WHAT IF?
It’s impossible to predict the flashpoint that could reduce a city to chaos in a matter of hours. One thing is for sure: There will always be some among us who are looking for an excuse to see the world burn. We’ve watched certain U.S. cities silently condone violent civil unrest in 2020, blithely lumping it into the same category as peaceful protests. What will that flagrant disregard for safety and stability culminate in this year? Rather than throw caution to the wind and assume “everything will be alright,” we decided to look into a situation that could potentially have a devastating impact on commerce. What if your hometown was so consumed with rioting that the services and supplies you take for granted suddenly became unavailable?
The Scenario:
SITUATION TYPE
Long-term supply shortage
YOUR CREW
You, your spouse, and your children
LOCATION
Calumet Heights, IL
SEASON
Summer
WEATHER
Hot; high 90 degrees F, low 70 degrees F
The Setup: You live in a major city that has been under siege with nonstop civil unrest. The weeks of ongoing riots have not only forced many city centers and local businesses to close but have also interrupted commerce for the average citizen. Everything from supermarkets to hardware stores have stopped receiving deliveries. Roadblocks, because of protests as well as trucks being looted, have not only made it difficult to conduct business, but some companies are flat-out refusing to send their drivers into areas where their lives are in danger. Curfews and limited public movement have only exacerbated your inability to replenish supplies you used to take for granted. Store shelves are empty, fighting over what’s available is a regular occurrence, and you have no clue when things will subside enough for life to resume as normal.
The Complication: Since you’re not able to just pick up and leave your home that easily, and the suburbs have experienced a run on their supplies, you’re forced to improvise with what you have and stretch supplies as far as you can to make them last. Of course, traveling through areas that are fraught with unrest comes with its own risks, not to mention the fact that there are long lines at gas stations due to a diminishing fuel supply. It’s summertime, and the heat only makes a bad situation worse — the scarcity and chaos are weighing heavily on the mental state of an already agitated local population.
