The Fire Rises: end of Prohibition?
HAFUMEL, - Officers of the Zilatra Security Department (ZSD) find themselves incredibly busy in the struggle against the menace of the illicit drink. Across Zilatra, underground taverns and hidden breweries appear with such speed that raids have become a daily occurrence. The latest sweep, in Hafumel, uncovered a brewery where more than ten people were caught in the act of producing the notorious drink known as “Essential Oils.”
Yet it is not only alcohol that spills upon the streets of Zilatra, but also blood. Comrade Pytor Rit'zak-Kerexon narrowly escaped death when three assassins struck at last week’s “Prohibition Rally.” This assassination was but the latest of such attempts: only weeks prior, the Partisan Chair of the Xerosit Union Party, Comrade Note Krizinia, survived an attempt on his life.
As public temper grows ever more inflamed, we Interviewed the citizens of Zilatra, asking their opinion. The answers have revealed mounting discontent:
“I believe that the Prohibition has gone too far”, said one of our readers. “Stopping the Zilatran populous from consuming alcohol entirely is, in my eyes, completely unacceptable. Our liberties in Zilatra to live and do as we please … is one of the things that make our nation and our system truly great. I fear that having a choice as simple as whether or not you can have a drink at the local tavern or bar be made for you by the government could set a dangerous precedent for a further attack on our everyday decisions…”
Another remarked with grim simplicity:
“Personally all I’ve seen come from Prohibition is just violence. Don’t care if the law stays in place, since I’ll be drinking anyways.”
The opposition, now sits both in the streets and within the government itself. The law, far from curbing the nation’s thirst for something short, has merely driven it underground, where crude and dangerous drinks are produced anyways.
With violence mounting, confidence shaken, and voices of protest swelling, the question grows unavoidable: will the Prohibition be in place even the week?
