— 10th June 2005, Willsbrook Community Center, Seaborough, UK —
With the cover up of the fairies' existence to the general public of Rainspell, the local government tried to quell the riots by saying that the island was suffering from a Grey Squirrel outbreak, and they had to close it off to prevent them from reaching the mainland. However, that was the best they could do without spilling the truth about the fairies, and most of the inhabitants remained doubtful, finding it absurd that the government would impose quarantine measures just because of an invasive species.
But it was the tourists who held the most contempt for the government and the situation they were in. The whole incident happened in summer, and as a major tourist attraction in the UK, several tourists - most of them arriving from England and the rest of the country, and a few foreigners from nations such as Canada, the US and Japan - had come to visit the island mainly for The Angels' live concert there when the fairy incident occurred. They were the most vocal protestors at the riots, demanding that they should be allowed to go home. Unfortunately, the government refused their demands, saying that they'll only be allowed to leave once the situation is sorted.
It would come to no surprise that several discussions would flare up trading theories on what the British government was really trying to deal with. But it was only now that progress had been made in actually unraveling the mystery.
"Good morning, everyone," Andrea Walker greeted, a middle-aged woman well-known for her attempts to run for the mayor of Seaborough. "Today we are here to discuss the unnecessary quarantine the government has put this island into."
"According to the island council, the reason they put this quarantine in place is to prevent the invasive species grey squirrels from entering Great Britain, which I say is nothing more than a whole load of rubbish," Andrea continued, not bothering to hide her resentment of her actions. "Does anyone have any ideas as to what they're really trying to hide?"
"We've had these conversations all day," Alex Oswald - an ordinary resident of Beachfield - retorted from his seat, an annoyed tone in his voice. "They've gotten nowhere."
Another citizen, Sandra Mackenzie, added to Alex's statement. "Please Mrs. Walker, there's nothing we can do to stop this. We just have to wait until the government deals with the situation and lifts the quarantine."
"Actually, I think I know what caused it," Someone said, raising their hand up in the audience.
"Yes?" Andrea inquired. "Who are you, and why do you claim to know about what's going on here?"
The person who piped up got up from her chair and walked to the center, an uncertain look on her face. She appeared to be a young brunette woman in her early twenties, freckles and piercings dotted across her face and red streaks on her hair. She was dressed in a rather casual attire, a red zip-up jacket with white stripes across her chest and sleeves that were only zipped up to her chest, revealing a white shirt with the words "THE ANGELS" in red text printed on it. Completing the look was a pair of blue trousers that stuck to her form tightly and some red and white trainers.
Judging by the piercings and her shirt, she clearly appeared to be one of the many people who visited Rainspell Island for The Angels' concert.
"My name is Catherine Wilson," the woman explained, "and I think I know the real reason why the government might've closed down the whole island."
"Well, before you show it, why don't you tell us about yourself and why you're here?" Andrea asked politely.
Catherine had a nervous expression on her face at that request, but nevertheless explained. "Well, I'm not actually from Rainspell Island. Like many of the people here, I came from England. I recently graduated university a long time ago with my friend, and this summer I was thinking we'd come here for The Angels' concert."
"And what's the evidence you claim you wish to show us?" Andrea asked.
"This picture," Catherine went up on the stage where Andrea was standing, and showed her a phone. Andrea looked in shock.
"Are you seeing this?" Andrea told the rest of the attendants.
"Seeing what?" Ian Gibson - an Australian tourist - asked in confusion.
Andrea sent the photo to her computer, and soon turned on the projector. Soon, Catherine's photo was up for everyone to see.
It was a selfie of her and her best friend, Tara Faulkner, on a ferry to Rainspell Island.
The sky was clear, and Cathy and Tara clearly appeared to be overjoyed at the sight of traveling to Rainspell Island. But that wasn't the most important part of the photo.
In the background, a black pot could be seen trailing through the sky like a comet. A rainbow was seen trailing out of its opening, and strange sparkles could also be seen alongside the rainbow.
"What… is that?" Artemis Johnson asked curiously.
"It appears to be a pot in the air," her husband Ben answered. "Though I'm not sure what a rainbow-leaking pot is doing in the air."
"It's photoshopped," Rosie Richardson - an ice cream lady - said in a frantic frenzy. "There's no way there'd be a pot in the air."
"I only took it just recently," Catherine added. "Besides, I'm not good at editing photos.
"Then why is it in the air?" Artemis spoke up.
"I don't know either," Cathy replied. "But maybe it's the thing trailing from it."
"You mean that rainbow?" Conrad Stewart - A taxi driver - implored.
"Yes, exactly," Andrea answered. "And more than that - there's strange sparkling dust inside the rainbow."
"Sparkles? How could sparkles come out of a pot?" Steven Wills - an American tourist - asked curiously.
"The same reason it's floating mid-air," Andrea speculated. "Which can only be magic."
The entire crowd gasped.
"M-magic? Are you crazy?" Colin Oswald - a local corner shop owner - exclaimed in confusion. "There's no way that pot could be there because of magic!"
"Yeah, he has a point," Catherine turned to Andrea and spoke to her. "How are you so certain that magic exists in this world?"
"Well, at the time you were arguing about its existence, I was analysing the photo you gave me," Andrea explained. "And in the pot, I found a strange glitter that trailed alongside the rainbow."
"A strange glitter?" Catherine asked curiously.
"Yes, precisely that. And between the rainbow and that glitter, it's safe to say you just captured what might be the only shot of the mythical pot at the end of the rainbow."
"Really?" Cathy replied enthusiastically. "Ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod, I'm gonna be famous!"
"Not really," Andrea responded. "This is possibly the reason the island was closed down."
"Aww," Cathy said in disappointment. "But are we sure that this pot is the exact reason why the government closed off this island?"
"She has a point, Mrs. Walker," Sandra called out once again, "We don't know why a flying pot would get the authorities to do this."
"What's in it," Dr. Rosanne Laraine answered. "The UK government must've found a danger inside that pot that could, at the very least, threaten this island and all of us citizens. So they took the initiative to quarantine the island to protect us."
"Would they?" Brook Eliot - another English tourist - piped in. "I don't think they'd do it to protect us, rather to just contain it and make sure it doesn't escape to the wider world. I don't think they care about us."
"Oh please," Angus McDonnell - yet another tourist, this time from Scotland - added sarcastically. "If they cared about us, Scotland would've been free!"
"Enough arguments, everyone," Andrea commanded. "We have just discovered what might be the cause for our predicament here. And the reason I say might is because we need to know what's in it to warrant us being quarantined."
"So how do we get to know what's inside the pot?" Polly Painterly asked. "That stuff is all but contained in government knowledge."
"I have an idea," Andrea replied, then she turned to Catherine. "You, Ms. Wilson."
"Me?" Catherine was taken back by Andrea suddenly addressing her after talking to the other guests in the building.
"Yes, you. I want you to - if possible - try and find any clues of magical life on this island for the rest of your stay here," she said.
"Really? I-I just graduated Uni!" Catherine protested. "I can't do that!"
"She's right," Rosanne added, taking Cathy's side. "She's just as scared and afraid as all of us. The most practical course of action is to wait for the government to lift the quarantine."
"Not for me," Andrea said, her voice starting to sound desperate. "I need answers. And I won't stop until I know exactly what they're hiding!"
"Please," Father Richard Wilkins - An Anglican priest - protested. "Miss Wilson is clearly not fit for these missions."
"But she's the only one here with evidence of what the government's hiding!" Andrea retorted. "We need it-"
"For what?" Kate Boleyn - a journalist - asked Andrea.
"-…for my election," Andrea said, her voice coming out more quietly than the panic she showed before.
The crowd showed a deafening silence at the disappointment of the motive. Some attendants had already begun leaving, seeing nothing but another dead end in it.
"…That was it, huh," Jimmy Wilkes - yet another American tourist - broke the silence bitterly. "We set up this whole fuckin' meeting for nothing!"
"What exactly would the knowledge of the classified information do to help you become mayor, huh?" Kate continued. "If anything, that's the least of our problems."
Andrea attempted to reply to that statement. "B-becau-"
"Listen, Andrea," Rosanne piped up again. "That woman has a point. If I'm being honest, it doesn't matter what's getting the U.K. government to close us down. All that matters is that they did."
"And?"
"If you're going to use the theories of why they're doing this just for a cheap shot at getting elected, then there's really no point holding this meeting," Rosanne continued. "We came here to trade theories, not listen to your pathetic attempts at running for mayor again."
"So you'll take that slimy old Leon over me?" Andrea retorted, anger creeping up on her voice.
"Of course not," Colin replied. "But trying to get a teenager to do something veeery dangerous and potentially life-threatening is not a good way to get elected. Besides, what's the point of searching for the truth behind the quarantine?"
Jeannine Braden - an indie punk musician - continued from the other statements. "Look old lady, no one cares what got us all into this mess. It's the government's business to take it out and make sure it doesn't kill us, whether it be Grey Squirrels or Aliens."
"So- what's your plan here?" Andrea asked in frustration. "Don't you want to know why they're doing this?"
"No," Jeannine answered. "The council said that this quarantine wouldn't last forever and they'll open up this island once they're finished with it. We've all been playing the waiting game, since protesting and rioting isn't getting us anywhere."
"And let's face it: is the secret mystery really important to you?"
Andrea went silent by that question, unable to find a sensible response. Because she knew that, deep down, there really was no way the truth would affect her election rate. She was just feeding an irrelevant curiosity.
"…okay everyone, meeting's over," she said, dejected by everything that had happened. "You can leave now."
"Finally," Jimmy said in relief as the remaining attendants left in boredom and disappointed that this meeting, like countless others, was nothing but a dead end. However, when Catherine was making her way, Andrea pulled her back, gesturing to her to follow her to the bathroom behind her.
"Here's my phone number," Andrea told Catherine, before handing her a slip of paper. "If you do find any supernatural life here, remember to call it."
"But why?" Cathy asked Andrea.
"I'm just curious," she vaguely answered.
Cathy said nothing as she put the slip in her trouser pocket and walked out of the bathroom, joining everyone else in leaving unsatisfied.
The people had accepted it; there was really no way to pressure their leaders to free them. All they could do was continue as usual and wait for the government to lift the blockade themselves, which, judging by the County Council's official statement, was put in place to protect them and the rest of the nation from a threat, be it grey squirrels or something else entirely. They've already lasted 8 days cutoff from the entire world, no planes or ships beyond the usual cargo ship bringing supplies. They could last an infinite more.