Heavenly Town Grieves in Wake of Endgame
By Lynn Coffey, junior editor. June 5, the Daily Tattler.
With only its final hour left to showcase, the upcoming conclusion to Cycle 9 of Battle Royale US is sure to leave America in a buzz that will persist for months to come, but to the inhabitants of Haven's Mill, the hometown that produced this crop of contestants, the water-cooler conversation is simply not happening. No talk of who deserved to make it farther and who overstayed their welcome, which potential contender was doomed by their randomly assigned weapon, or how graphic the deaths were growing from year to year. In fact, the casual tourist to Haven's Mill might mistake this idyllic town for a mute settlement if the locals' silence and hostility were anything to go by.
"Don't blame us, blame the media s-storm for making us this way," says owner of a local non-alcoholic saloon and teenager hangout, Ellen Ripley. The sixty-two year old's eyes betray a lifetime of wisdom and pain. "You think we like having to answer questions about these dead kids that we knew? These kids have parents. Siblings. Friends. Leave us the f- alone."
But the collective pain does not draw away from the daily trivialities of life. In four days, Haven's Mill High School will commemorate the passage of its 141 surviving graduates, but the event is expected to be no celebration. To many of these teenagers, this would be the second time they would gather in the HMHS auditorium for that purpose. Many openly express their wish to abscond the event, not wanting any more reminders of their lost friends and loved ones. Senior student Jacob Withers, who is called upon to replace class valedictorian Rosita Morales as speech-giver, admits he has sizable shoes to fill. "[Rosita] is an amazing person... she isn't just a girl with a high GPA. She has vision and belief. She is exactly what this world needs... I think that's why they took her." Originally placing fifth out of 191, Withers now finds himself at the top of the class – a feat that comes at an alarming price.
In fact, the contestants of BR9 are more than accomplished in the craft of murdering their peers. This reporter has tracked down the HMHS trophy room, in which the polished tributes to their great achievements are lauded by the intimate care of their friends. Varsity swimmers Nicholas Chau and Michael Torres were members of the crew finishing in first place at the state meet in their junior year. Teen beauty Heather Montoya was the proud crown-bearer of state Miss Charming for three years running. Painter and theater set designer Andrew Lewis holds a dozen titles of various calibers, of which the most impressive is an art-piece entitled Atlantis Risen short-listed for the Jack Smith Painting Prize.
"We've got so many great players, not just in my jurisdiction, but also basketball, swimming, wrestling, hell, even cheerleading," says football Coach Ross Davies, no relation to BR9 contestant Amias Davies. "I don't think many of them would have gone state, but guys like [Ryan] Santos, guys like [Shaun] Pelletier and [Travis] Portillo, some of them had plans for college that involved football. Ask [swimming coach Roland] Bowman and he'd say the same for Torres and Chau. [Cheerleading coach Velma] Barbeaux would tell you all about [Blair] Jennings, [Cheryl] Lopez, [and Stella] Corinthos. We're all hurting."
HMHS academic counselor Emma Rigenwald tells of the bright future she expected of them. "It's so sad because they won't get to live their wonderful, fulfilling lives. The world should not be celebrating, it should be mourning the loss of these fifty talented boys and girls."
"I think the parents have it worst," says vice-principal Sharon Gupta, who admits she finds herself unable to file away the fifty student records, which would have been customary in the event of a student death. "We all knew these kids, but they were the ones who spent a good part of their life bringing their children up."
"Can you imagine finally raising your kid past eighteen, only to have them taken away in a freak accident?" says local therapist Dr. Miguel Torres, whose seemingly impartial retelling does not completely mask his pain at having a son taken into the game. "This is fifty times worse."
Others prefer to shadow their grief with detachment. Tabitha Merris admits she is not the only parent with this tactic, preferring to think of her son Callum as having never existed. "It's not easy... but it's what we all do. Ida [Kowalski, mother of Richard Kowalski Jr.] already moved away. We all need a fresh start to distract us from our pain."
But for the inhabitants of Haven's Mill, life must go on. The same has to be said for its teenage population, despite the tender absence of their peers. Churchgoers now find themselves with empty pews that would have been filled by Isaiah Jackson and Miranda Singer. Baristas at the local Mean Bean are disconcerted without the regular writing club gatherings that Jason Fletcher, Lydia Shumway, and Selena Diaz would have attended. Even local law enforcement admits that the departure of certain members of the town's criminal element comes as an unexpected regret.
"We all want to cut down the crime rate, you know? But not this way, you know?" says Haven's police officer Roger Garrett. "I could still name all of those kids without even looking at their rap sheets. [Riley] Quentino, [Ariel] Martinez, [Diego] Vega, [Lindsey] Pryce, [Diana] Kudrin... I hesitate to call them troublemakers sometimes. They're just kids with the wrong ideas."
In as little as twenty-four hours, BR9 is set to reveal the final game hour, where the contestants still in play are expected to duel in order to determine the final victor standing. The ultimate winner – whose identity remains a nationally guarded secret to this date – will be revealed at the Los Angeles Staples Center, and is expected to give a nationwide tour to all fifty states. Some locals, however, are banking on a different outcome. "I hope none of those kids win," local spa owner Marie Epperly says with a mixture of pity and disgust. "I don't think any of them could live with themselves after... I certainly couldn't. But I won't fault them if they do what they have to do." In the event of a draw, no contestant is declared victorious. To date, this has not happened in eight previous reiterations of the game, but it remains to be seen if BR9 will be the first.
It appears the excitement does not permeate among HMHS inhabitants. "I don't know what happened to my friends, and I don't plan on finding out," senior Chelsea Murray says. "It's like an unspoken pact... None of us are watching the game. We don't know what happens. We still don't know who's dead or who's living."
Despite their refusal to follow the events of BR9, these teenagers know the now household names as Blake Barreto, Rosalyn Cruz, and Sofia Rivenez more than anyone else in America. Though they would have been unable to match these names to their unofficial titles of victim, player, and rebel, nearly any HMHS student could have reported being bullied by one of these names or other at one point. "I don't want to badmouth the dead, but [Barreto] was the worst. Not that [Cruz and Rivenez] were any better. They made my life – our lives – a living hell," says chess enthusiast Daniel James Moore, a sentiment echoed by practicing Goth Jen "Charybdis" Perez, online movie reviewer Nolan Murdock, and popular seraph book series Sunrise cosplayer Amelia Smith.
Though many dwell in the past, there are those who are ready to move on from grieving. "I'll always miss my teammates and my friends, my ex-boyfriend, the people in my classes, who I ate lunch with... We'll always miss them. But I'm thankful that I'm still alive – even if no one else dares to admit it. Doesn't mean it hurts any less," says cheerleader and matchmaker Megan Jones. When asked if she expects the pain to abate, she admits she does not know. "Maybe it will get better. Maybe we will forget, but we will never really forget."
In the wake of the town's grief, this reporter feels we must question the integrity of the Education Reform Act, a program which has reported continued success since its implementation – or has it? In his controversial tell-all tale, former Battle Royale media correspondent and current political dissenter Brock Hillary lays out that the only success the ERA has seen is financial. Hillary's publication is, to date, banned in all fifty states, but rumors of underground copies circulate in every major city. Nevertheless, even discounting Hillary's findings, this reporter feels the public has a responsibility to re-examine the ERA. It is an act that promises and questionably delivers national stability and patriotism, but what is often forgotten is the fear, grief, and anger that comes as a hefty price.
Following press of her article, Coffey has been charged with political dissent and is taken into government custody. News of her condition while detained is practically non-existent. To date, she has yet to receive a trial. The Daily Tattler currently faces charges of libel and sedition, and is in the process of takeover by an unnamed media company.
