Time Skip

one

A small town. The sun shines brightly over the country roads, as children giggle and chase after each other. A couple walks into a homely store, looking at the sundresses. The summer fair was a hit, bringing in the most visitors anyone has ever seen, and filling the town’s coffers enough to start construction on a new playground.

The restaurant down the street is in a minor argument with the local gas company. Their usage looks high, even though they haven’t turned on the heat. (It hasn’t dropped below 20 since June, why would they?) The utility insists the consumption is accurate, but in a show of goodwill will set aside the alleged surcharge until they complete an investigation. The owner takes a cursory look at electric stoves, to the chagrin of the chef, but doesn’t make any immediate changes.

two

Good news: the restaurant was right. Of course they were, the gas company checked the pipes in April after a car accidentally backed into the meter.

The bad? A major leak in the town’s branch off the main pipeline. With the snowy winters the region sees, mudslides were common in the spring. Over time, the earth was washed away, leaving the pipes vulnerable to an October rockslide. Since the town owned the infrastructure, a special council meeting was hastily set up.

The engineers presented two options: a slow refurbishment that could take 5 months, or completely pulling the pipe out of commission for two weeks. With winter approaching, the latter was adopted, and the playground was paused so that funds could be redirected to subsidizing diesel deliveries during the repairs. Residents were advised to limit their usage, which led to a frenzy over induction cooktops. The restaurant temporarily reduced their hours, and tapped into their line of credit.

three

No plan survives first contact with the enemy. Some don’t get a chance to adapt.

Getting heavy equipment on-site proved far more difficult than anyone expected. The rockslide made most of the forest unnavigable, requiring expensive path-clearing. Challenges worsened after a supplier’s factory was heavily damaged in a industrial fire, and replacements had to be shipped across the country. With two weeks dragging onto two months, the gas company’s reserves were fully drained. Town council voted to acquire the utility, fearing severe consequences should they go bankrupt and leave the infrastructure unmaintained.

Finally, things were on track. Then, the ice storm hit. Without heat, many residents fled the town to friends and family elsewhere. The rest huddled in sleeping bags at town hall, electric heating humming through the night. An outraged populace demanded the pipeline turned back on, but true repairs had just started in earnest. It was too late to change course.

four

Sixteen days after that first storm, the pipeline was reactivated. But even then, the impact was disastrous.

The town had to take a large loan to keep the gas company running, and so instituted a 25% tax increase, alongside painful service cuts. Savvy residents quickly sold their homes and moved out, but many watched their property values drop. The restaurant was also forced to relocate to another town, realizing that local spending would certainly decrease in the mid-term.

The town is not dead. But it’s a very different place. A bit more wary. The illusion of security has vanished. Fundamentals are on rocky ground. Smaller than it was.

And yet, the kids who moved away will come back to visit and chase old friends in the streets. The local shop will replace its generator with sidewalk displays. The restaurateur will eventually return to his roots. The people will look forward to the summer fair.

⭐️

One late evening, at some unknown future date, a high schooler is walking home after training with the track team. She doesn’t have anywhere to be, so she takes a right turn this time. She walks into the park, and after a brief look around, climbs a ladder. Then she scales the metal roof and lays down, eyes up.

Stargazing from the roof of a new playground.