By: Daiyu Tang – Hathian Observer Editor, Girl Behind the Lens and probably some less polite words around town. Oh well.
My dear readers, welcome to the 2024 ‘Year in Review’ which follows on from (yes you guessed it) the ‘2023 Year in Review’ as a series where the Observer will guide you though what happened in Hathian, CU, Laveau and surrounding areas that made the paper.
Gods know, that I understand that not all your crimes, trysts, misdeeds appear in our pages… But I am aware in 2024 that at least some probably made-up stuff did (Thanks Maja; amazing journalism!). Never-the-less, while many of you want to stay hidden as you do your dirty little things, if you don’t have a media profile these days, you’re clearly like I said last year, someone, but not One of Them. The movers and shakers… the goodies and baddies and all the flavour in-between that make up our towns… Afterall, even I know this, without reputation, without a presence, what are you? Often a victim that merits just one line… ‘Jane or John Doe’, a victim of Hathian’s predators…
In 2024, over 355 serious news articles were served to you, alongside all the usual advertisements, ads for ‘personal services’ and more. The Observer management would like to thank all our contributors for 2024 including Carly, Blake, Maja (Really – Do I have to thank her?), Viv, Shiloh, Buffy, Rachel, Antonietta, Zofia, Carrie and anyone else who submitted anonymously or whom I have forgotten ((Sorry)).
In 2023, we selected three articles for each month, but for 2024 the good news is we’ve already done that for you! You probably have been reading over 2024, the January 2024, February 20224, March 2024, April 2024, May 2024, June 2024, July 2024, August 2024, September 2024, October 2024 and November 2024 month in review articles! So what does that mean?
It means for January through to November I’ll pick the best news out of the area from these months and then wrapping in a choice for December (you remember what just happened right?) I’ll pick my favourite story. Happy Reading!
January – Fighting Breaks Out Between Laveau & Hathian
I’d have liked to picked the Circus for the winner in January, but sadly the clowns did not have the last laugh and slowly filtered away out of town. Whether they live in the sewers and will be back in a decade or so, I can’t predict, but if they do they’d be the main attraction. As it is, the January article of the year was
February – Zoey Strikes Again
On the basis that our top story in February was about pigs, police and so on, I think after half a year or so of issues with clowns, Hathian Against Corruption and so forth that it was time to do something different and that meant ‘unmasking’ Zoey, who to be fair, never wears an actual mask, or really seems to hide what or who she is. Smooth talker is one. Murderer is another (of family). Anyway, she was our headline of the month in February.
March – Aubin Plays a Game
March was a month of cult murders, HPD protests and the outcomes of abuses perpetrated against many, but it is our choice that the domestic terrorists get their spotlight again; yes in March the Yuugen played ‘kidnap the officer’ and as always made things a whole lot of bad for everyone involved.
April – You Spin me Right Round
Our reporter Carrie Day attended a performance of the Circus at the Hathian Theatre and watched as poor Tala got spun around (and nearly had her performance end in disaster). It was a perfect summary of how things in Hathian can ‘spiral’ out of control.
May – Former FDH Chief Murders HPD Officer – Joins Gang
Proving that behind every respectable public servant *could* be a vicious killer, the Observer reported on FDH Chief Dale Warrhol becoming HPD’s most wanted after murdering officer Bolo. With the FDH’s reputation in tatters it took a lot for the new Chief Pentewyn to get it under control.
June – Summer is a Time for Partying!
Look, normally I wouldn’t as your editor stoop to this, but as it is half way through the year in review, didn’t involve murder, fires, gangs or anything… my June article of the month was the CU swimwear party. Bite my Goth ass if you don’t agree!
July – A Wedding that Became a Fish Tank that Became the Latest Yuugen Trick
Picture the scene, the Rejects were having a wedding, officiated by a slightly drunk Piper when suddenly, water starts pouring into their venue thanks to those Yuugen tricksters. The whole place becomes a fish tank and into that tank (along side drunk guests) were various sea-life also pumped in. One hopes the Rejects didn’t let this stand… but I found (at least what I saw as their ‘revenge’) lacking taste. Tori’s ‘achievements’ are not overwritten by her nudity.
August – Pink Rabbits
Well, with the rate that HPD officers were disappearing over the first half of the year it was perhaps no surprise that Officer Lee disappeared. The slightly bigger surprise was that (Spoiler Alert) he might not actually have been dead! Still he faked it well and made it for a while… Didn’t pay child support either.
September – The Long and the Short of it
Well, what else was it going to be? The culmination of the Hathian Against Corruption trial led to HPD Inspector General (is that a title?) Krystal being found ‘guilty’ and then being rescued just before any sentencing. This editor gives thanks to the HPD who rescued her at the same time!
October – Thinking is a Skill
My dear readers, you might disagree with me here, but I am going to go with the thoughts and conversations I had with one Hathian citizen (gang member) who talked to me about real things. Nothing about ‘games’ or ‘torture’ or whatever, just the street. Just a real understanding of what I also see. We might disagree on how to solve it and I know that once the talking is done, there is shooting often, but God, we need more words in life, and this man delivered.
November – We’re not Finished Yet
Simon from HGH – the protector of murderers and the saviour of people’s lives. Janus. Isn’t that a medical concept? Anyway… ignoring what I said about him in December, Maja got ‘claws’ into him earlier in the year and told us about his spank bank, or rather basement dumping ground. I don’t want to believe it and since Simon no longer wants to engage in discussion, we may never find out the truth, but for those urban explorers… stay away from HGH’s basement… one of our other reporters also found old, dodgy, equipment down there… Hathian basements? Need we say more!?
December – The one Where Daiyu Keeps the Cards Close
This is where I get to choose one of the articles… hmm. I’ll tell you in January, we’ve still got a few to go!
Who likes stories about TEETH!?
And that’s a wrap dear reader. I am off on a break soon, so you be good and try not to create loads of news while I am gone.
Yes Tori, I can see you kidnapped an officer. You go girl. Making a difference, one atrocity at a time. No one is laughing along and that’s the guy that grabs my ass every now and then. Let him get home to his family for Christmas and hopefully all of yours will as well.
Wishing you all a lovely Christmas. Happy New Year Hathian!
Daiyu Tang – Editor
