The Beanie Boy

Chapter 02

The air was foul and dusty as ever. But it wasn't for the people of Mudburn city. It was their joyful day of the week.

It was early in the morning but the city was always gloomy no matter what or whether it is dawn or dusk. It was the time for the city's "sleepers", as they called them, to come outside.

.
This is one thing about the city; it always earns its income only at night. There are some fair earners who go outside and do a low waged job to live their lives with a peaceful conscience as well. But that's not the common vision of the majority of Mudburn citizens. They used to believe that those who are seated on the higher chairs of the country made their lives miserable and that they are only taking back what is rightfully theirs.

Mudburn has it's own law. It has leaders, who are much more obedient and think about their citizens than most of the political leaders in the outside world. There is a rule for how they earn money. There is a time for when anyone gets to leave the city and when they should return. There is a time for a gathering everyday. They're building more and more rules every once in a while just to make it easy to rebuild the city.

It's not something they want to show outside, but they keep fighting for the city.
.

Elders, teenagers and children were all coming out of wherever they slept the night before and they were all converging to one place, the old city hall. Although it didn't seem like a place for humans anymore, it was the only building that existed completely even after the governors left.
The hall was dusty and unused for a very long time but with the recent change of the gathering location into the city hall, the place looked cleaner. But still, it was bugs and insects who ruled the city hall, how ironic.

The city hall was soon filled and there was a group of men and women who were in their 20's, on the stage.
"So, good morning to the dear citizens of Mudburn! You're at the weekly gathering! I hope you all had a hungerless week," greeted a man who wore a grey uniform which was like a ruby in the middle of everyone who were dressed in old worn-out clothes. "I'm Greg, the speaker for the 'Build By Mud' association of the Mudburn city," he said, smiling like a sunflower in the morning. "Your sense of fashion hadn't changed a bit I see. I believed that the change of my clothing encouraged you to wear them as well. All the clothing stores are open twenty four-seven since ten years! Feel free to try them out anytime!" said Greg with a somewhat forced joy on his face.
Within seconds after his speech started, the crowd in front of the stage started to make 'boo'ey sounds and it soon turned into an awful noise.

"I'm already hearing some of you complain that I have to cut out these words out from my speech just to make it quick. But no dear friends," he held a quick glance around the hall. "If we are to grow again, stand up to become like the other cities-"
"For god's sake Greg! Cut the crap! We don't want to become like the other cities again!" Said a man from the audience. A few other people took his side to show displeasure to the speaker.
"Well..., no- and no- wait... just let me explain- it's all about our attitude- no no- just listen to me will you-"

"We've lost one of us." Another 20's man stepped forward from the group of people on the stage. The wave of complaints suddenly ceased.
"Josh was caught by a bullet. We couldn't save him." The voice of the new speaker echoed through the large hall. An old woman started sobbing.
"But we found enough money to send another two of you to an elders' house," he said and turned to the old woman who cried. "Josh's mom, your son died a hero. He served us long enough. Your duty in Mudburn is over. It's time for you to live the rest of your life without grieve," the man said.
"Thank- thank you- my dear! But I still have a son left here. I- I can't leave him," the old woman said while sobbing. The man who spoke got down from the stage and hugged the old woman for a long moment.
"It's always a choice ma," he said.
"I'll stay with you Matt my dear! You still need a mother and I still need a son," the old woman replied with teary eyes. The whole city hall was engulfed in emotion.
"I know you and Josh didn't go along well. But you still need to think about it. I have a full city of people by my side and I'm a grown up now. I only want you to be happy ma," Matt answered. The woman started to cry. One of the guys from the audience came and took her outside the hall.
Matt once again stepped on to the stage.