Monday – The Beginning of the Crash
The community center was a hollow shell of what it once was. Dust-covered posters still clung to the walls, advertising long-forgotten events—yoga classes, food drives, political rallies. A reminder of a world that used to believe in structure, in gathering, in hope.
Jas wiped the grime off an old television screen and carefully connected it to their small solar panel. A weak signal crackled through, distorting an image before stabilizing into a frozen broadcast from years ago.
“Wait, this is from just before everything fell apart,” Jas murmured, adjusting the signal.
The screen flickered, and a frantic news anchor appeared, her voice trembling with urgency:
"The stock market has plummeted to historic lows. Panic has gripped global markets as major corporations declare bankruptcy. Experts are calling this the worst economic crash in recorded history…"
Roman leaned in, his brow furrowed. “That’s when it all started unraveling.”
Ivy Mae’s fingers tightened around the fabric of her sleeve. “I remember this.” Her voice was quiet, distant. “I was just trying to survive. It felt like the whole world was falling apart, and no one cared about us little people.”
Jas clicked through more footage. Protesters filled the streets. Some carried signs demanding justice, while others looted stores in desperation. The footage cut to world leaders making panicked statements, assuring the public that everything was under control, even as the numbers on the stock ticker continued to plummet.
Then came the real breaking point.
"In an unprecedented move, several countries have begun shifting away from the US dollar as the global reserve currency," the news anchor reported. "Experts warn this could lead to geopolitical instability, inflation spikes, and economic uncertainty worldwide..."
Roman exhaled sharply. “That was it. The moment no one could turn back from.”
“They built everything on a system that was never meant to last,” Ivy Mae muttered. “And when it started cracking, they blamed everyone but themselves.”
Jas shut off the television. The room fell into heavy silence.
Roman crossed his arms. “People always thought if the economy collapsed, they could rebuild. But they didn’t realize how fragile everything really was. How dependent they were on a system that only worked if people believed in it.”
Jas tapped their notebook. “So… what happened when that belief was gone?”
Ivy Mae glanced toward the boarded-up windows, where the setting sun cast long shadows across the room. “We’re living in the answer.”