Teenage Wasteland (Based on the Song Baba O'Riley by the Who) | Teen Ink

Teenage Wasteland (Based on the Song Baba O'Riley by the Who)

March 29, 2010
By HandofSpock BRONZE, San Diego, California
HandofSpock BRONZE, San Diego, California
1 article 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"An Eye for an Eye makes the whole world blind." -Mohandas Gandhi


Barbara "Baba" O'Riley was a young, petite 13 year old girl living in a small shack with only her mother. Her father died from the War.

Baba grasped onto her mother from time to time. Around their old shack were wastes of stone and rock. Ruins dotted the landscape. The constant bombings of the past lasted for a mere two days. But within those two days came death and destruction. Baba's Father forced her and her mother to run underground until the war ended.

"I promise," muttered Baba's Father on that fateful day nine years ago, "I will come back and care for you both."

The promise was broken. And today, Baba and her mother fight for their meals and struggle. Food is scarce and if any is found, fighting ensues. Baba was hungry most of the week. She and her mother had to only support themselves on gristle of roots of plants and seeds.

"Baba," Baba's mother whispered to her daughter.

"Yes Mom?" the girl answered.

"It is time to go foraging again."

Baba's mother let go of the grasp of her arms. She released Baba and the girl looked at her mother. She took a glance at her before leaving.

Crish, Grishle, Grish

Baba's sandals sank into the stone of the wasteland as she walked. The ruins below were buried in granite and stone. Baba looked over the hills to see only more wasteland. Baba searched the ground for anything edible. People out in the fields were desperate for food and would eat practically anything. Rumbles and brawls would erupt only to have the winner die of poisoning.

The young girl crouched to pick up a light brown root with a dark green leaf near it. Baba analyzed it.

Looks edible, she thought to herself.

Baba bit the tip of the leaf. It had a sweet taste for about a few seconds but then it became bitter and sour. Baba spit it out and tossed the leaf away.

"Yuck!" she shouted in disgust.

"That's acerbus plant," a voice rang out from over the hill.

Baba turned around to see a man, rather elderly leaning on a concrete slab sticking out of the rocky wasteland like a prick.

"What?" Baba asked again to the man.

"Acerbus plant, latin for bitter."

Baba walked towards the man. He was more fancier clothed than Baba and had facial hair. His nose was a more protruding figure and he was about in his sixties. He had turquoise eyes, a little darker than the sky.

"Who...who are you?" Baba asked the man.

"Ha, reminds me of a song," the man laughed and smiled. "Call me Pete, now what is your name?"

Baba didn't want to reveal her true identity. No one revealed their true name out in the wasteland. Baba began to contemplate of an alias.

Sabrina, nah, sounds like a witch. Saline, no...Sarah? No...Sally! Yeah, Sally's a nice name.

"Sally," Baba answered.

"I see," Pete answered.

"So what are you doing here?" Baba, now Sally, asked.

"So many questions!" Pete replied in a laid back voice.

Baba thought that the man was strange. His personality was more relaxed than usual, especially if he was a newcomer and realized that there was absolutely no food.

"Really, what are you doing here?" Baba asked again.

"Another question!" the man chuckled.

"No really."

"Sally, I know you're in a pickle here. I mean, no food an' all, let me show you something."

Pete turned around towards the concrete slab.

"Sally?"

"Yes?" Baba answered.

"Do you fight for your food?" Pete asked as he put his left hand on the concrete slab.

"Yes..." Baba trailed off.

Pete looked at Baba and gave a smile. He looked to the blue sky again.

"You're always right, Sally."

The statements that this man was making were foreign for Baba. But it touched her somehow. To her relief, the man hasn't attacked her for the food she had on hand by now. Pete was friendly to her. Baba had no other friends out in the wasteland. Because if you are friends with someone, you have to share your food. And because there was barely any out in the Wasteland, no one could afford to share.

"Fighting never proved anything," Pete said.

Baba looked at Pete in the eyes. "That is true I guess."

Baba looked down to the rocks below her feet. She thought back to the fighting nine years ago. Fighting killed her friends, her family and her Father. Tears began to flow out of her eyes. They pattered on the ground. Baba began to sob and dug her face into her hands. Pete noticed and approached Baba.

"I know Sally, you are alone," Pete put his hand on Baba's shoulder.

"I..." Baba cried, "I know..."

"I've lost friends too. Keith, John."

Baba had absolutely no idea the people that Pete spoke of were. That didn't matter however.

"Don't cry," Pete repeated to Baba until he said, "don't raise your eyes. Come on, take my hand."

Baba looked up and put her right hand in Pete's left.

"Let me take you somewhere. Don't look back."

This exodus began. Pete and Baba journeyed south. Baba worried that her mother would starve but Baba knew she was going somewhere, where happiness was. Baba followed what Pete said, and never looked over his shoulder, never to turn back.

"I'm an old man Sally," Pete said to Sally as they walked across the Wasteland. "I'm gonna get older and you are too."

Baba nodded. The man's words of wisdom weren't the best. It was awkward. Old men would say more inspiring things, but this, Baba could comprehend.

Then, two concrete slabs stuck out of the Wasteland. Baba could only question.

"Is this it?" she asked.

"Yes it is, Sally, yes it is."

"It doesn't look like anything," Baba fell down to the ground and sat on her bottom.

"You'll see," Pete said with confidence.

Pete walked up inbetween the two concrete slabs. He reached down into some space to pull out a red object. It was pointed at the end and had strings going down its "neck". Baba couldn't recognize it. It had a body that was like an uneven star. Pete strummed his fingers on the interesting object.

"Sally, do you know what Rock is?" Pete yelled.

Baba shook her head.


"The greatest music in the world, Sally," Pete answered with pride.

Pete strummed a great note into the air. Baba looked in awe. Pete walked up to Baba and began to sing.

Out here in the Fields, I fight for my meals...

I get back into my livin...

Baba began to sing along. For once in Baba's life, she was happy. All the death around here seemingly disappeared as she sang along with Pete. Hours past then inbetween the great concrete slabs was a rectangular light. It shined across the Wasteland.

"Hey, Pete!" the light yelled.

Pete stood up, "It appears I must leave."

"Wait, what?!" Baba yelled.

"Gimmie a sec Roger!" Pete yelled to his companion behind the Light.

Pete gave Baba his guitar.

"Wait..."

"Take it. Unite the wasteland," Pete said to Baba. He walked towards the Light.

"Good---Good bye!" Baba shouted.

Pete winked at Baba and left into the Light. The light sealed and left Baba holding the guitar.

"It's only Teenage Wasteland...".
Fin


The author's comments:
The Who's Song Baba O'Riley was an inspiration. Its lyrics had something spiritual and told told a story in some way. Thank You Pete and Roger. Rest in Peace Keith and John.

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