Chapter 3: Goodbye? Haven’t Even Said Hello

C3: Goodbye? Haven't Even Said Hello

"The center of serenity." That was Exasthen's go-to quote. The thread of hope they desperately hung on to in order to enable balance and to effect sanity. For decades on end, this surprisingly worked. As serene as a damn graveyard it was. So sure enough, it grew to become almost the walkover of the Ninth's entire northern region.

You see, of all cities of the Ninth, including the ones that were excluded from the "Holy Trinity" like Phoenix, Havilah, and Noritsu, Exasthen was most definitely the weakest of them all. When comparing it to its "brothers in crime", it was neither as strong and Spartan as Raven, nor as affluent and business minded as the island of Nekriyon. In fact, it was a combination of the opposite of both. If I were to use one sentence to describe it, "a weak city with little to minimal resources to cater for its inhabitants". That'd do the trick.

Most would even question why it was part of the Colossal northern union in the first place. One reason.

"Hope", he said in a calm, resonating voice that echoed out of the giant speakers and through the town's hall. "It's the blanket in the night during the chilling winter. It's the gallon of water during the days of drought. It's the Vaseline on the table when you're home alone with five hours of boredom and unlimited data by your side" he joked, the crowd audibly bursting in laughter in return. "Hope is all you ever asked for when you brought me into office, and hope is all I've ever worked to give. But today, I want to assure you that I didn't give you hope. In fact, it was probably the other way around" David said, looking around the crowd, his iris resting on no particular character. "You gave me hope. You", he pointed distantly into the crowd. "You are your hope. Your own saviors" He smiled, the entire crowd beaming with cheers and chants.

"Settle down, Settle down. That wasn't even mine", he smiled, adjusting the toupee-looking thing on top of his head. "With a crime rate of less than point 5 percent, apart from the situation last week, peace and serenity never seem to be too far from us. And even though the boredom does latch onto us from time to time, I think I find it comfortably delightful to look out the windows of my house and just, live" He added, breathing down on the microphone in front him. "And this, all of this" he gesticulated with his arms, "is your doing. So, thank you. Thank you all", he smiled, the crowd beaming once again with cheers and chants.

After the 'noise' settled down a bit, his tone became a little less light. "Now, it's probably just for formality sake, but I'm pretty sure we all know the lovely Mrs. Shelby Claire and her acquaintance Malcolm" He said pointing to the two figures a couple steps to his right just behind him. "And I'm pretty sure we all have seen them both blossom from commoners and newbies in the our town, to people who genuinely appreciate the culture and company our city provides. Well today, it's time to reward these not-so-new faces, for their honesty, valor, and peace-keeping nature." The crowd roared in acceptance, chanting and barking their praises all over the streets. "Mrs. Shelby Claire could you please step forward", he said, Diana steadily ushering them closer the mayor.

"Today, just as you all have often requested over and over and over, Mrs. Shelby and her green-eyed acquaintance will be sworn-int. Into the perfect justice system of Exasthen." His statement was once again met by the jeers and cheers of people that were probably more of his fans than his 'people' in all honesty. After the crowd tempered down their "overdrive joy" a notch, he began the 'festivity' with the usual formalities. The crowd backed him up every inch of the way. In fact, the crowd seemed to love Shelby and Malcolm almost as much as they loved David. A common thing in Exasthen.

By the way, here's a little tip for you. You might find it useful someday when you're lost in the moment or caught up with the swing and dangle of things. 'Be careful with the time you spend soaking it all in. People often tend to slander tomorrow, the same people or person's they sang praises for yesterday. It's kind of the basic rule of life. Remember, the same people that chanted "Welcome King" during the days of even Jesus' triumphant entry, were the same people who chanted "Crucify him" not up to a week later. Just a little side tip I thought I'd chip in. Let's get back to it.

After the formalities slowly etched closer to an end, Malcolm and Shelby gracefully thanked David and gradually made their way through the small partition in the crowd. Almost like newlyweds about to take their first 'married' drive to their home or honeymoon location. They waved at every single smiling and jeering face they'd come across, and there were a whole lot of those kiss-asses.

As the crowd began to thin out, David seemed to be more and more interested in whatever was making his phone beep so often, than the greetings his people had gushed at him.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. I appreciate that. She'll hear" he said, still staring at his phone, but making time to politely answering every comment. Even the ones that were subtly aimed at wooing his beautiful wife. "Excuse me for a sec, would you?" He cautiously thinned his way through the brewing crowd and into his tinted SUV alongside Diana.

"That went pretty well if you ask me" she said smiling at David, who was now lost in the texts popping up on his iPhone. "Anything the problem sir?"

At that exact moment, his eyes locked with hers, and in that red iris, she saw a look she'd never seen before. She saw 'Fear'.

"I need to go…somewhere for a sec" he said, with a weird demeanor.

"But the schedule for—"

"Dian" he put his coarse hands on her steady but burdened shoulder, "I need to go somewhere and I need you to keep it an utmost secret. Nobody must ever know what I'm about to tell you." He drew closer to her. "Fuck the schedule, it's time" he gently said, looking desperately into her eyes.

"C'mon sir, we don't have the luxury of time for—"

"Dian" he said with a more serious look on his face."

"I need you to take care of everyone, of everything. They'll need you. They'll all—"

"Please don't talk like that sir."

After a couple seconds of contemplating what she thought was almost insanity, she whispered, "Please"

"It's time Dian. A shame it took this long but oh well, we give as much as we get" he smiled, wiping the tears off her face. "Don't worry. Remember everything I told you though. Might be our last chance to get all of this fixed", he looked up at the glimmering sky, the radiant sun poking its head through. "You need to go. I know the schedule, I'll do as much as I can with the few hours I have left."

"Sir we can—"

He took his warm hands off her face and walked into another car that had been prepped for him, just a couple steps beside them. Opening the door himself, as was his usual custom, he walked in and took one last glance at his sobbing secretary. "Keep your head up okay." He smiled, closing the door behind him, as zooming off into the midday horizon. His secretary left in the midst of a thinning crowd, with his ringing instructions bouncing of the walls of her head