Center Point Book One: Fallen Leader

Chapter 2- The Vote

Chapter 2- The Vote

The sun rose over the city hall bringing with it a day that would decide the fate of the whole town. Everyone was anxious to find out how would Echo vote. Til had gone out campaigning for public support by speaking with Magic and other villagers, but Nugget did her own campaigning against the bill. Echo was able to watch it all unfold from his mansion. As he sat at his desk reading the bill over again for the 100th time he knew what he was going to do. He knew that it might not make him very popular around the village or with some of his friends, but he didn't care.

Helium had woken up to a knock at his door, as he got up groggily to answer it he was surprised to see Nugget and Potato standing there waiting for him. Before he could ask them what they wanted Nugget said "get up and ready we need to show you something."

"Ok, give me a few minutes." Helium said. He was barley awake and a little annoyed at the two coming to get him so early in the morning. Helium got ready and looked down in his basement to see Jack was still fast asleep, deciding not to wake the mad scientist Helium quietly made his way outside to meet his cousin and her friend. Immediately when he stepped outside Nugget grabbed his arm and began dragging him somewhere. "Where the hell are we going?" Helium asked her.

Nugget didn't answer his question and just kept walking with Potato at her side. Eventually they made their way near Mole-Man's house and stopped. Helium looked at his cousin and asked, "why did you bring me here?"

"You see how close we are to his house and his grave? This is where Til wants to build new houses. He also wants to put two there and there." She said motioning to two locations very close to Mole-Man's house and grave. Helium suddenly realized why Nugget had been so upset about this bill. Til was going to put houses nearly on top of the grave. Helium looked at his cousin and managed to say, "I get it."

Nugget looked back at her cousin and nodded in agreement. It all made sense to Helium now. Why Nugget had been so against the bill and had been so enraged by it. Helium was also shocked that Til would want to put houses this close, but the more he thought about it he realized that Til was the quickest of the group to get over the loss of the Mole-Man. Even though Til was raised by the Mole-Man Helium knew that Til didn't see the Mole-Man as a father, but more as a friend. Helium had arguably been the closest to the Mole-Man, but Nugget had taken it the hardest when he died, Helium knew she wasn't fully over the trauma of losing her father figure. Helium looked around and in the distance he saw what he thought was Echo on his balcony over looking the city. Helium wondered if Echo was over the Mole-Man's death or not.

Nugget turned and saw what Helium saw and said "I wonder how he'll vote today. There hasn't been a tie like this in a long time."

"What do you mean like this?" Helium questioned his cousin.

"About a year after the government was formed Til prosed a bill that would ban anyone from attempting to go to where Lucky is from. Obviously Lucky was furious at this proposition and opposed it, but the citizens sided with Til. Someone had overheard Lucky speaking about his home to Echo and spread it around the village. Stories of Pig people with golden swords and axes, castles in lave being occupied by flying golden creatures that can shoot fire and skeletons that can cause a person to disintegrate. The village was obviously horrified by this and pressured Echo to vote with Til's bill." Nugget said. She didn't admit it, but she herself was terrified of the stories and had nightmares about it. Potato had once wondered how someone as kind and loving as Lucky come from a place so cruel and violent, and Nugget wondered the same thing.

"What happened after that?" Helium asked his cousin.

"Echo showed up to the legislative session and gave a speech about how this government shouldn't be able to restrict its own citizens in that manner and this was a blatant almost racist attack against Lucky, and he then voted no on the bill. Til was upset and defended his bill saying that he was just doing what he thought was right to protect the village." Nugget finished telling Helium.