Enemies

As Marcus and his men closed in on me, I braced myself for a fight. But before they could reach me, a group of figures emerged from the shadows, surrounding us.

It was the Green Resistance, armed and ready to defend their cause. They had been watching from a distance, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And now, that moment had come.

A fierce battle ensued, the clash of metal against metal echoing through the night. We fought with everything we had, our determination fueling our every move. But Marcus and his men were well-trained, and they fought back with a ruthless efficiency.

In the chaos, I caught a glimpse of Samuel, his face etched with worry. He had followed me, unwilling to let me face this danger alone. I felt a surge of gratitude for his unwavering support, even in the face of such danger.

But as the battle raged on, it became clear that we were outnumbered. Marcus’s men were closing in, their weapons gleaming in the moonlight. We were trapped, with no way out.

And then, just when all hope seemed lost, a deafening roar filled the air. The ground beneath us shook, and the trees around us swayed violently. It was as if nature itself had come to our aid.

A massive creature burst through the trees, its eyes blazing with fury. It was a tree spirit, a guardian of the forest, summoned by our desperate plea for help. With a single swipe of its massive paw, it sent Marcus and his men flying, their weapons scattered on the ground.

The tree spirit turned to us, its gaze filled with gratitude. And then, as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished into the night, leaving us in awe of its power.

We stood there, breathless and shaken, as the reality of what had just happened sank in. We had been saved by the very thing we were fighting to protect. It was a sign, a reminder that we were not alone in this battle.

With renewed determination, we gathered our evidence and made our way back to the city. We knew that the fight was far from over, but we were ready to face whatever came our way. We had allies now, both human and supernatural, and together, we would expose Cambium’s dark secrets and save the last trees standing.

The Cost of Survival

Back in the city, we worked tirelessly to spread the truth about Cambium’s illegal logging practices. We released the evidence we had gathered to the media, hoping that the world would finally wake up to the corporation’s crimes.

But as the news spread, so did the backlash. Cambium launched a massive smear campaign, painting us as radicals and eco-terrorists. They used their power and influence to silence anyone who dared to speak out against them.

The world seemed to turn a blind eye, more interested in their own comfort than the fate of the planet. It was disheartening, to say the least. But we refused to give up. We knew that we had to keep fighting, no matter the cost.

And the cost was high. The Green Resistance became the target of Cambium’s wrath, their members hunted down and imprisoned. Many lost their lives in the battle for the last trees standing. But their sacrifice was not in vain. Their bravery inspired others to join the fight, to stand up against the corporate greed that was destroying our world.

As the resistance grew, so did our determination. We organized protests, boycotts, and acts of civil disobedience. We disrupted Cambium’s operations, making it impossible for them to continue their destructive practices.

And slowly, but surely, the tide began to turn. People started to question the status quo, to demand change. The demand for sustainable wood grew, and Cambium’s monopoly began to crumble.

In the end, it was not a single act of heroism that saved the last trees standing. It was the collective effort of countless individuals, united in their fight for a better future. We had shown the world that we would not be silenced, that we would not let corporate greed destroy our planet.

And as the last oak tree stood tall, its branches reaching towards the sky, I knew that we had won. The battle was far from over, but we had taken the first step towards a world where the beauty and strength of wood could be cherished once again.

The Source

This small novel was automatically created by processing the news article “Cambium is building a recycled wood supply chain” published by TechCrunch. This novel is generated using a collection of recipes, generative AI, and the touch of a human (when time allows).

This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the Generative AI algorithm “imagination” or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.