The Solution (2nd Edition)

Michelle

The hyenas of BTV hadn't needed to muscle their way to the front of the conference room like Mikey had during the stampede. Instead, they'd been granted amnesty on 'Pride Rock' and sauntered around it like, lions. Despite their own fall from grace, Mae-Zu, Gail and Charlie were protected by the packleader, Dieng, who was stood beside them.

    Probably certain that The Lottery Draft would go their way, he'd sneered round at everybody else like, Scar. And retrospectively, Pae was safeguarded by none other than The Pink Lady, our villainous and corporate owner, who dominated the entire food chain - perhaps even, 'The Circle of Life'.

    Surely Dieng had pulled all the appropriate strings?

    Surely this was all just a pointless formality?

    While the heinous four held ground in front of the holotron, I twisted my chin over a shoulder to look back at Mikey. I'd also stifled a tear so I could dream into his chocolate eyes. Despite what was about to go down, emotional stakes were exceptionally high for Chon and Sarah too. Unlike everyone else who'd kept their voting choices a secret, we'd been forthcoming among ourselves after recent heart-to-hearts...

   Chon and Sarah wanted to leave Earth.

   So did Mikey and I.

   Despite being Traditionalist, I bypassed Lord Huányīn, and had prayed to the Old Gods instead. Utterly desperate, I'd hoped they'd heed my call, grant my wish, and allow the four of us to rise together.

   After Mikey reassured me with a nod, I broke eye contact and faced forwards. He clamped his biceps around me. Then we tipped onto our toes and peered over the heads of the hateful hyenas. Meanwhile Chon and Sarah took a different approach. They stood alongside each other holding hands and shuffled left and right. They even bobbed occasionally, trying to watch the holotron from the makeshift gaps made by the moving necks and shoulders in front. But seconds later, it became more difficult. Gail had gotten in Charlie's face, and her jerked reaction forced obscuring strands of hair to fan out from the back of her bobcut, all of which caused Chon and Sarah to reposition themselves, again. In the next instance, my rival wasted no time in making a self-centered point with stamps of her feet. "Charlie!" she hissed. "Why is this taking so long? Ask Dieng for me, now! Why is this taking so long?" Pulling an ugly face, Charlie looked at his beloved. In fact, he'd kept his gaze sternly on Gail, almost realizing in the moment how much of a fucking brat, she obviously was. And I wasn't just picking on her either. My distain was reasonable, considering Pae was only a person over from her, and well within earshot! Still, Gail was all Charlie had, and vice versa. None of us were unwise to the unforgiving fact. It was now every person for themselves and love didn't necessarily have anything to do with, anything.

    Still, I really hoped this wouldn't be the case for my friends and I.

    I shook free of my daydreams, breathed deep, and fixed my sights back on Charlie. His side profile was still gawping at Gail in disgust. Then out of the blue, he broke into a forced smile and hugged the wretch. A tactful kiss on her cheek, followed. My guess was, he'd had enough sense to see if they'd both end up spacebound before dumping her whiny ass. A second after that, Charlie whipped a frown Dieng's way. "Boss man," he whispered; his tone ultra-smooth; "we're good, right?"

    "No doubt," Dieng mimed back, accompanying the assurance with the wink of an eye.

    As always, Gail smiled perversely for all to see.

    And upsettingly, that was the confirmation none of us had wanted to witness.

    With trepidation heavy in the air, the conference room holotron finally came to life. Worst still, the notion of fate, fortune and even destiny, demanded that we all continued to gaze at it.