Ivory Chronicles

Act I - Catalyst Revolt Part 1

Silencing The Thunder

          Here I am again, lost in the crowd, just another face in a sea of faces. It's overwhelming, this island buzzing with so many people, each one seeming to matter more than me. I can't help but feel small, and insignificant. As I watch others, I see them making their mark, living lives that seem to count for something. And here I am, stuck, just existing. It's like I'm meant to do more, but every day shows me I'm probably not. I know I'm no different than millions out there; my existence barely makes a ripple. But deep down, there's this nagging feeling, a voice that won't quiet down, insisting I was born to make a difference. It's frustrating, knowing I might never live up to that. Why am I even here, in this body, in this life that feels so small? It's a question that haunts me, a feeling of wanting to do so much more but being trapped in a reality where it seems impossible.

"Justin!" Ryan's voice cuts through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. I had drifted away once again, lost in my contemplation. The clamor of people shouting fills my ears.

I searched around for Ryan when suddenly I felt a jolt as someone leaped onto my back, wrapping their arm around my neck. It's undoubtedly Ryan, he's always jumping on me.

"Gotcha, cabrón!" he exclaims, gripping me tightly. "Come join us! We're about to bring down that wall." He points to the giant cement wall on the sand as he begins dragging me away.

Ryan has always had a way of coercing me into things, just like he's doing now. We find ourselves on a beach, participating in a protest against the construction of a wall meant to separate the beach from the locals, reserving it solely for some foreign hotel.

There were many people here at the protest. Over the past few years, several beaches have been closed off, but Solsticio Beach it's a special place for the islanders. On a specific day during summer, when the sun is closest to the Earth, the beach's sand emits a golden shimmer, as if concealing hidden treasure. Of course, there is no actual treasure, but it has become a tradition for locals to gather on that day. Children excitedly dig through the sand in search of the imaginary riches buried beneath its surface. 

As we approached the still-under-construction wall, I noticed Ryan waving to some people in the distance. I turned my gaze forward, scanning the crowd to see if I recognized anyone. That's when I caught sight of a girl with striking green hair, standing out from everyone there, Ivory. She's quite popular around here, while I don't know much about her, she seems to be known by everyone and often hangs out with other well-known individuals. The two guys beside her right now are Alexander Montserrat, a professional volleyball player representing Vanity Island, whose team has earned several gold medals internationally. The other is Charles Williams, who comes from USC (Union States of Columbia) but considers himself a local. Charles is an actor who has taken on numerous roles here, portraying Vanitans (or Vaniteños). He has also been vocal about his feelings towards the island and regularly participates in protests.

Ryan is naturally sociable, and I've hung out with these guys before, though I doubt they remember me. I was always in the background while Ryan hung out with them, cracking jokes and having a great time with them. Meeting new people, especially those who are popular and have achieved so much, makes me uncomfortable. I can't help but compare my lack of accomplishments.

"Um, if you're going to hang out with them, I'm fine with staying in the back and watching everything from there." I said to Ryan, attempting to convince him to let me go. I even tried to pry his arm off me, but it didn't budge an inch.

He grinned and shouted back, "Nonsense! I'm not letting you miss out on this. We're about to be part of history! We need to be right up front! Sí o sí!"