To Leap From Heaven [A Romantic Thriller]

1.

At the southernmost tip on the African continent there is a Banana Republic who's mineral resources are enormous and its export quality of diamonds and gold are of the purest quality and highest standards. It is in great demand by investors all over the world, but it was lying dormant underground. The country was reliant on foreign investment to mine it, but however lucrative the prospects of untold wealth, none of the foreign investors wanted to touch it, because of the country's lawlessness and political instability.

The International Ratings Agencies had downgraded the country's economic outlook to below investment level, and the few individuals who were still sitting on the fence invested their money in safe havens where a healthy return on investment was guaranteed. With the money draining away from the country, and the Treasury empty, the poor and the destitute were literally sitting on their mineral wealth with sad eyes, hungry tummies, and outstretched hands to the United Nations for humanitarian aid.

The ruling party did nothing but engaged in party politics, political intrigues, petty bickering, and jostling for power. All of them had their hands in the cookie jar, and before long it was empty, hence the need for foreign investment. They did not care about fulfilling their mandate for which the people had voted them into power which was equality for all. And their inability to govern was the main reason for the lawlessness on the ground.

Some individuals of the criminal persuasion had no respect for Life, and not a day went by without a senseless murder taking place. That, and the fact that law enforcement made no concerted effort to apprehend and sentence the guilty party, angered the general population who wanted to live in a safe and crime-free environment. The country was on the brink of an implosion, and needed someone with a backbone to rise and put it back on its feet, restore law and order, and map out a road for prosperity going forward. But the voting community, disillusioned by repeated empty promises, had reached voting saturation, and avoided the voting booths in droves during elections.

One man decided to take on the challenge. He was ready to shake up the country, and the world, if necessary, because he was done sitting on his hands while the country was being washed down the drain by incompetent greedy fools. He was ready to risk everything to save what could be saved from their grubby hands, and place it in the hands of starving millions. That man was Jim Rossdale.

Jim had spent a large portion of his life in the corporate sector, but he did not last long in any one job because of his impatient nature and fiery temper, which constantly landed him in hot water with his superiors. When an opportunity arose he went into politics and not only because he wanted to serve the needs of the people, but because it served his temperament. He had chosen a small start-up party and stood as Ward Councilor for his area. Jim was a charismatic person and good at organizing people, and very soon he had a large contingent of supporters who canvas his Ward and organized meetings in churches, at libraries and in schools.

He never missed an opportunity to be visible, and to be heard, and he won the position by a landslide majority. Contrary to his own expectations he loved his new job, and never missed a photo opportunity with mothers with babies, a handshake and a joke with the elderly, but most of all, he concentrated his efforts on the youth who were in the majority, poor, oppressed, and the forgotten in a sea of millions. He made everyone feel special, and they were instinctively drawn to his sincerity. Jim's ambitions extended far beyond being Ward Councilor, and he sensed that the youth was his ticket to a bigger and better position.

His rise within the party was rapid, and before long he gained a seat in parliament. During parliamentary debates he would sit, look, and listen, and came to the realization that should he remain with his party, his dream would never be realized. He had reached his glass ceiling, and through it he saw a limitless sky, a place in which he would never fly should he accept his Fate.