Acrylic - Hiatus -

The Opening of a Play

They say that they were sure the world was ending when the stars disappeared from the night sky. They didn't really disappear, though it is true many had long since burnt out and only the light remained, but that at night, many bomber airplanes flew across the heavens and almost seemed to block out every last star in the night sky, as though a drape had been pulled over the window that was the eveni. But, others will say no, that it had start to diterate when the war first started, the day when China first dropped bombs upon the east coast of The United States, the day when the last world war finally broke out. It was the USA, the UK, and Canada against China, Russia, and Korea. Yes, Korea, as South Korea had eventually been hydrogen bombed nearly right off the map, then two months later taken over by the North. The world is mess, really, it's disgusting yet almost enticing at the same time.

It all started when the year of 2200 strutted on in, the year when it was reported that many freshwater rivers had been tainted by pollution, at least a third of rain forest had been demolished, and many species that possed ivory had been slaughtered. In some places, smog had gotten so bad that the cities were constantly on high alert for air pollution and restricted some air flights, and more than 5% of the world's farming land had been tarnished as well.

But, people are ignorant to their own problems, right?

It only got worse.

The year of 2280 rolls in with its tettering self, and natural fuel sources are barely available anymore, drilling had gotten too expensive and it was getting harder and harder to drill that deep down into the earth without inertia deciding to play some nasty tricks on senseless workers. Wind and solar power can only do so much at this point, little solution is offered, pollution continues to rise. After all, it's not just oil that's a problem; it's humanity that is.

Then, the year 2290 limps on in like the bruised dog it is, and the world is ransacked into war. China starts it, after all, they're furious that those 'Stealing Americans' have yet to repay their debts, which had risen to 3.4 trillion, as the US had attempted to try to borrow from other countries, rather than digging deeper and deeper in debt to China, but that idea had failed within a couple of decades and the borrowing of the oriental powerhouse sprung up once more.

People try to be okay, if they ignore it, it doesn't effect them. If they ignore it, it doesn't matter, right? Right.

But, people who never learn from history, are bound to repeat it. And so, during 2292, Japan manages to snag a good portion of Korea after the US bombed some of it's ports, and at that point Japan then withdrew into a period of isolation, just as has been done times before. Canada is starting to lose troops, it may have a bright military, but this war is taking a lot out of people. Hope can only carry one so far, the fuel of it is deplenishing quickly.

Then, the year of 2295 strikes on it, and the airs are covered by dark planes for many weeks and months. Then, as the leaves turn brown and the earth begins to die in the month of September, the UK falls after London is bombed and Buckingham Palace collapses in on itself, killing the current queen, Queen Elizabeth XI is crushed under the debris, throwing the country into utter chaos. She had been a lovely lady, more importantly, a somewhat young one and had been pregnant with her first child when killed, leaving no direct heir to the throne. Of course, there were others possible, such as siblings or cousins or something along that line, but the country quickly turned to martial law as things were sorted out.

It wasn't much longer after that, actually it was in the start of November, when the US took its last stand. The economy had already been failing due to a heavy increase of military spending to fuel this war, and the people had taken many bruises as well, so it wasn't a total surprise when the large nation collapsed in on itself.

But, that wasn't the end of the story. Do stories ever really end? Perhaps some do, but the story of life must go on, new actors and actresses added to the play and new scenes being added, dialogue being written and masks being made.

In the following year, when 2296 comes dashing on in, China has once more regained most of the counties in the oriental, and now Russia has basically become indirect territory of it, and the Russian powerhouse will too be cast out as soon as it runs out of manpower. After all, weeds just die and feed the garden the same either way.

The rest of it falls like history usually does, so let us pull away from that and focus on a sole place, yes?

2300 is the and The First Second, aka US, has been turned into a bloody dictatorship by a man named Frederic I, and things are lovely! Hardly any crime transpires anymore, the government is fair and hard working, and everyone is happy. Isn't it happy?

Though, truth be told, happiness is a dirty mirror, very tainted indeed. Which side is the reflection, which side isn't the tainted one? Perhaps it's the better side that's fake, faker than a piece of acrylic, wouldn't you say? The other side of this mirror, isn't so happy, maybe that's the real image, and the happy one is the liar.

Crimes don't happen anymore because those who do commit, are sent off and away, the government is fair because people who don't agree, are sent off and away, and everyone is happy because, well...need it be said again? Though, one must wonder where these people get sent off to, it's not like they could just disappear, they must be going off somewhere.

And they do go somewhere, they go to The Acrylic Games, doesn't that sound like a ball? Really, it isn't, but the government doesn't care as long as you and your little problematic self are taken right out of their utopia and put where you can't cause harm anymore. A tiny stone is sewn into the flesh by their shoulder, only on one arm of course, and that becomes a life line. It's rather painful to get ripped out, clearly, and it isn't easy to get a new one sewn on in there either, it's a rather nasty job is what it is.

But, one must wonder, what is the point of this game, why would the government make such an awful game? Well, it's not as though the dictator originally intended for it to become this large game in this ruined city, but some crazies decided to take things a wee bit too far, that's the story at least. But, anywho, it's all in good fun, really. Collect ten gems of your color and you may approach the king, perhaps he'll simply take them from you, giggle in glee, and send you off to do it again. Perhaps he'll invite you to join his court and you'll get a fiege sense of protection, really, no one knows. Many would rather kill the king and take over the destroyed city, since power is power after all, than just give up the fake little gems.

But, more on that another time, for the time is not nigh. But, then what is the time? The opening ceremony is over, the curtain has fallen so that the props may be changed up and the scenery may be set, the actors are scurrying to fix their outfits and touch up their make up, the audience is waiting.

Thus, with that, let the play begin.