Open Minds | Reckoning
3:22pm - 9 March 2020
Kevara, Keverai
“Sir, I must advise against this.”, Renaut’s political advisor declared.
“If a President can’t face his people, what use is he?”, the leader bellowed back as he jumped into the 4WD. Three others were already in the car - a media advisor and two soldiers.
Renaut wasn’t quite sure what exactly he was about to face. If the reports were as bad as suggested, he definitely would need soldiers. The Ahnslens may have a delayed withdrawl as well…
The black 4WD with dark, bulletproof windows sailed along the sealed highways of eastern Keverai. However, two hours later it almost meets its match on the rural roads of the north.
Renaut sat in the back seat, flicking on his phone as the gravel on the road continued to render a sharp, consistent clinking sound.
“No service already?”, the leader whined.
“Yes, phone service is quite patchy in this area. We have a satellite phone with us that we are certain will be of more use to you in these areas.”, the soldier sitting in the passenger seat replied.
***
Thirty minutes later
Outskirts of Mernadi, Keverai.The cloud that gathered around the highway transitioned into a deep red reminiscent of some ancient underworld. Renaut looked through the window, which was tinted both ways - hardly aiding in any kind of positive opinion on the conditions outside.
“How far is it to our first stop, Unde?”, the President chirped.
“Menardi Town Centre is about five minutes away.”, the driver stated.
“Excellent.”, he replied. “Where are we visiting first there?”
“The Town Hall, Sir. I must warn you - these people have not seen any feds around since the revolution. They’re not going to be all that impressed”, the media advisor said.
“Of course they’re not going to be happy - they need to be heard though. And by a President as well - sure, the advisors were good but if it’s this bad I need to see it for myself.”, Renaut sharply replied.
The inertia of the slowing car pulled everyone forward, indicating that the first stop was imminent. Renaut adjusted his tie and grabbed his hat.
“You might want this as well, Sir”, the soldier in the passenger seat stated as he handed him a face mask.
“Thanks.”
As the door opened, a sight that Renaut had only ever seen in duststorms met him. This wasn’t a dust storm though. It was fire. The President looked around at the locals who were walking along the pathway near the town hall. Heads gradually, but surely turned towards the suited leader and it was at that time he knew he was out of their depth.
“Oi, Mr Suit - I’ve seen you before? What you gonna do here, bud? You didn’t bring us a water tanker - wouldn’t matter anyway, most of us have lost everything whilst you sit back having dinner parties with the city corporates.”, a local in a plad shirt shouted from across the street.
People slowly began to congregate around the street, as the two soldiers adopted a defensive posture around the leader.
“You could’ve brought more than two soldiers - they’d be lucky to save you out here.”, a woman in an ash covered shirt continued.
“It appears I am not welcome here.”, Renaut told his media advisor.
“Perhaps we should go into the shops and talk with some of the local business owners?”, the advisor suggested.
“Yes, that seems like a good idea.”, the nervous man replied.
The soldier who had been driving stayed with the car, whilst Unde and the media advisor followed Renaut as he assertively walked down the street whilst being heckled from multiple angles and from people of all backgrounds.
Renaut raised his head, observing the bakery sign and decided to slot into the building.
“Ahh… Mr President, I believe you are?”
“Yes. I am Burnell Renaut, who are you?”
“I am Elliese, I own the bakery you’re standing in.”
The two continued to converse as Renaut transitioned from nervous to concerned - the stories and set of facts the bakery owner seemed to have been giving him was wildly different - even to what the advisors had been telling him. The bakery owner eventually moved from behind the counter to a table nearby, where Renaut soon sat in the seat across from her. The President rubbed his chin slowly as he got a short form verbal essay on how Menardi was
really going.
”And you should hear what happened to the Marions… I saw the look on the second oldest boy and he was just tormented by what he saw… Can’t blame him - used to work in the sweatshops, then got shot at by Kevara police and came back to his family farm in ashes...”, Elliese mournfully said.
Is he still in town? I have got many places where I need to visit and talk with Keveraites in, but if… Arrisek, was it, is still in the township perhaps I could meet him?[/i]
”No… he left to Kedaine the other day - where the bushfires have been getting real bad. If you stop by there, make sure you have enough water before you get there - i hear that they’ve been running out of water and these fires could not have helped.”, the baker pleaded.
***
Two weeks laterThe dirty, brown SUV was on its large stretch of the long journey through the Keveraite hills, cruising along a highway back to the capital. Renaut sat there, mulling through all the stories he had been receiving over the past fortnight - he was confused, puzzled - but most prominent was his feeling of anger - the discontent of rural Keveraites only served as further fuel for his anger with the city bureaucrats.
“Something needs to be done… something big…”, he mumbled under his breath.