Vestige | The Society

Twenty-Seven | Game On

The election board went up. People crowded around it to see who would put their names down. If there would be anyone worthwhile running for Mayor against Allie. The whole town seemed to be livelier. The people happy that they now had a choice in what was to happen. Alexandrea was happy to see so many smiles. People were happy. Happy that they would get to choose, and have a say in the running of the town. They could finally hold people accountable for their views and vote anyone off that they didn't want. "You should sign up for councillor, you know?" Alex shook her head at Sylver. She had thought long and hard for it. But if Allie didn't get in again, she may have to be under someone she didn't like. And that would lead to even more corruption in the town.

"No. I think if Allie doesn't get in, I'll focus on researching medicine and all of that. I mean, we're going to need people to be doctors at some point. What about when flu season picks up? Or someone breaks something? If Allie doesn't win, I want to be helpful in that way," She explained as they walked down the road. Past the church. Past the shops that were shut. The front windows still didn't have any glass. From when they had been broken before. Only a few places looked untouched. The lucky few that had escaped the clutches of the wild teens. Most people were kitted with knitted hats and woolly scarfs. The chill settling over the town. "Please be safe when you go with Grizz," She said. Sylver and Grizz had talked about the expedition to find somewhere. Sylver agreeing to go with him. Telling Alex that 'it is important that I'm close with your friends. Grizz and I are due for a bro moment'. Alex had cringed but agreed. Thinking that it would be good for them to get to know each other better.

"I will. And stop worrying. We will be fine," He reassured her. He admired how much she cared for people. But she cared for people to the point where she forgot to care for herself. Although, he understood her desire to make sure everyone was safe, as it was the same desire that he felt about her. Alex gave him a small smile. Him and Grizz had to constantly reassure her on the matter. Promising that they would protect themselves from everything that could be hiding in the dense forest. 

The two found Winter soothing. The leaves had turned brown, orange and yellow, before fluttering to the ground like they were wings. The crunch when you stepped on a pile of them was pleasing to the ears, and robins had began appearing more often. The feelings of Happiness and new beginnings was rampant through everyone. The slow transition into Winter had been beautiful to watch as time passed in. The balance between the roasting sun and the freezing snowy months. And now Winter had arrived, everyone felt the festive cheer. "This feels so weird. We've been here for months and things are starting to feel..." Alex trailed off. Not knowing what the right word was to say.

"Normal?" 

"Yeah, normal. New Ham, a temporary home. Feeling more homely everyday. When someone's not trying to kill everyone, of course," Alex laughed. The two continued towards their home. Their house. Their place of refuge in the town of teens.

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"Mayor? Huh?" Alex said, walking into his house. She had seen the sign up board and nearly chocked on her tea. "I never pictured you as the type. Especially after the past few days. You couldn't even move,"

"Yeah well, some girl told me that there would come something, that would show me the light again,"

"This is it?" She questioned. Alexandrea didn't believe him. She had wanted to so badly. Until Kelly told her that it was Campbell who signed Harry up for Mayor. And she was scared that he was just a pawn in Campbell's game. 

"Yeah. Why?"

"I'm just happy you can see the light again. I was going to loose you," She said, looking down. In reality Alex had been scared to loose him. That he would never be the Harry she once knew again, or something worse. Harry noticed the solemn look on her face and walked over to give her a hug. She happily accepted it. Having missed the times that they would spend together. If it made him happy, she couldn't stop him from doing it. 

"I heard you're not running for council," Harry stated as they pulled away from one another. Alex noticing he no longer smelled like B.O but that Mint Body wash that men seemed obsessed with. Sylver used it too. 

"If Allie doesn't get in, then I want to focus on the medicine stuff. Who knows who will try to poison us next," Harry laughed, understanding the dark humour. Something she used to cope when she was scared of something. With the expedition setting off shortly. He guessed it was that. "Even if she does get in as well. I've never really been one for politics," She explained. The two talked before leaving to wave everyone off on the expedition. No one imagining what would come soon after.

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"I love you," Alex said before giving Sylver a kiss. Her heart pounded in her chest, not knowing what was out there. I mean, everyone thought they were in a parallel universe. Not exactly lots of science saying dragons wont exist... May have been a slight overexaggerating on her part. 

"I love you too." He gave her one last kiss before standing with everyone else. Waiting. Alexandrea had said goodbye to Grizz before seeing him sneak off into the bushes. She knew exactly who was with him. As excited as she was for them, she couldn't help but feel bad for Becca. Wondering if she knew anything about it. People stood around with banners. Sending them off into the unknown had unsettled everyone. Others stood with sprinklers in their hands and other's cheered as loud as they possibly could. The people going walked down the middle of the people. Saying their goodbyes. Giving hugs and high fives. Sylver gave Alex one last prolonged kiss, making the girl smile. And Grizz gave her the biggest bear hug he could. 

She watched as they left. She clapped everyone off with a smile on her face. Knowing that what they were doing was for the good of everyone in the town. Whether she liked it or not. After they had rounded the corner people began to disperse more. Finding their ways back to their homes. 

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"And with Thirty-minutes left we will open the debate up to questions. Harry, you chose tails and won the coin toss, so you'll go first," Harry stood up knocking on the table. Alex sat to Campbell. Her eyes were constantly on the floor. Not wanting to look at any of them. She took a deep breath, ready for the debate to be over with. She could feel Campbell looking at her now and again. The feeling of him watching her getting on her nerves. 

"What do you want?" She sighed, looking up at him in the eyes. He quirked a brow as though he was shocked.  She knew he wasn't. She was doing exactly what he wanted her to do. That only made her more ashamed. She, however, kept her composure. Quirking a brow to mirror his. He only smirked.

"Why aren't you running for Council or Mayor. We know most people in this room would choose you over both of them," Campbell asked her. Wondering how she would explain it to him. Why she wouldn't go to a place where she can help people easier? He had expected the response to be about them being her friends. 

"You. If I'm in a higher position, you an try and get under my skin. Try to thrown me off balance to get what you want. There's more than one way to be trusted in this town. And as you have demonstrated, it's easier to tear something down from the outside than within it," Campbell's smirk fell as he absorbed her words. Her smirk growing. He had been played at his own game. If Harry got in, she could tip him. He had heard from Harry that she was going to become the towns doctor. A position of high respect. She'd be able to tip the scales so far he'd fall right off. Both of them knew that. 

"And here I thought we were friends,"

"That was before you decided to rock the boat. Again and again you have tried to be the biggest power in this town. You have friends, you have pawns and puppets. I'm not going to be that for you. In fact, I'm done being that for you. You stopped being friends with me first,"

"You pushed me away,"

"And you used me," She spat, turning back to the debate. Leaving Campbell to sit there with wide eyes. She had a proud smile on her face. She had cracked his code and beaten his game. He had thought that Allie was his biggest opponent. He didn't notice that there was one right under his nose. One that he knew was more powerful than him. But he couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. He had gotten too attached to a puppet and was now tied in it's strings while it walks free. 

The Queen is the most powerful piece on a chess board.