[ WP ] The year is 2170 . The air is no longer safe to breathe , courtesy of hundreds of genetically engineered CRISPR viruses all capable of altering human DNA within seconds . A cult of clean air worshippers decides to venture out into the open and remove all their masks at once

From behind their oxygen masks underneath the dome, muffled shouts could be heard *No! No! Come back! * They were hardly visible in the smog of the `` protective'' dome that provided us with `` safety'' from the `` harmful'' atmosphere that awaited us outside filthy walls. The air inside was thick and dirty with pollution, the sky barely blue. A breeze was never felt from the filter fans meant to simulate daily weather. 
 
 We stepped out, holding hands, brothers and sisters in life and in death. Our leader broke our chain and stood in front of us. He looked as if her were going to deliver another one of his charismatic speeches, yet he remained silent. Without hesitation, he removed his plastic yellow suit, then his shirt and pants and screamed. Not a cry of pain or anguish but that of a new born child. This was our first time outside of the dome and the rush of a cool autumn breeze was no doubt exhilarating. The tall grass brushed against his legs, the sun, oh the beautiful sun, shone on his back. Through his air mask, we could hear him laughing, almost crying, overwhelmed by the beauty of the situation. 
 
 `` Brothers... Sisters! Join me! Join me in this beautiful act of freedom and defiance!'' For a moment we all hesitated and exchanged glances of fear but before we knew it, our suits lay on the ground along with the government provided clothing. We could hear banging on the dome and screams of our loved ones begging us not to go any further, to come back to safety. They were doomed, not us. 
 
 We all held hands as we did when we first left the dome. `` Brothers... Sisters... you have come this far. We do n't know what's gunna happen. They say we'll turn into some crazy science... crap. But our studies have proven them wrong time and time again. If you turn around and leave the circle now... there will be no hurt feelings, I'll understand. I'm as nervous as some of you are, trust me. But whatever happens, man I'm gunna be here with you guys for all of it.'' 
 
 Our leader, strong and courageous, unstrapped his mask. He held it to his face for one last moment, taking in one last deep breath of filtered air. He stepped back from the circle, releasing our hands, and removed the mask. It dropped to the earth with a heavy thunk that echoed years of oppression and filth. And he smiled. 
 
 One by one we all followed his lead, reluctant but excited to see that nothing had happened to our leader. He was no more a man than us, his DNA differed no more than ours. If this `` toxic'' air was going to kill us within mere seconds like the lessons in grade school and daily PSAs and warnings posted around the dome told us, should n't we be dead by now? But we were alive. And we were free. 

