Frozen Solid

America

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the streets were lively.  Just Loise’s favorite type of day.  Not.

It might’ve been once.  But not anymore.  She liked it better when it was raining, because the sky needed to cry sometime.  Keeping it all in, shining harshly down on the water clogged streets of Little Wington, it only made things a lot more difficult to breathe in.  Loise was used to rain.  It wasn’t dreary, it was cleansing.

But the feeling of happiness and sunshine was infectious as she ran outside, unafraid to be barefoot, wearing yellows and blues and reds of all mixtures.  Children running, playing… Little Wington was alive again.

Reaching into her bag and rummaging around, Loise pulled out her new cell phone.  A new text from Deven, a missed call from Hayden.  She hummed an old tune under her breath as she listened to her voicemail.  It was just a reminder for something or other that she couldn’t bring herself to worry about.

The walk was short and she knew who’d be waiting for her.  Still Loise took her time, leisurely slow and easy.  Her legs were unaccustomed to the pace.  The park was empty, save for one person.  Turning, a smile was flashed in her direction.

“Hi.” Loise managed shyly.  She had dressed up for the occasion merely to feel appropriate, metal sheathed on her wrists and a backpack.  “It’s been a while.”

Ash just laughed. “Missed me?  Fixing this shitty government is hard!  I’m a busy girl.”

Loise grabbed her hand.  “Let’s practice knives already, Ms. President!”

…

Deven sent yet another text.  Sheesh, when would that boy learn?  He was needed to speed things up occasionally.  Hayden couldn’t spend all of his time helping people at the graveyard or the front office.

As vice-president, Deven would have to use his executive powers to make that boy have a life.  Finally, a beep of his phone signaled that Hayden had texted him back.

“I miss you too; but people keep staying here and leaving.  Got to clear the place out- then pizza?” Deven read aloud.  He kept the tiny smile on his face throughout piles o paperwork and vital documents.  It stayed on until he finally left the office for lunch.

Hayden was waiting at their usual pizza table.  Deven didn’t hesitate to join him.

“How goes changing the world?” Hayden quipped, grabbing another slice of Hawaiian pizza.

Deven took a piece for himself before answering. “I’ve signed the new constitution that still needs a people’s majority vote. It’s nearly identical to the previous one, or what was left of it after the war and your father’s rule.  I’ve allowed emigration, and people are glad to move away from the past.  Jails have orders to test all prisoners for legit crimes, one against the old law.  All in a day’s work for Deven, Vice-President of the world.”

Hayden punched him lightly in the arm.  “Crow’s as stiff as ever, but she’s doing a good job.  I never thought she’d accept the job after you denied it.”

Deven nodded in agreement.  “We’ve gone a long way in only 3 months.  I’m glad though.  I was sure there’d be a lot more fighting.”

“The change was coming.” Hayden took a large bit. “And everyone could feel it. Oh!  Before I forget…”

Deven listened, pausing in his chewing.

“You’re like my brother only better.” Hayden grinned.  “So I kind of love you in a completely normal, somewhat familial way.  You were always talking about me being too weird before, and it would’ve been not right to say it before… all of that.  I’ve never really found the place and time to say it.  But yeah.”

“I don’t think that’s weird at all.  I don’t think a weird or a normal ever really existed.” Deven proposed thoughtfully.  “But in this case, love ya too.”

“That just sounds odd to me…” Hayden said, shrugging.  “Even if there never was any normal at all.”

Deven agreed, but sometimes, weird just felt right.

…

All four of them, Deven, Hayden, Loise, and herself, sat on the only swing set of Little Wington’s most popular park.

“Hey, Crow…?” Hayden started, twiddling his pigeon toes.  “You’ve never told us your real name.”

She snorted.  “My rebel nickname was Ace, since I was their Ace up their sleeve.  To Loise, I called myself Ash, like the ash of fallen rebellions.  In the palace, or white house, I was Lady Raven or Lady Crow, because I was a ruthless scavenger.”

Deven groaned.  “Lady Prez, just tell us.  Shed your silly nicknames like we did that half-assed dictatorship government.  No need for that charade.”

She herself smiled.  “My name is America, after the old country.  My mom wanted me to change how things were, so she called me after what she wanted me to achieve.  Did I live up to her expectations?”

Loise squeezed her hand.  “I think your namesake is perfect.”

“Certainly not the name I’d pick for my child.” Hayden remarked.

“There was an actress named America way back when.” Deven chimed in.

She looked up at the sky.  “The rain stopped.   And maybe… Our frozen solid hearts are starting to melt.”

The End