Young Writers Society

One month later

Aaron woke up. It was the day.

“Luke, Luke wake up.” shouted Aaron, turning to Luke’s bed. It was empty.

Aaron hopped out of his bed and threw on some clothes, flying out of the bedroom. Luke was in the kitchen, frying eggs, Eunice was at the table.

“Morning sleepy head.” she teased. “Do you really think you can win an election if you can’t even be up before ten?”

Aaron smiled, leave it to Eunice to brighten such a tense morning.

“Don’t you live someplace else? I couldn’t tell.”

“Oh sorry, I guess I’ll just leave and find a guy who likes having his girlfriend around.”

“Okay, okay, that’s enough you two, today is serious.” said Luke, carrying a plate full of scrambled eggs to the table.

They ate in silence, Aaron and Eunice were dying to talk about the day ahead, but Luke had been on edge lately, they knew if they pushed it he could snap. It had been a long month of underground speeches, going door to door to gather followers, telling people exactly what to write in on the ballot, the works. Everyone was both relieved and nervous for today, election day. The plan was simple, write in Aaron and Luke as dictators, give them full power, checks and balances would come later. They could take down the rest of the government before the day was over, they are powerful, but they can’t overrule the word of the people. Luke had been quiet for the whole month, talking only when he had to. Bill was running the majority of the campaign, Luke and Aaron only appeared for large crowds. Luke detested these events, while Aaron loved them. He was quick on his feet, always knowing what to say, whereas Luke became his more serious counterpart, practically invoking fear in some people.

“I need to go talk to Bill.” Luke stated abruptly, standing up from the table and walking out the door.”

There was a moment of silence as Aaron and Eunice recovered from the bluntness of Luke’s departure.

“Are we ever going to talk about what Luke did yesterday?” Eunice asked.

Aaron continued eating for a moment, thinking.

“What’s there to talk about?”

“Aaron, you know exactly what we need to talk about.”

Aaron knew, of course he knew, it was all he’d been thinking about. The day before Aaron and Luke had their final speech before the election. They found an abandoned building just out of the city. It was the perfect place to lay low, to not attract attention. They planned for it to be late at night, to avoid unwanted visitors and so that those who worked late could make it. As usual Bill introduced them.

“Welcome everyone to the pre-election day assembly. Due to the nature of this occasion I encourage everyone to keep their voices down, no matter how much you want to support our revolutionaries. This is to be kept underground after all. Now, please welcome Luke and Aaron.”

As Bill requested there was no applause to their entry to the stage, but that didn’t bother the brothers, they knew they were supported. Usually Luke and Aaron spoke separately, but with the time constraints of the evening they thought it better to speak in conjunction, so they approached the podium together. Luke spoke first.

“Tomorrow is the day, my brothers and sisters. It is time to end this chaos that they have titled democracy. It is time to end the tyranny, return us to equality and take back what is ours. Tomorrow will be no small endeavor. The lines to the voting booths will be massive, but it will be a day well spent to overcome our oppressors.”

Aaron chimed in.

“Tomorrow will go down in history as the day the vote mattered again. The day that the people of the United States of America voted for the last time, the day that the groundwork that our founding fathers laid out is finally put to rest so that we can flourish again. It will be a great day indeed, but let it be known, that our fight for freedom will not be over then. Luke and I might have power, but it will be an uphill battle, one that we will fight to the end.”

Luke laughed, almost maliciously. Aaron turned to look at him, eyebrows raised.

“Fight to the end. That is an understatement. I will burn in hell before I let out plan fail. We will use force, we will use fire, we will use whatever we have to in order to free our people from tyranny.” Luke screamed.

The crowd couldn’t handle themselves anymore and began cheering. Bill once again took the microphone and quieted the crowd. Aaron’s expression was fixed on Luke, terrified. Luke had a new vindication that Aaron did not notice until now. It was frightening to him. There was a stone cold expression on Luke’s face, like he would do anything to secure his place in power.

Aaron most definitely remembered. He swallowed his food, put his fork down and looked Eunice in the eyes.

“Luke is determined.”

“Determined? Aaron, he’s scaring me.”

“He’s just trying to do what’s best for us, for all of us.”

“And can you honestly say that’s what he’s doing? Tell me hid didn’t scare you last night.”

She had him.

Aaron reached out and took Eunice’s hand in his.

“Eunice, I promise, everything will be fine. Luke might have his flaws, but he’s my brother. I will support him until the end. The bombing, it shook him. He almost lost me, and I think that changed him. This is just how he’s coping. The old Luke will come back, I promise.”

Eunice stared at him worriedly, her blonde hair covering one of her shockingly blue eyes.

“Okay, I trust you.”

She looked down at his hands.

“You still haven’t taken off those bandages?”

Aaron looked down at his hands, noticing the gauze covering his palms. He began to unwrap the tight bandages revealing a bright red scar on both hands.

“I’ve been trying to cover it up.” he stated.

Eunice took his hands and stared him in the eyes.

“Show them. Show them what you’ve been through for them.”

Luke knocked on Bill’s door. It opened revealing Bill.

“We need to talk.”

Bill let Luke in, noticing the dark concern on his face.

“Aaron can’t do this, he’s too soft.”

“Luke-“

“Bill, can you honestly tell me he hasn’t been too easy with his words. He makes everything so optimistic, the people need to know that the days are getting rough.”

“Luke, Aaron isn’t the problem here.”

Luke stared dead into Bill’s eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“Everyone loves Aaron, but you, you’re scaring people man, you’re scaring me.” Bill said as he crossed his arms, “You’re drawing in the wrong crowd. People think a war is coming, but it’s not.”

“You don’t know that.”

“You don’t either. People like optimism, they don’t like war.”

“Optimism isn’t going to rule this country.”

“Neither is war.”

Luke stared angrily into Bill’s eyes, glaring with a contempt that Bill had never seen from this young man before.

“Look kid, all I’m saying is to tone it down a bit. You’re right, but Aaron is to. You guys balance each other, it’s a good pairing.”

Luke stayed silent, walking delicately out of the house, slamming the door behind him. Bill shook his head, just hoping that everything would work out.