Experiment Zero – The Peace Experiments: Ch 2 - The Council Meeting of Unwanted Attendance Kitty O’Compost arrives at a so-called informational meeting in the Old Gym, where folding chairs, fluorescent lights, and carefully chosen language are meant to keep the public at a comfortable distance. Joined by Marzipan and an unexpected student attendee, Kitty listens as officials explain a new facility using jargon that seems designed to obscure more than it reveals. As terms slip, silences stretch, and a forbidden idea briefly surfaces, the meeting exposes a quiet tension between governance and participation, secrecy and shared responsibility. What was meant to reassure instead sharpens Kitty’s sense that something important is being managed out of sight—and that certain concepts unsettle authority simply by being named. Experiment Zero is the prequel to The Peace Experiments, a peace-forward series where a group of young people are brave enough to challenge conventional arguments against peace and disarmament. Join the Community / Get the Books: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com Get the 2025 Podcast Recap eBook: www.AvisKalfsbeek.com/2025 Music:  Alana Jordan (alanajordan) on Pixabay