The people were forced to flee unimaginable hardship and possible death. They were given one day to pack and escaped with only what little they could carry or drag with them. It was obvious they would never be able to return to the place they once called home, nor would they want to, given the horrible circumstances. They began a new life, ultimately forming a new community, establishing a new government. For a while, it appeared things might work out, they might heal and life would return to normal...until the food ran out.

They were promised they would be taken care of. They believed their leader had a plan, but it appeared the only plan he had was to hope and pray for a miracle and that obviously wasn't working. Armed with sticks, torches and any weapon they could find, an angry mob surrounded the Mayor's house, shouting and jeering. Women held their hungry babies over their heads and cried. Fathers and husbands raised their fists, shouting obscenities and threats.

The mayor pulled the curtain back with his fingers and looked at the growing throng. Already tens of thousands had gathered, trapping him and his wife in their modest home. As the animosity escalated, the police were forced to pull back and several of them even abandoned their posts to join the rebellion.

He closed the curtain and said, "I don't blame them really. They are hungry and it's my fault. I didn't have a plan and we ran out of food. What am I supposed to tell them?" He asked, staring at the closed curtain and listening to the noise of the crowd.

His wife placed her soft hand on his back and said, "It's not your fault. There is no way you could have prepared for anything like this, plan or no plan. They knew the risks. Some of the blame falls on their shoulders."

"No." The mayor slowly shook his head. "It was my bright idea that caused this. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me."

"First off," The Mayor's wife began. "If I remember correctly, this was not your idea. In fact, you thought it was a bad idea from the start. You fought it, remember?"

"Not hard enough. We're obviously here, aren't we?"

"You had no choice. You were out-voted. Secondly, you are correct. They wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. They'd be worse off and many of them would be dead."

"Death might be better. Rather to die than be hungry." The Mayor said.

"Oh, please!" She turned and walked across the room. Turning around, she said, "At least, you gave them a fighting chance. They should be on their knees thanking you instead of...this!" She was so angry, she could barely find words to express herself. He wasn't sure if she was angry at him or the mob of angry citizens.

The Mayor peeked out the window again and saw they had set fire to one of the government buildings.

"Hmmmph!" He said as he flipped the curtain closed. "There goes City Hall. What are they going to do next? Burn the church?"

"Probably," She said. "They're blaming Him too."

He shook his head in disgust. "Yeah, well maybe it is His fault."

That did it. He had crossed the line. She stomped back across the room and stood in front of him.

"Oh...oh...oh, ho, ho! Don't go there!" His wife shouted with her finger pointed sharply at his face. "You know better than that!"

"Do I?" He said, raising one eyebrow.

"I don't believe you!" She shouted, shaking her hands in the air. "You hit a bump in the road and you want to point your finger skyward!"

"This is a little more than a bump in the road and He's not in the sky," The Mayor said.

"You know what I mean! This is part of your job! It comes with the territory."

"Well, I don't want this job!" The Mayor shouted back. "I never did!"

"Too bad! It's yours now." She said.

"Yeah, one lousy vote! I get this job because of one lousy vote." He said, lifting his index finger.

"That's the way it works." She said calmly.

"Well, that sucks!"

"It may suck, as you so eloquently put it, but that's still the way it works and you know it. You can call for a hundred recounts and that one deciding vote will still be there."

The Major turned and looked out the window again. "They've elected a new Mayor, you know."

"It doesn't matter." She replied. "He can't do the job. He doesn't have what you have. He doesn't know what you know. He doesn't know who you know."

"He has the people."

"But you have the answer."

"Do I?" He asked, turning back to face her. "And what might that answer be?"

"Feed them." She said smugly.

"Great idea!" He shouted sarcastically, tapping his forehead with the tips of his fingers. "Why didn't I think of that? And just how am I supposed to do that when every store, every pantry, every Scooby-Doo lunch box in town is empty?"

"You'll think of something." She said almost cheerfully.

"I did think of something..." He said flippantly.

"...without feeling sorry for yourself!" She added.

He turned to walk away. "I don't need this."

She grabbed his arm and spun him around to face her. "None of us does," She said. "So I have a question."

"Yeah? What!" He said sharply.

"Are you hungry?"

"That's a stupid question." He pulled her hand from his arm.

"Answer it." She said, looking him in the eyes.

"Of course I am. You know that. We all are. What's your point?"

"Find a way to feed yourself." She said.

"What, then multiply that times a million?" He asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes, if that's what it takes." She said calmly.

"And how do you propose that I find a way to feed myself?"

"Why don't you go over to the church and find out?" She asked.

"There's no food there," He said, shaking his head. The people already looked."

"Maybe they didn't look hard enough."

"They tore it apart!" He shouted, pointing to the window. "The place is barely standing in case you hadn't noticed!"

"You know where to look. They don't."

He shook his head. "I hate your riddles! Why don't you ever just come right out and tell me what you want to say?" He shouted.

She walked over to the window and pulled the curtain aside. "He knows where it is."

They Mayor walked behind her and looked over her shoulder. "How do you know he's there?"

"He's always there and you know it." She closed the curtain and turned around to face her husband. "Go talk to him."

"I'll never make it." He said, shaking his head in fear. "Didn't you see? There's a riot going on out there. They'll kill me before I get to the street."

"Not if you tell them where you are going."

He took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. "I don't know..." He said, backing away from her and the window.

His wife walked over and put her arms around him. She kissed him, then pulled back and said, "I know you're afraid." She said, rubbing his arms. "Who wouldn't be? Go talk to Him. He'll tell you where to find food. And when he does, you come out and tell them and they'll believe you. They'll believe Him."

Moses pulled open the flap to his tent and stepped out to face the angry mob. Aaron walked over and stood by his side and the crowd parted to let them pass.

"Do you have a plan?" Aaron asked as they were walking.

"No," Moses answered quietly, shaking his head slightly.

"Great..." Aaron muttered under his breath, trying to smile for the crowd.


Copyright © 2005 Rod

• Topic: Creative Writings

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