This story is very meme-savvy, and I can pretty much imagine a bunch of stupid kids coming together to make a video that they think might not have much impact, but has more connotations than they realize.

I kind of wish I knew more about why Freddi did the things she did, but oh well. 3k word limit. Can't do much about that. x)

Woah. I think you captured the present quite brilliantly. It felt real. It felt like this could really happen, especially considering the world we live in today. I could feel the agitation and distress, being caught up in the moment. A hundred years from now the villain and the hero might seem clearer, but your story isn't black and white, not today. Wow. Just wow.

Edits:

‘She looked me in (the) eye, smiled and said yes.’

‘My (clock) blinked 12:00 stupidly at me’

There are a few other spots to be fixed, but nothing major.

After living through Ferguson, and now Baltimore, this gave me the creeps.
You achieved your goal, in terms of Zeitgeist in a box. It happens awfully fast, but that's the constraints of the 3k run. Excellent choice of names, by the way - 'Happiness' dies in his arms!

This is really good. I'd want to see it a lot longer though (I know, the contest rules). Would make a good plot for an intellectual-type spy vs. spy/action movie (I know most action movies don't have plots, but something like "Inception").

I just gave a lecture this morning on Cold War propaganda to a college art class. I was explaining that someone with the right skill set and motivation can easily create or modify an event (such as Stalin removing Yezhov from photos after having him killed). A thing does not necessarily have to be real to be perceived as such - and that should scare us all. Well played!

Holy damn.

The contest is yours.

Goodness me. I couldn't stop reading. The sense of dread permeates every word because of how the piece opened. You've got a solid villain there and ambiguously neutralish goodish characters that really works for the story. The way you tackle issues like racism (that whole terrorist and dark skin thing) was intersting and honest.

Great name drops in there of social media, media, content, etc to make it feel like it could happen any day. Today even.

You also made it funny, so props to you. I love a good laugh aloud moment.

This is awesome stuff, TR.

Augs