"We interrupt our programming at the request of the Kauai Government. This is not a test.

It is recommended that all residents avoid going outside and seek shelter at this time. Lock all doors and windows, and turn off all noise making devices. If in a vehicle, find the nearest structure or building and keep out of sight. Remain calm at all times so as to not draw attention to yourself.

Threat level is severe. This message is valid until 17:30 HST. 

Take cover now. Take cover now.”

This message is still broadcasting on the nationwide broadcast channel from Lihue, simply known as LiLi. Might have heard of it, only a few networks actually have the channel playing, well, guess now I could just say used to. Before it all happened, the channel would air plenty of programs throughout the day. Whatever it aired depended on the time of day, mornings would usually be weird kid shows, some clearly rip offs of other kids media these days, afternoons were more mature shows and sometimes films, and during the night, the more extreme adult content would air. As you could probably guess, nobody would really tune in to the channel, I know I didn’t, and my friends and family didn’t seem to know about it either.

That was until the event that brings me here today. According to those who were tuned in during the morning of May the 3rd, 2017, that emergency alert message was displayed. Folks would naturally begin taking action, following the instructions on screen, though others were confused. Why were they getting this message from a city in Hawaii? That’s when they found out no other channel or station was displaying the message. When this was confirmed, people were upset and confused.

To add on to the strangeness of it all, the message never went away. Those who tried to come back to the channel a day later were met with the message on repeat, that dreadful tone constantly looping, and every hour the voice would repeat those same instructions. Things would get even weirder when the sudden news broke out that all travel to Lihue has been unauthorized by the US government. Now people were frightened. Plenty of folk were scared as they had friends in that city that, for some reason, they could not reach online, and now being told that all travel there was basically forbidden. It became more of a concern than ever.

Anyone that attempted to get in would be immediately turned away by armed forces that circled an extremely wide gated area that led into the city. Beyond the gates, nothing looked too off, though some did point out it was strange how a thick layer of fog could be seen from afar, making it hard to see what else was beyond. It was no easier for folk traveling by flight to see, as the fog seemed to cover the whole city. It was as if the Earth had censored the whole city’s existence. 

Whatever may be going on over there, that channel is really our only hint, and even then, it’s not very clear on what’s happening. And the higher ups don’t seem to want to spill any details anytime soon. I still check in on the channel every now and then. Not sure why anymore. There’s nothing in that city that I had of value. Maybe it’s just morbid curiosity, hoping something will eventually change and that one day, we may get some kind of answer to what happened that morning.

Whatever it may be, I hope we don’t regret it.

Had a lot of fun doing this! I haven't done a piece like this before where I legitimately needed to plan out the room I was attempting to create, and it wasn't too hard thankfully! Originally was going to have this painted but, another thought came into my head where I wanted to see how well I could do lighting in pixel art. Think it came out okay.

As for the story itself, there isn't a lot I can say about it now but, do know ya'll are going to be seeing this world come up again, as there are more stories to tell here!

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March 28th, 2021: The ringing stopped.