Social Media World - 11:50 PM
Although tired from his bullies and school, Lyris decided to lose himself on social media, as usual. For nearly an hour, he scrolled through forums, half-distracted, until a strange thread on Reddit caught his attention. The title read: "Goodbye My World."
Intrigued, Lyris clicked on it. A series of videos and articles was posted, the first being a YouTube link. He hit the play button and came across a surreal scene: a couple tenderly embracing in front of the Kremlin, holding signs advocating for peace. All around them, rioters screamed and fought. The air was filled with screams and panic, and suddenly, the video was brutally interrupted as the Russian police charged the crowd with unprecedented violence.
Disturbed, Lyris clicked on the second link. An American drone hovered over the Chinese countryside, filming millions of rioters massing toward Shanghai. The video cut off as military troops began to intervene.
The third link led to an article from L'Obs: "The Indian Prime Minister Establishes a Military Regime in Response to the Health Crisis." The headline sent chills down his spine.
The fourth link was an article from Le Parisien: "France and Belgium Hit by a Flu-like Epidemic. The French Army Deployed to Support Healthcare Workers in Lille." Lyris felt a shiver of anxiety, realizing how dangerously close the situation was.
The last link pointed to an article from Le Monde: "Reluctant Nations Facing WHO Warnings. The United States and China Refuse to Limit Trade Despite the Threat of the Naraka Virus." The article highlighted international tensions and the difficulty in managing this new crisis
Lyris let out a sigh. The world seemed to be derailing before his eyes. He closed the computer, but the worry remained. Something was really wrong, but was he telling himself? Wouldn't it be better this way?