Within this paragraph, you will find the alphabet. Some might scoff at the seemingly arbitrary subject. The alphabet is such a dreary topic, they say, noses lifted snobbishly in the air. So boring, so mundane – why bother? Not quite so, dear reader. You may know the alphabet; perhaps even pride yourself on your illustrious vocabulary. Let’s delve a little deeper. Zealously and excitedly, let us reflect on our love for the alphabet – even such (arguably) unimportant letters…

With twenty-six letters, we can make words flow smoothly and quickly, with a consistency akin to melted butter dripped over a plate of popcorn. And then, words with a completely different texture, jarring to the mind, words that can make you hear, feel. Like lightning cracking in a grey sky, raging waves crashing aboard a broken ship, groaning, creaking; like a door in a dusty house being opened for the first time in a lonely millennia, and stagnant air slowly being stirred alive – shyly, furtively – to a romantic glow shining through yellowed windows, into a quiet room with someone softly scratching words onto paper, words similar to the ones gathered in this paragraph, but not quite.

It’s all just letters, that’s very true. Everyone starts with twenty-six letters, and then. Take some away, add some more, rearrange the whole mess, and, there. Words capable of taking down empires, words with the ability to unravel a person, unravel their very existence, even capable of picking apart the history of the world. Words that can move mountains.

What would happen, if we were not to have this inspiring, expressive medium? How then, would we be able to convey our thoughts, hopes, dreams? How then, will we reach the zenith of life, the highest pinnacle of what it means to be human, and to leave our mark on this world, to remain, long after our bodies have decayed and our names forgotten?

Let’s see what would happen if we were to take away four letters, arbitrarily chosen: Z, Q, J, D.

Twenty-two letters remain. Yet now, I write haltingly, at a tiresomely slow pace. There are limitations to the phrases I concoct, even if the letters missing are amongst the more obscure. Is it possible to create a scene of turmoil with twenty-two letters? I can unleash them ecstatically, one after another, but they have no tempo, they have no flow. They cannot sear into your hearts, they cannot rouse you into a passionate, fist shaking, eyes afire state of hysteria!

Let’s take away another three letters: K, V, F.

At this point, explaining basic scenery is still possible. I can still explain to some extent exactly what I want to say. I can examine rainbows, along with their brilliance, or how butter tastes, or how I lose priorities in a way similar to how I lose my math notes (almost instantaneously). I can share emotions with other people, express happiness or misery, hopes, nightmares. But abstract thought is practically impossible! There is nothing to say! Also, how to say them? (Through punctuation?!)

Let’s take away two more letters: C and B.

It is almost hopeless. Phrases shall remain short, terse. They will not express meaning. I am utterly aghast. Suppose it’s time to ignore proper grammar? Spelling too?? There’s not enough letters! So now, how to express? How? How?? Through the English language?! How though? Where are the letters?

X, U

…Trying to write things, tho is not worging well. Tiring. Stop trying now. Grass is pretty. Air is warm. Go smell things. …Perhaps eat things. Who noes?

…Y, M, P

How to write?? How to write?? How to tell things?? Letters????? Letters? 12 left! No! Now what!?

AEGHILNORSTW!   AEGHILNORSTWAEGHILNORSTW!!?!?

…L, G, E

AHHHHH NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOO STTTTTTTWWWWWWW

…

…

(The  rest  is  silence.)