(New Character: Rijan, age 17)
Fictional city inspired by real feelings, but no real events copied
The protest had been building for weeks.
People were tired.
Tired of promises.
Tired of leaders who showed up only when they wanted votes.
And this morning… everything finally snapped.
The Streets Shake
Rijan stepped outside just to buy milk.
But instead he found a river of people flowing toward the main square.
Placards.
Loudspeakers.
Chants echoing between buildings.
Someone shouted:
"The leaders have escaped! They left the city last night!"
A wave of anger rushed through the crowd.
People began pushing forward, shouting louder, demanding answers no one was giving.
Rijan's heart pounded.
He had never seen so many furious faces at once.
---
Chaos Without Warning
Suddenly, a loud siren broke through the shouting.
A water-cannon truck rolled in, its massive hose spraying wide arcs to push the crowd back.
People panicked.
They ran in all directions—
not because they wanted to fight,
but because fear spreads faster than anything else.
Someone grabbed Rijan's hand.
His mother.
"Stay close. Don't get lost."
The crowd moved like a storm.
Nobody was in control.
Not the people.
Not the forces.
Not even fate.
A rush of bodies pushed Rijan sideways—
and in a single breath, he lost sight of her.
He tried calling.
He tried searching.
But the crowd swallowed every sound.
He didn't find her again.
Hours later, when the city finally calmed, Rijan heard the words he feared:
"She didn't survive the chaos."
No details.
No story.
Just an irreversible truth.
---
The Strange Side of the Protest
When Rijan walked through the streets that evening, he saw both tragedy and absurdity.
Some people were crying.
Some were still arguing.
Some were helping clean debris.
And strangely…
a group of teenagers were dancing on top of an overturned signboard, recording a TikTok.
Another guy was pretending to be the "acting prime minister," standing on a crate and making jokes.
It was ridiculous.
It was sad.
It was real.
The world can break and laugh at the same time.
---
Rijan's Words
As the sun set behind the hills, Rijan whispered:
"Why are we always the ones who suffer?"
"Why do the powerful run away when we need them most?"
"Why does nobody care when ordinary people lose everything?"
He sat on the edge of the road and clenched his fists.
Not for revenge.
Not for anger.
But because he realized something important:
When a system fails… survival becomes your responsibility.
---
What He Learned (Survival Notes)
Rijan opened his old notebook and wrote:
Don't walk into large crowds during unrest.
Always know a safe route back home.
Keep your phone charged and carry a power bank.
Stay with family—never split up.
Avoid places where panic spreads fastest (narrow alleys, blocked roads).
If things go wrong, don't freeze. MOVE.
And most important:
Safety comes before pride. Always.
He closed the notebook
softly.
Tomorrow, a new person in a new place would face a new danger.
But tonight, Rijan carried the weight of what he lost—
and the strength of what he learned.