L.E.F.D.

The bell rang with a shrill, screeching sound.

Rozy sighed as she got up to check the door. It was Molly from next door; she held a tray of chocolate cupcakes.

"Would you look at that! What's the occasion? Not about the L.E.F.D. is it?"

"Oh no! Nothing special- I was free today and thought to myself, 'Molly dear,' I said, 'it's been a while since you baked a cake,' so I tried baking one of the cold-sandwich flavoured cakes - the salty ones - but I forgot all about it after putting it in the oven, so..."

Rozy snickered in response:
"Yeah? How was it?"

"Trust me honey, you DO NOT want to know that- but no matter! I baked some cupcakes right after that and they turned out amazing! Help yourself!" She pushed the tray towards Rozy.

"I mean, they do look good," hummed Rozy, taking the tray; but just as she was about to retreat, Molly pounced on her:

"Coming to the central square this afternoon?"

Her eye twitched.

"No."

"No!? What for?"

"I don't care for such useless things," sneered Rozy, "it's a waste of time."

Oh, don't be such a snob- it's a-once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! They're holding it at the central square- anyone can attend! For the love of god, we have to go!"

...for the love of god? How ironic.

Rozy pursed her lips.

"I'll think about it," she shut the door before Molly could continue her protests.

"You're not going? Why did you create all that fuss yesterday, then?" Rozy's mother glared at her from the living room.

"Oh, I'm going alright."

Her mother gave her a look.

"What!? You know what Molly's like! Next thing you know she'd have offered to go with me and I am NOT going bear with THAT!"

Mother only shook her head, sighing, "when will you be leaving?"

"Right after I finish eating these cupcakes- it's one of the few things Molly's good at," declared Rozy before she began stuffing her face with them. She was only able to swallow a mouthful before she began again:

"Did you hear what she said though?"

"What?"

"About it being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?"

"Is it not?"

Rozy burst into a fit of giggles.

"So they think, but really Mother, it's not." This she declared as she reached for the keys and left the house, still giggling and paying no mind to the words of caution her mother yelled as she left:

"Be safe!"

She chuckled, "of course!"

...

It was noon; there was still some time left. A little stroll through the market would be nice, and she could go to the central square after that.

There was a huge crowd in the market- apparently everyone had had the same idea as her. She didn't blame them though.

She smiled as she looked around; posters and banners hung all throughout the market. Red, blue and white- all bore the same lettered print: L.E.F.D.

Most of the people in the market wore red berets and the children kept making paper planes out of the handouts given to them- handouts which were extremely similar to the posters glued to the walls.

Rozy grinned. It was beautiful.

She was still looking around herself when she heard a clock strike. The hour was up. It was time. Time to go to the Central Square.

...

Rozy was mesmerized. The square was chock-full of people. The crowd hogged the stage while the many spectators at the back kept trying to push forward to get a better view.

The air was still and the heat oppressive. Everyone was waiting for something; they all spoke in hushed voices among themselves.

Just then, a few men stepped onto the stage.

The crowd went silent.

Everyone stared at the men. One was pushed forward: towards a stool at the centre of the stage.

Rozy squinted her eyes; she couldn't see clearly but she knew: he must be blindfolded.

The crowd was now completely silent. No one spoke. Each second stretched into a minute as all eyes remained glued on the stage.

One of the remaining men put something around the blindfolded man's neck. It must be the noose. Rozy was sure of it.

She held her breath in anticipation... and then it happened.

It was all too quick.

The stool under his feet was pushed echoing across the square. The man let out a small cry; he choked, he twitched and- he was still.

A second passed as everyone stared eagerly- carefully- was it... done?

Yes. Yes it was.

A cry arose from the crowd as everyone leaped for joy- tossing their berets towards the sky.

There hung the body, in front of a large banner- red and blue with white words inscribed on it.

Words that the crowd could not stop chanting:

Liberty!
Equality!
Fraternity!
or-
Death!