07-22-2018, 02:32 PM
Buttercity Central Hospital
Yousef Chaher sat watching his father breathing loudly as he slept. The 24-year-old PhD student had been sitting there for three hours, contemplating the universe. He looked down at the sleeping figure, feeling all kinds of conflicted thoughts.
For most of Yousef's adult life, his world had been this: his father was a government minister, his mother was a florist, he studied philosophy in Carville and his brother was in the navy. Until, one day, all the world changed.
He'd been in the apartment in Carville he shared with his two friends, when a secret service agent had knocked on the door. He'd opened it, half drunk, and been informed that he needed to return to Fleura province immediately. He'd tried to shut the door, but the agent blocked it with his foot. Yousef didn't really remember the rest.
Next thing he knew, he was in some big house in the country, vomiting into a bowl while his mother sang soothingly to him. Once the hangover had passed, he'd tried to leave, only for a whole bunch of armed guards prevent him from doing so, for his "˜own safety'. His brother was there also, after being recalled suddenly and offered no explanation. Not even his mother seemed to know what was going on.
The family had been watching daytime television when the news broadcast had come through. His father had deposed Laura Moore, in what some were calling a coup d'état.
At first, Yousef had thought it was all some kind of elaborate CGI practical joke faked for his purpose. And then slowly it dawned on him that it was real. Still, he couldn't quite believe in it. It was too far-fetched.
His father had come "˜home' that night, and hugged his mother, telling her that everything would now be okay, they wouldn't take away her flower shop. Yousef hadn't even been aware it was in danger. His brother received news of a promotion, and Yousef was offered... well, he never heard his offer because he'd already stormed upstairs and slammed the door. His mother and his brother had seemed so supportive of his father's actions, but Yousef...
A memory came to him suddenly of his grandparents. They were devout Muslims, and when his father had informed them he would be raising his children as atheists, they were horrified. Yousef had been six years old at the time and had heard the argument in the other room.
"I will pray for you, and I will pray for your children, Suleman! I did not raise you this way, my son, and I now see a darkness in you that scares me..." his grandfather had been saying, when suddenly the sound of a glass smashing and his grandmother's scream had drowned him out.
His father had come charging into the room, grabbing him and his three-year-old brother by the arms and dragging them out. His brother had screamed. They had never seen their grandparents again.
For the first time in eighteen years, Yousef Chaher prayed. He could barely remember how, but as he stared down at his father's sleeping form, he was overcome with a desire to do so. There was something wrong in the way his father had regressed after his injury. The doctors were at a loss to explain it.
He shuddered at the lack of scientific explanation. He wondered if his grandparents had been right.
He stood up suddenly and went outside to speak to one of his father's aides.
"Jonas, do you have an address for my grandparents?"
The young man jumped at the shock of actually being spoken to and stacked the pile of papers he was holding neatly in the manner of someone who wished to look like they were actually doing something.
"Um, yes, I'm sure I can get that for you."
"Good, send it to my phone right away."
-------------------
Grapevale, Kerlile
President Joanna Greenwood took another sip of her wine and leaned back in the sun on her balcony. No major catastrophes had happened in several days, and she was taking advantage of the peace and quiet.
He relaxing evening came to an end when a familiar knock sounded and Lucia Casci came rushing into the room.
"Madam President, there is news from Lauchenoiria."
Greenwood sighed and gently sat up, resting the wine glass on the stone barrier around the balcony.
"Am I going to like this, Casci?"
"That would be... unlikely, ma'am."
"Then get on with it."
"The Resistance has taken control of much of Ulinaria province, and Libertas Omnium Maximus has taken Carville."
Joanna Greenwood took a deep breath, then picked up her wine, drained the glass and threw the glass off the edge of the balcony. A countable number of seconds later, the pair heard a faint clink as it smashed on the concrete below.
"We can't wait much longer. The damned Coalition are getting far too confident. Send more troops to reinforce Annatown and Yerville. Do not let the Usera Resistance and the Ulinarians meet each other."
"Yes, ma'am," Casci said, turning to leave, when Greenwood grabbed her arm and prevented her from doing so. Greenwood leaned right in so she was whispering in Casci's ear.
"Bring forward Operation Unicorn. We can no longer afford to wait."
Yousef Chaher sat watching his father breathing loudly as he slept. The 24-year-old PhD student had been sitting there for three hours, contemplating the universe. He looked down at the sleeping figure, feeling all kinds of conflicted thoughts.
For most of Yousef's adult life, his world had been this: his father was a government minister, his mother was a florist, he studied philosophy in Carville and his brother was in the navy. Until, one day, all the world changed.
He'd been in the apartment in Carville he shared with his two friends, when a secret service agent had knocked on the door. He'd opened it, half drunk, and been informed that he needed to return to Fleura province immediately. He'd tried to shut the door, but the agent blocked it with his foot. Yousef didn't really remember the rest.
Next thing he knew, he was in some big house in the country, vomiting into a bowl while his mother sang soothingly to him. Once the hangover had passed, he'd tried to leave, only for a whole bunch of armed guards prevent him from doing so, for his "˜own safety'. His brother was there also, after being recalled suddenly and offered no explanation. Not even his mother seemed to know what was going on.
The family had been watching daytime television when the news broadcast had come through. His father had deposed Laura Moore, in what some were calling a coup d'état.
At first, Yousef had thought it was all some kind of elaborate CGI practical joke faked for his purpose. And then slowly it dawned on him that it was real. Still, he couldn't quite believe in it. It was too far-fetched.
His father had come "˜home' that night, and hugged his mother, telling her that everything would now be okay, they wouldn't take away her flower shop. Yousef hadn't even been aware it was in danger. His brother received news of a promotion, and Yousef was offered... well, he never heard his offer because he'd already stormed upstairs and slammed the door. His mother and his brother had seemed so supportive of his father's actions, but Yousef...
A memory came to him suddenly of his grandparents. They were devout Muslims, and when his father had informed them he would be raising his children as atheists, they were horrified. Yousef had been six years old at the time and had heard the argument in the other room.
"I will pray for you, and I will pray for your children, Suleman! I did not raise you this way, my son, and I now see a darkness in you that scares me..." his grandfather had been saying, when suddenly the sound of a glass smashing and his grandmother's scream had drowned him out.
His father had come charging into the room, grabbing him and his three-year-old brother by the arms and dragging them out. His brother had screamed. They had never seen their grandparents again.
For the first time in eighteen years, Yousef Chaher prayed. He could barely remember how, but as he stared down at his father's sleeping form, he was overcome with a desire to do so. There was something wrong in the way his father had regressed after his injury. The doctors were at a loss to explain it.
He shuddered at the lack of scientific explanation. He wondered if his grandparents had been right.
He stood up suddenly and went outside to speak to one of his father's aides.
"Jonas, do you have an address for my grandparents?"
The young man jumped at the shock of actually being spoken to and stacked the pile of papers he was holding neatly in the manner of someone who wished to look like they were actually doing something.
"Um, yes, I'm sure I can get that for you."
"Good, send it to my phone right away."
-------------------
Grapevale, Kerlile
President Joanna Greenwood took another sip of her wine and leaned back in the sun on her balcony. No major catastrophes had happened in several days, and she was taking advantage of the peace and quiet.
He relaxing evening came to an end when a familiar knock sounded and Lucia Casci came rushing into the room.
"Madam President, there is news from Lauchenoiria."
Greenwood sighed and gently sat up, resting the wine glass on the stone barrier around the balcony.
"Am I going to like this, Casci?"
"That would be... unlikely, ma'am."
"Then get on with it."
"The Resistance has taken control of much of Ulinaria province, and Libertas Omnium Maximus has taken Carville."
Joanna Greenwood took a deep breath, then picked up her wine, drained the glass and threw the glass off the edge of the balcony. A countable number of seconds later, the pair heard a faint clink as it smashed on the concrete below.
"We can't wait much longer. The damned Coalition are getting far too confident. Send more troops to reinforce Annatown and Yerville. Do not let the Usera Resistance and the Ulinarians meet each other."
"Yes, ma'am," Casci said, turning to leave, when Greenwood grabbed her arm and prevented her from doing so. Greenwood leaned right in so she was whispering in Casci's ear.
"Bring forward Operation Unicorn. We can no longer afford to wait."
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax