The Library – Thursday
Jas finds an old notebook tucked between the pages of a crumbling encyclopedia. The leather cover is cracked, but the paper inside is still good. They flip through the empty pages, then grab a pen from their pack and start writing.
“We need to remember this,” Jas says, scribbling down the key things they’ve learned from the old tweets, articles, and forgotten stories they’ve uncovered. “Not just the mistakes, but the lessons.”
Roman leans over, peering at the page. “Like, don’t let leaders like Pierre or Trump take control?”
Jas grins. “Exactly. And don’t get fooled by promises that only help the rich and powerful.”
Ivy Mae adds, “Or let them pit people against each other while they hoard everything for themselves.” She flips through an old magazine, pointing to a faded article about the Vietnam War. “They kept calling it a fight for democracy, but really, it was just power and greed. How many people had to die before they admitted it was a mistake?”
Roman nods. “Same with the wars before that. World War I, Indigenous soldiers fought hoping things would change. Then World War II—Japanese Canadians fought for Canada while their families were locked in internment camps. And when Vietnam happened, draft dodgers ran here thinking Canada was better. But was it?”
Jas frowns. “It’s like history repeats itself, just with different names.” They tap the notebook. “We have to write it down. So next time, people won’t fall for it.”
Roman smirks. “If there even is a next time.”
Ivy Mae glances around the abandoned library, the shelves of forgotten books, the crumbling world outside. “That’s the thing about history,” she says softly. “It doesn’t stop just because we do.”
Jas keeps writing. Because even if the world had burned, even if the people in power had let everything fall apart, someone still had to remember.