A world without you

27 days before war

The evening sun cast a golden hue across the town of Veridell, a small, peaceful place nestled in the western part of Wisteria. Despite the calm exterior, the weight of an unspoken tension hung in the air, something that had been growing for over a decade. It was a conflict—one that could no longer be ignored.

Wisteria, known for its fertile soil and prosperous mines, had once been a unified and thriving nation. Its wealth had been built on the land's natural resources, making it the envy of surrounding regions. For centuries, it stood strong as one, but a decade ago, things began to change. The divide was unofficial, yet palpable: the East, historically less developed but rich in untapped resources, and the West, where Rose and her family lived, which had long been the seat of power and wealth.

The West's government, with its strong industrial base and advanced technology, had always maintained the upper hand. Led by a council of ministers, the West had a firm grip on the economy, its policies heavily favoring continued growth and expansion. It was a well-oiled machine, but one fueled by constant control over the East's resources. The East managed to remain technically autonomous; nevertheless, it was blocked from having a say during decision-making at the central level, thus classifying its citizens as second-class. There were murmurs of unrest, tentative whispers hinting at yet another boom of rebellion. While these still lacked the flowering of a full-fledged movement, the intensity also opened the cracking line of unity on the nation that had begun to widen and give room for the two regions drawn practically further apart than any other times to drift into a civil war more than never before.

The only thing keeping the tension from erupting into open conflict had been Dr. Foremon. As the chief diplomat, Dr. Foremon had brokered countless peace talks, ensuring that the fragile relationship between East and West remained intact. His illness, however, had cast a shadow over the entire nation. With him bedridden and unable to mediate, the cracks in the nation's unity had begun to widen, and now, more than ever, the two regions teetered on the brink of civil war.

But that wasn't what was on Rose's heed—at least, not at first.

The faint sound of Caleb's cries drifted down the hallway. She glanced up from her history book, rubbing her tired eyes as she let out a sigh. Caleb had been particularly fussy today, and her mother, was working double shifts at the local hospital and wasn't due back until late that evening. It was up to Rose to keep an eye on him, though she was desperately trying to focus on her final test in history the next day.

Kai sat across the kitchen table from her, flipping through his own textbook. He, too, had the same exam, though he didn't seem as stressed as Rose. "You okay?" he asked, noticing her distracted expression.

"Yeah, just..." Rose trailed off, hearing Caleb's cries grow louder. She pushed her chair back and stood up. "I'll be right back. He's been like this all day."

Kai nodded, watching as Rose disappeared into the hallway. Left alone in the kitchen, he glanced around the cluttered space. Papers, books, and a few scattered toys were strewn about the table. He could hear the faint hum of the city outside—the sound of life moving on, oblivious to the internal struggles people like Rose were dealing with.

In the bedroom, Rose scooped Caleb up from his crib. He squirmed in her arms, his small hands clutching her hair as he whimpered. She bounced him gently, whispering soothing words until his cries quieted into soft hiccups. Her eyes fell on a stack of old documents on the dresser, a file she hadn't noticed before. It must have been something her father had left out.

Curiosity got the better of her. With Caleb still resting against her shoulder, Rose picked up the file and flipped it open. The first page was an official government seal from the West's administrative office, but it was the title that caught her attention: "The History and Economic Future of Wisteria."

Her heart skipped a beat. Wisteria. Her country. She had spent countless hours studying its history for tomorrow's test, but what was in this file?

With Caleb still nestled in her arms, she brought the file back to the kitchen, setting it on the table. "Look at this," she said to Kai, who leaned forward to glance at the file.

"What is it?" he asked, taking a sip from his cup.

"It's about Wisteria. I think it's something my dad was working on," Rose said, flipping through the pages. "But this stuff... it's not in our textbooks."

Kai's eyes widened. "Really? What's in there?"

Rose began reading aloud, skimming through the details. The file outlined not only the history of Wisteria but also a detailed analysis of the current political situation. There was a focus on the divide between East and West—how it had begun as an economic dispute, with the East feeling neglected, their resources taken without fair compensation. It talked about how the government of the West had systematically increased its control over the East, using its military and economic power to ensure the East remained dependent.

"Listen to this," Rose continued, "The West controls 85% of Wisteria's industrial output, while the East supplies 90% of the raw materials. They need each other, but the balance is so skewed that any disruption in the East could cause a major crisis in the West."

Kai leaned closer. "That's... not good."

Rose nodded, her mind racing. "This is more than just history. This is happening right now. Look, there's even a section here about Dr. Foremon and how his illness could trigger a complete breakdown of peace."

Caleb, now half-asleep, snuggled against Rose's chest as she set the file down. The weight of the situation hit her hard. She had been so focused on her test that she hadn't fully grasped the real-world implications of what was happening in Wisteria. Everything she had read about—the tension, the economic disparities, the political unrest—was more than just history. It was her reality.

Kai tapped the edge of the file. "It makes you wonder... what's going to happen if things get worse? If Dr. Foremon doesn't recover?"

Rose didn't have an answer. No one did.

The government of the West had always been one of control—power over the people, power over the resources. They maintained a façade of democracy, but everyone knew that the council of ministers made the real decisions, most of which were geared toward strengthening their hold on the East. Without Dr. Foremon as a mediator, those decisions could become more aggressive, leading to more unrest. The East had been patient for years, but there were limits to that patience.

Rose glanced at the clock. Time was slipping away, and her test was tomorrow. But how could she focus on something so small in the face of such looming uncertainty?

Kai seemed to read her mind. "We should keep studying," he said softly. "I know this is huge, but we can't do anything about it right now. We need to pass that test first, then we'll figure out the rest."

Rose smiled weakly. He was right, as usual. "Yeah," she said, glancing down at Caleb, who was now fully asleep. She gently placed him back in his crib and returned to the kitchen.

As she opened her history book again, the weightof Wisteria's future settled over her like a cloud. Tomorrow, she would takeher test, but beyond that, the real test—what would happen to her country—wasstill to come.