"The Dream"
Flashback: January 2013
It was a beautiful, crisp morning. The sun was just peeking over the trees that lined Pennsylvania Ave and a slight breeze stirred the few remaining leaves on the ground.
"And now without further adieu, it is my pleasure to introduce to you, The President of the United States!"
The crowd rose to their feet, clapping and cheering wildly. Many of them were waiving flags at the same time. On the Capitol steps the scene was equally jubilant. Smiles were everywhere. Charles was beaming as he stepped up to the podium. But he didn't stop behind it as he was instructed by the Secret Service. Rather, he stepped beside the podium and acknowledged the adulation of the crowd. The roar got even louder as he stood and raised his hand in a gesture of victory. A full four minutes later he waved for the last time and moved behind the podium. It took a few moments for the crowd to fall silent while Charles shuffled the sheaf of papers which were his speech. He cracked his neck and cleared his throat before he began.
"Members of the Senate and House of Representatives, and citizens of the United States - and honored guests - welcome! The tide has turned! (cheers) This past November you spoke loud and clear. You said no to a particular ideology and yes to another. This is what you said 'no' to. Big government! Ineffective solutions! Higher taxation! Unending regulation! The results of that ideology you know very well. Our nation has experienced the lowest levels of growth and the highest sustained levels of unemployment in it's history. And we are drowning in debt. The high place we enjoyed among the nations of the world has been threatened. Needless to say, this presents quite a challenge. Perhaps the greatest one we have ever faced. But I have faith in the resourcefulness of the American people. After all, weren't we the ones who defeated the best navy in the world at a time when our Navy was non-existent? Weren't we the ones who fought a civil war and emerged from it even stronger than before? Weren't we the first to fly? Haven't we sent a dozen of our number to the moon? By every measure our country has been and continues to be greatest nation in the history of the world.
So what makes us to special? To former administrations the answer to that question would be government. They could not be more wrong. We are great because we place you above government. You are in fact more important. If I may quote from our foundational document, the Declaration of Independence, "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator, and by Creator I mean Almighty G...."
But he could not finish. Something had happened. A gust of wind, much stronger than the others ruffled the papers in his hand and stung his eyes. Startled, Charles wiped away the tears and composed himself to continue his speech, but no words came. His mind was disconnected from his body. He looked down, hoping to regain his bearings from his notes, only to see them turn to ash and crumble in his hands. The dried and broken pieces were swept away in the rushing breeze. Empty palms stared back at him for a few moments while he strained to make sense of it all. At long last he looked up to apologize to the waiting crowd but they had - vanished! The street which moments ago was filled with people was now deserted and littered with blowing debris. There were no cars within his seeing. The howling wind swirled around with rising ferocity. A shadow fell before his eyes and he looked up to see the bright sun disappear behind grey forbidding clouds. But the clouds were not the only things in the air. Birds, black crows were flying everywhere. But no. They were not birds. They were helicopters circling around. Ropes were cast from them and men in black slid down to land in front, beside and behind him. Something inside Charles' mind was yelling for him to run but no movement came. He was completely paralyzed and helpless. His podium dissolved into dust before his impassive eyes and blew away. By now the black-suited, faceless men had surrounded him. Still he did not - no - could not move anything except his head. Their gloved hands were reaching out for him. He was going to be taken away, but where? Why was his happening? He knew not. Suddenly one of his attackers grabbed his shoulder like a vice. His paralysis left him and the next instant Charles was fighting for his life....
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