Notes

The Plan to Rebuild Kettenstadt: An Overview

Kettenstadt, a town with a long history as a thriving border stronghold. In recent years, those in their 20s have begun leaving en masse, causing concern.

The aim of this wide-scale project is to rebuild Kettenstadt and restore it to its former glory with the help of Chinese investment firms.

The theme is "Revitalization."
The abandoned properties developed by Japanese corporations in 2008 have long been a problem, but by repurposing them, we can cut costs substantially and better realize our vision for a new Kettenstadt.

Plans to rebuild Kettenstadt have suffered yet another major setback, as instability caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has reduced interest from foreign investors.

Previous plans to jump-start the town failed to materialize, owing to the monetary instability caused by the 2008 global financial crisis, which forced the plan to involve Japanese corporations and financial institutions to be reconsidered.

Two attempts to rebuild; two failures, due to unfortunate external circumstances. Kettenstadt has struggled to bounce back, with increased unemployment.

The city council is considering ways to revitalize the economy by drawing skilled experts to the area, but as of yet no effective measures have been implemented.

September 28, 2021 Notice of Provisional Meeting

To All Villa Residents,

We have received many inquiries about the management of this building after the recent news. We would therefore like to hold a meeting to explain our policies more formally.

We hope you can find the time to attend.

For a graffiti artist, spray paint and a blank wall are all you need. In Kettenstadt, the waits of a particular apartment building are the canvas for several artists, with a new piece showing up every day.

Social media star C.B. features her work here. Given her passion for flowers, it's only fitting that her name is C.B., which is short for "Cherry Blossom."

C.B.'s art continues to captivate the hearts of the young, so we reached out to her for comment. Keeping her eyes fixed on her new piece, she had this to say:

"All I'm doing is showing what these girls feel on the inside but can't show on the outside. If any of them connect with a girl in the art, it's probably because they're experiencing the same thing."

C.B. added that the flowers she depicts on the young girls she paints bloom out of the scars they bear.

The flowers represent the girls overcoming past traumas, or at least their desire to do so.

Child Abuse/Neglect in Kettenstadt

A recent statistical survey has shown the rate of child abuse in Kettenstadt last year was nearly double that of the average in other developed nations in Europe.

The recent economic strife and its resulting poverty are thought to be the cause.

Teenage Suicides Continue at Infamous Building

A rundown apartment complex in Kettenstadt has become known for its suicides, with teenage girls jumping from its roof practically every year.

Despite repeat events, the building—abandoned ever since the development/management company declared bankruptcy—remains easily accessible.

The young and unemployed are not deterred by the building's grim reputation, though, with many continuing to enter it, and young graffiti artists using it for their work. Meanwhile, local residents' security concerns continue to grow.

Inside the Fog of Social Media
—Solitude and Anxiety in Teenagers—

All of the teenagers interviewed said they were ashamed of therisqué selfies they posted online. They also claimed they experienced anxiety over not getting any "likes" on such photos.

What all of the kids had in common was extremely low self-esteem. The greater their anxiety and lower their confidence, the more pronounced their reactions were to positive attention.

The sense of fulfillment they experienced after getting a "like" online is difficult for adults to comprehend.

Furthermore, even when acknowledged, the teenagers still could not view their actions positively, and quickly reverted to despair, seeking more attention to fill the void.

Teenagers who are not yet psychologically mature run the risk of experiencing this toxic quest for validation.

Children Who Turn Trauma into Tales
—Solitude and Anxiety in Teenagers, Part 2—

All of the teenagers surveyed suffered from deep psychological issues caused by past experiences, and interestingly all of them conceptualized those issues as grandiose stories of sorts.

One girl placed herself in the role of a tragic hero, convincing herself she was at the mercy of an abusive stepmother, and that her loving "real" mother existed elsewhere.

Another girl viewed her childhood scars as stigmata, believing those scars would bloom into beautiful cherry blossoms.

These convenient tales in the face of extreme adversity are borne out of a deep desire to escape unbearable pain and self-hatred; the greater the trauma, the more grandiose the story surrounding it.

In Japanese culture, there has long been a sense of beauty in sacrifice, with "hara-kiri" (killing oneself by slicing one's stomach) being a prime example. The idea was that by taking your own Life, you symbolically purge the world of your transgressions and purify yourself.

This concept can be confusing to many Westerners, with young people incorrectly assuming the Japanese "yearn for a beautiful way to die."

Modern Japanese people, however, do not view suicide in such a positive light anymore. And the life they value is not the biological variety, but rather a social one, where death is needed to protect that life.

Belief in the Witch of Kettenstadt

Those who believe in the Witch of Kettenstadt share many practices with modern Wiccans, such as praying for a bountiful harvest and goddess worship.

What sets the practice apart is its slight blend of both Western and Eastern customs.

As for what led to the mixing of customs, there is one rather creative theory.

During the joint efforts of Japanese and German entrepreneurs and Laborers in the 1930s to foster economic growth and prosperity, there was an exchange in cultural beliefs, giving rise to the belief in witches.

Deutschland Medical University School of Medicine: Orientation

Dear Incoming Freshmen,
Welcome to Deutschland Medical University.

Founded in 1709, DMU is one of Europe's oldest and most revered institutions. Its state-of-the-art research facilities eagerly await your arrival!

Orientation Details
When: September 24, 2021 11:30-13:00
Where: School of Medicine Central Lecture Hall (Please wear a mask when attending.)

October 17, 2020
I'm finally focused on my studies, so I think I might pull an all-nighter.
It won't be good for my skin (I can just hear people calling me "troll" and "nerd"), but I don't care. I have to make it to college in the city.

Mom and Dad are counting on me to do well. I'll make them proud by getting into my first choice.

Alright, time to hit the books till morning!

November 9, 2020
Dad was talking today about how there was a plan to rebuild the town. They were going to use a bunch of funding from China to turn the town into something better, but everything got canceled due to COVID.

Sure, it would have been nice if it had gone through, but I just couldn't see it happen, even if things had worked out. Not in this place. It hasn't been special since I was little. There's nothing to do, the buildings are ancient—it's a dump!

My future isn't here, it's in the city, where college life is waiting for me. Everything's riding on my entrance exam next year. I have to get out before my brother comes back.

December 23, 2020
I haven't been able to study since my brother came back for Christmas break. He's nice and doesn't interrupt my studies or anything, but I can't stand him staring at me.

I know he was probably just messing with me back then, but I've been scared of him ever since.

It's made me hate any guy looking at me. I can't believe other girls walk around school and town showing so much skin.

February 21, 2021
I think I'm finally finding my study groove. My test scores are really good.

I'm worried about how much my parents are fighting recently, though. They were yelling at each other again today. I asked Mom why, but she wouldn't say.

May 11, 2021
This is it. Test day tomorrow. Mom told me I should be proud of myself since I've worked so hard, so I'm feeling great. She's not my real mom, but I know she loves me, and I love her.

Mom, I'm going to ace this test tomorrow for both you and Dad!

August 24, 2021
I got some materials from my first choice in the mail today! I'm going to be a college freshman! I'm so, SO HAPPY! I still can't believe it!

Mom, Dad, I'm going to study my ass off and be the best daughter ever! Thank you so much for everything!!!

September 22, 2021
Mom and Dad are yelling at each other. They're talking about bankruptcy. Wasn't everything supposed to work out even without that rebuilding plan?

So this means they're out of money, right? Does this mean I can't go to college?! All that hard work was for nothing?!

No way! Don't leave me, Mom! I can't stay here! I can't be stuck here with my brother!

Young Student Found Dead, Possible Suicide
September 25, 2021

At around 10:00 AM on the 24th, a local resident reported seeing an 18-year-old female high-school student fall from the roof of a Kettenstadt apartment building. The girl was rushed to the hospital, but was pronounced dead two hours later.

According to school staff, the girl was distraught over not being able to attend college due to troubles at home. No note or diary was found, but police still believe her death may be a suicide.

This is all your fault. Everything. You're a heartless bitch. You STOLE my only friend, my place in this world, ALL of it.

And you don't even care. I'm invisible to you. I fucking HATE you.

You're not talented! You're not special! You call those shit-stains art?!

You came out of nowhere and ruined EVERYTHING! FUCK OFF FUCK OFF FUCK OFF FUCK OFF FUCK OFF FUCK OFF FUCK OFF!!!!!

Get the fuck out of my life, you piece-of-shit FREAK!!!

The Witch Hunt of Kettenstadt

In 1930s Germany, the town of Kettenstadt attracted wealthy entrepreneurs and enjoyed a period of economic prosperity. Behind that success, though, was supposedly a Japanese woman who used her clairvoyance and mystical powers to guide the entrepreneurs.

She would come to be known as the "Witch of the Far East," and would be greatly respected by the German people.

However, in 1947, the entrepreneurs suffered great losses. A large fire spread throughout their industrial parks, losing them the majority of their factories. The Witch of the Far East, who was hospitalized, jumped off the roof of the hospital and killed herself.

The witch had been diagnosed with an unknown illness, and many believed the fires pushed her over the edge.

Some citizens, however, claimed that a witch hunt was to blame. They argued the witch's rise to prominence angered the mayor's party, who used the chaos from the fires as a cover for murder.

There is no evidence to support this claim, and many now view it as a mere conspiracy theory, but the mayor's party did manage to regain influence in the town after the witch's death.

Since then, citizens have started to believe any stroke of bad luck is a result of the witch's curse.

Kettenstadt, the Town Cursed by a Witch
—Malicious Magic to Blame for City Slump?—

Kettenstadt continues to see a rapid decline in its population. The birth rate is at a mere 0.7, less than half of the German nation average (1.6). Miscarriages are also at 31%, more than double the average (15%).

The economy is in shambles, and the once-booming industrial city has failed to revitalize itself twice.

A number of researchers studying the occult point to a witch as the cause of the economic downturn in Kettenstadt. The witch was a Japanese woman who used her clairvoyance to influence economic development in the town in the 1930s.

Researchers believe she was hunted down and killed. Before her death, she is believed to have placed a curse on the town, stymieing its growth.

My dear Amelie,

Remember when I said I wanted to live like a cherry blossom?

To be beautiful and dignified for a fleeting moment simply by letting go of life.
Daring to bloom knowing it won't last, and so falling in vivid color.

I wish I could live like that.
I want to experience true beauty, if only for a moment.

I met someone who made me feel different.
He showed me a whole new world, gave me hope.
I honestly thought he could help me find a new me.
I felt it with all my heart.

But people didn't understand us, didn't want that from us.
In the end, they took my hope from me.
They took him away.

People who can't achieve beauty seek comfort in others.
They fear anyone different. Hate them. Try to tear them down.

I can't take much more of this.
I wish you and I could run away together, Amelie. Just me and you...

Maya

December 29, 2011
I've finally lost touch with him. I'll never see him again. I thought I found my happily-ever-after, but it was all a dream.

However, I haven't lost everything. I still have my children—my cute little angels who light up my life.

February 10, 2012
My new man showed up to my place today with pizza.

Children definitely need a father, but they still won't take to him. He looked annoyed when he left. I hope he doesn't hate me...

February 22, 2012
My daughter drew a picture of our family. We're smiling and holding hands.

I wish she would have drawn him as well... Maybe she doesn't realize he might join our family? She is slower than other kids her age.

I'm sure she'll catch up and pass them soon enough. I know how to raise a child. I'm a good mother. I'm nothing like that heartless bitch who raised me. I won't fill my children with hate and fear.

March 7, 2012
He showed up again with a smile on his face and a pizza in his hands from the new place he was raving about.

My daughter hated the pizza, though. She's extremely picky. I should probably teach her to eat things she doesn't like. I know I was forced to eat things I hated when I was a kid, but I guess it has to be done...

March 22, 2012
The kids finally blew up in front of him today. He was exhausted from work and said he just wanted to relax... He makes me feel so good, but I can't do the same for him.

Maybe I'm not strict enough with them. We need him for a happy life, and I need them to realize that. I know its probably a little harsh, but maybe if they don't see the light for a while, they'll finally see the light in him.

April 12, 2012
He told me the banging on the closet door was making it hard for him to unwind. If they would just be quiet for a little bit, everything would be fine. What's wrong with them?

He doesn't visit as much as he used to. If I don't figure something out, I may never see him again.

May 9, 2012
Everything seems to be going well now that we've been going out on dates.

He was worried about my kids, so he bought them a bunch of books and toys. That should be enough to keep them occupied, right?

I've been going out so much lately that I've left the place in a bit of a mess. I should clean it, but by the time I get back I have no energy.

May 25, 2012
I got contacted by the Child Welfare Center. I guess some nosey bitch or asshole in my building reported hearing a child crying at night in my place. The fuck do they know?

He hasn't called me much lately...
Am I destined to be alone?

Everyone else is out enjoying life, while I'm working my ass off raising kids. Why am I the fucking bad guy?!

July 15, 2012
If I hadn't had children, maybe I'd be planning my summer vacation with my friends right now.

Nothing matters anymore.
I'm just crawling through life.
I know what's going on in the closet, but I can't look.

I just want to be happy.
What's wrong with that?
I'm done.

Ms. Krysta Planert

We have reached out to you repeatedly but have yet to receive a response. We take this to mean you have no intention of remedying this issue. You are in violation of German Civil Code Article 1631 Section 2. Accordingly, the Federal Court has instructed us to take your children.

Should you have any objections to this, please contact us as soon as possible.

Frank Fischer
Kettenstadt Child Welfare Center

Boy Found Dead in Refrigerator, Mother Arrested
August 4, 2012

A boy was found dead today in a refrigerator in the home of his 41-year-old mother, person A, who was arrested by local authorities for hiding the body.

Person A claims to have locked her son in the closet for more than a day to punish him, and when she noticed he wasn't moving the next morning, she hid his lifeless body in the refrigerator. Investigators are conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

According to the investigation, person A's daughter ran to a neighbor's house to call the police and report her mother for neglect. When detectives arrived at the house, they discovered her brother's body in the refrigerator and arrested the mother after she confessed to her crime.

The Silent Hill Phenomenon

The suicide rate has increased around the world, in large part due to the struggles brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, with countries still unsure how best to handle the issue.

These trying times have also given rise to a strange phenomenon in many areas: those affected suddenly claim to see fog—even on fair-weather days—and lose consciousness shortly after.

This has come to be known as the "Silent Hill Phenomenon," named after a similar event that occurred in an eponymous U.S. town.

The first to propose a theory explaining why this could be happening is Dr. XXX, a social psychologist at XXX University, who had the following to say on the matter.

"To one who is psychologically unstable, fog represents uncertainty and sensory illusions. When in a state of high stress, one's vision may become obscured or tunneled, as if one is wandering through a dense fog or mist."

"Societal uncertainty or apprehension about the future manifests as fog, thus blurring the lines between illusion and reality."

As time goes on, we are seeing more and more cases of the Silent Hill Phenomenon.

In response, Dr. XXX calls for a rapid rebuilding of society, as well as a stronger emphasis on counseling and mental health care for the young.

January 31st
I haven't really been in a good mood since this morning. I tried to lose myself in my graffiti, but I wasn't feeling it.

Maybe it's because Mom and I argued this morning?

Probably not.
We've clashed before. I've known for a long time we value different things.

Is it because my classmates teased me?

I doubt it.
They don't know me.
They're just taking their issues out on someone.

It's got to be because I lost that special person and the hope he gave me, right?

Why do I feel like this? I've never felt like this before.

February 4th
I ended up heading to the roof of the Villa. Couldn't help but think of the girl who jumped to her death last year.

Actually, a lot of girls killed themselves here. All teens, supposedly. Now the place is a famous spot for people to kill themselves.

Looking down from the roof, I could see how high up I was. The thought of a Light breeze sending me flying made me feel a Little queasy.

Were they not scared? What was going through their heads?

Were they jumping away from something, or TO something...?

February 21st
I've been really absorbed in my work lately. I decided to paint the girls who jumped off the Villa roof. I'd like to think they left this place for something better.

I think I might finally be free of my despair, because I've never felt this inspired. I'm going to put every last bit of myself into this piece!

March 4th
My roof piece is almost done. It might actually be my crowning achievement.

But once this is done...then what? Do I have it in me to come up with something even better?

How much longer can I enjoy the fame and praise I get now? Is there despair and disappointment waiting for me right around the corner...?

The sadness that gripped me before has clawed its way back into my mind. I guess it was always there...

Who knows how often it'll show up...? The thought makes my skin crawl.

Maybe I should just end things while I'm still happy...go out on a good note.

I wish I could talk to someone about all this...

March 13, 2022

At approximately 1 PM on the 12th, popular graffiti artist C.B., Maya Aco Hindenburg, was found collapsed on the grounds of an apartment building in Kettenstadt. She was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The death of the 18-year-old girl comes as a shock to not only local community members, but also to all those who were familiar with her work.

Authorities believe the cause of death may be suicide, but given her popularity and the lack of warning signs to her peers, they have not ruled out foul play, and are proceeding with a full-scale investigation.