A normal day in Penarth

*It is a normal day in Penarth.* I am 11 years old and you are my friend. We play in the bedroom but it is time to go outside. (link-reveal: "The door opens very, very, very slowly...")[Now we are outside. It seems the family car is gone, and that Mummy and Daddy have gone away. I am used to it, of course. Your mouth hangs open at my incredible writing.(link-reveal: "I am a damaged child.")[I ask where you would like to play. You reply... (set: $pierDone to false)(set: $shoppingDone to false)(set: $coffeeDone to false) *[[Let's go to the Penarth Pier. There is always fun to be had there!]]* *[[I skipped my morning mug, so it might be a jolly good shout to pop over to Costa or Coffee #1 for a cup of dynamic drinking.]]* *[[Perhaps a big day out is best for me. Let's go to the high street and do some charity shopping.]]* ] ]

Now this is podracing!

Sure, coffee sounds like fun. Will help with abandonment. (link-reveal: "We walk to Coffee #1 and Starbucks.")[We hope that they aren't closed, but they are. A handwritten note on the door says... *We are sorry but... Mummy and Daddy have gone away.* Aargh... Eugh... I shake my head around and refocus on the note. *We are sorry but... This coffee location is closed due to gang violence.* You are surprised by this but to me, it is just the reality of living in Penarth. Your mouth hangs open at my incredible writing.(set: $coffeeDone to true) [[We saunter back home.|Main menu]]]

We walk to our favourite charity shop Cancer Research UK. (link-reveal: "The walk is short, exciting, modern, sleek, and intuitive.")[But something awful has happened. Cancer Research UK has closed. Inside we can see that The W fits are gone leaving only L tattered drapes. An old man passerby sees us peering into the shop, and hobbles up. His face is wrinkled and dirty like a homeless man's. Just as you are about to joke about his haggerdy appearance, he speaks... *Unfortunately my shop has closed because the high rates of child abandonment in Penarth has meant that young people have no expendable income, and, they don't want to buy clothes, so that means that the shop is shutting down. Because we couldn't really get any customers. And some older people come into the shop, mostly women, to buy stuff, and I feel like they were a bit old for it. But that kept us afloat for a while, and like, I think it's because of Vinted. Vinted has been properly marketing with youtube ads and stuff, so nobody wants to come to the charity shops anymore. But growing up my mum was a hoarder and she had it really bad, so I kind of felt bad about peddling stuff to parents when I know they aren't going to wear them. So at least I kind of feel alright about that now.* We stumble back, shocked. Could this really be true? Are Mummy and Daddy really going away?(set: $shoppingDone to true) [[We saunter back home.|Main menu]]]

That sounds smashing, I say with a grin in my eyes. (link-reveal: "We walk to Penarth Pier.")[But we are met with a familiar sight. The pier has been closed due to a major terrorist incident. A PPD officer recommends that we turn back, maybe go home to our parents. *But ma'am... Mummy and Daddy have gone away.* The police officer howls with laughter and dismisses us. She did not believe the damage I have sustained.(set: $pierDone to true) [[We saunter back home.|Main menu]]]

What do we do next, I ask? (if: $pierDone )[*Perhaps the pier was not for us...*](else: )[ [[Let's go to the Penarth Pier. There is always fun to be had there!]]] (if: $coffeeDone )[*The cafés left me quite ashamed...*](else: )[ [[I skipped my morning mug, so it might be a jolly good shout to pop over to Costa or Coffee #1 for a cup of dynamic drinking]]] (if: $shoppingDone)[*The shops were not prepared enough...*](else: )[ [[Perhaps a big day out is best for me. Let's go to the high street and do some charity shopping.]] ] (if: $pierDone and $coffeeDone and $shoppingDone)[*(Is there) A [[happy ending]] to this game?*]

Living in Penarth is a nonstop terror onslaught due to entirely preventable issues like gang violence. The Penarth Police Department recieved £120,000 in 2025. While exact numbers have never been released, we can estimate that money made up 85% of the Penarth Embassy's annual budget. Our nuclear armaments recieved only 5%. Healthcare, housing, and schools all shared the remaing 10%. [[Hope in Penarth is running dry.]]

"A normal day in Penarth" was written and developed by Hereford Varne-Doust. [[Restart?|Begin home]]