You sit in your father's old office, reminiscing of times you would sit on his lap while he read you a story. Looking back, it didn't make much sense that your father, who was a miner, would have a room filled with expensive books and tools while we struggled to put food on the table. You spot something on a shelf that seems different from the others
[[An old, tattered book]]
You pick up the book, and a small device is hidden behind it. You leave the device alone and examine the book. It's a history book, about the rise of Panem.
//In the year 0 BDD (Before the Dark Days), the world lay in ruins. Nations crumbled, and from their ashes emerged Panem. The Capitol, with its opulence and power, controlled the districts. The Treaty of Treason established the annual Hunger Games, a brutal reminder of their dominance.//
While this isn't new information by any means, the book paints the Capitol in a way that could constitute treason. You close the book and look back at the shelf.
[[You grab the small device]]
As you look at the device, it appears to be an old radio. You have never seen one this small before. You turn around the radio in your hand searching for a button and find a small switch on the side. As your finger brushes the switch, you hear a large crash from outside the room.
Your mind races with possibilites. Have one of the Peacekeepers come inside? Usually a Peacekeeper would be no big deal in District 12, however a particulary cranky Peacekeeper may find a way to punish you for having this book and radio. Not to mention, you had been illegally hunting in the woods earlier that day.
[[Hide the objects and check the living room.]]
[[ Flick the switch. It's probably nothing.]]A man's voice loudly rings from the radio.
// " In our world, oppressive regimes suppress dissent, manipulate media, and exploit their citizens. Like the French monarchy before the revolution,-"//
The door bursts open from behind you. Before you have time to react, a Peacekeepr grabs you by the hair and the radio falls to the floor. You let out of scream and the Peackeeper drags you to the floor. You are surrounded. One Peackeeper picks up the radio, only to smash it on the floor.
On the charges of poaching and owning restricted items you are executed.
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[[Try Again]]You enter the living room and a Peacekeeper is standing by your front door. They lean on the wall and cross their arms before questioning where you were earlier that day. They must have seen you close to the fence surrounding District 12. Being caught near the fence was suspicious, but if they had seen you sneak through you may be lashed in the square, if not worse.
You tell him your sister's goat had gotten loose, and you were just looking around the area for him.
You aren't sure if they believe you, but they tell you to be more careful and walk out the door.
You breathe a sign of relief.
[[Go back go the office]]You pick up the small radio from where you left it and flick the switch. A man's voice loudly rings through the office.
//“In our world, oppressive regimes suppress dissent, manipulate media, and exploit their citizens. The Capitol's tactics of suppressing dissent and manipulating information parallel the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution. Robespierre's Committee of Public Safety silenced dissenters and executed perceived enemies of the revolution.”//
This must be the ramblings of a crazy man. You open your mouth to respond, but the voice repeats the same line again. It's just a recording. You let out a sign before placing the device down.
You find yourself looking at another shelf.
[[Reach for a faded photograph.]]
[[You are done in here. Go outside]] The sun blinds you as you walk outside. It seems awfully quiet today, however you decide to ignore that and head to the Hob. You hope that maybe the old lady there you take your bird for some money or food.
In an alleyway you hear a hushed conversation.
[[Listen.]]
[[Keep walking.]]It is a photo of you from when you were a child. Your coal covered father stands next to you. You flip the picture and notice writing on the back.
//Just like coal miners in our world, Katniss faces danger daily. The hazardous conditions, lack of regulations, and disregard for workers’ lives echo real-life struggles. Like that of the French working class. In both cases, ordinary people faced harsh conditions, exploitation, and a lack of rights. The French Revolution saw laborers, sans-culottes, and peasants rising against their oppressors.//
Why would your father write this? Who are the French? He must've been a mad man, wasting time writing stories and leaving them in his office.
You place the photograph down. To the right of it is a large folded paper.
[[Unfold the paper]]
[[You are done in here. Go outside]] You unfold the paper. It is mucn larger than you initially thought, and confusion fills you as you read the text.
<a href="https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=1aShqN_MUqtFNbCowKiYBCEYXvbWxppgEY3wcfvCANDI&font=Default&lang=en&initial_zoom=2&height=650" target="_blank">Read the paper</a>
How peculiar....this timeline includes events from years that have not yet passed. You think that once again this is some fictional writing that merely inludes some truth to it.
This is all too much at the moment.
[[You are done in here. Go outside]]
Against your better judgment, you decide that eavesdropping is a good idea today. However, you can't just stop in your tracts right in front of them.
[[Hide around the corner]]
[[Sneak into the alleyway and hide behind a large crate]]You walk past the two and spot graffiti on the wall. Graffiti is nothing unusual around here, however the content of this piece was sure to get the writer executed if they were ever caught.
//Hope blooms even in the darkest days. Just as Katniss defied the Capitol, we too can rise against injustice.//
Just as you think it couldn't get any worse, you see smaller writing on the bottom. Who even had the time to write this without getting caught?
//The spirit of hope and defiance in Katniss resonates with the revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Just as the French revolutionaries fought for a better world, Katniss becomes a symbol of resistance against tyranny.//
Now this madness has left your father's old office. ''YOU'' must be the insane one. You have somehow delved so far into insanity you are having hallucinations. That's the only logical conclusion here.
Your mind is spinning. You turn away, the Hob no longer a priority. You just need to get away.
[[A child hums an unfamiliar tune.]]The two are speaking so quietly you can't hear them. As you inch closer, the voices only seem to get quiter. What a pointless, stupid waste of time.
[[Keep walking.]] A man whispers //"The Capitol's opulence and the stark contrast with district poverty mirror the wealth disparity in pre-revolutionary France. The bourgeoisie enjoyed privilege while the common people suffered. The French Revolution sought to address this inequality. Do you think the same will happen for these folks?//
The two are awfully loud for such treasonous talk. Not to mention this French stuff again. Maybe it's a country that has long since been destroyed, who also faced oppression similar to ours. Deciding it's better not to be involved with these two, you sneak back out of the alleyway.
[[Keep walking.]]
You try to smile at the child. He gives a toothy grin back, and tells you about the song. It's a simple three tune whistle used in other Districts to signal the day is over. How would a child know about other districts? He says something even stranger next.
//It's like the French national anthem, "La Marseillaise." Both evoke courage, defiance, and the call to rise against oppression. Just as the anthem rallied French revolutionaries, the Mockingjay inspires Panem's rebellion.//
Rebellion? To mention such words is only asking for trouble. You reach for the child, yet he disappears under your fingers.
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[[Go home and tell your Mother what happened today.]](enchant:?page,(bg:(gradient: 0, 0,#e61919,0.5,#000000,1,#000000)))
You tell your mother about what happened today. She stares at you with an emotion you can't quite discern. She gives a soft smile and leads you to your room. She tells you everything will be okay, just wait here. The door locks behind her.
As minutes become hours you begin to realize how small your room is, and the tiny window does little to help light in. Finally the door cracks open and your mother brings some hard bread and soup in. She tells you to just rest, and that once again, everything will be okay. This pattern continues. She brings you soup and hard bread, tells you everything will be okay, and then leaves again.
Sometimes you fight, and sometimes you sing your mother the three tune melody from years prior. Sometimes you wonder if the things you saw that day were real and have treasonous thoughts of overthrowing the Capitol.
Tonight however, you fall asleep to the thought of desserts.
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[[Thank you for playing]]
As history unfolds, we witness the ebb and flow of societies, the rise and fall of empires. Change is inevitable, but so too are the shadows that cling to progress. Let us reflect on the lessons learned from pivotal moments, even those outside if the French Revolution as mentioned in the story.
In World War II, amid the chaos of global conflict, humanity witnessed both heroism and horror. The fight against fascism revealed the contradictions between democratic ideals and racial discrimination
The atrocities committed by Imperial Japan remain etched in memory, a stark reminder of oppression within and beyond its borders. From Meiji to World War II, dissent was stifled, and dissidents became political prisoners. The unification of government and military led to brutal crackdowns, silencing voices of change
Under the totalitarian rule of Kim Jong Un, North Korea persists as one of the most repressive countries. Fearful obedience is maintained through threats of execution, forced labor, and isolation. The struggle for freedom continues, even in the face of unyielding oppression.
Remember that as the tides of time shift, oppression can resurface unexpectedly. Vigilance remains our shield against the darkness. Let us stand together, ever watchful, for the sake of justice and human dignity.
I hope you enjoyed!
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Andrea B
[[Play Again|Try Again]]
''[[Search your father's office|Try Again]]''
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