Revolutionary Revelation

He rose from his seat. He could feel a cold sweat creeping down his spine as every eye locked onto his timid form, like a thousand lions watching an exposed prey wobble across an open plain. His feet clopped loudly against the wooden stage, causing Toby to wince internally. Cato watched him closely with wicked eyes and with what may have looked like an innocent smile. But Toby knew otherwise. The glint in Cato’s eyes as he stepped aside from the podium was unnerving, causing Toby’s already unstable stride to falter slightly. He pushed his nerves down, though it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave. 

It would be easy. Just read the script, plaster on a patriotic smile, and roll with the punches. When he reached the podium, Toby had to grab onto either side of the wooden dais to hold himself steady. He looked up at his audience, a sea of thousands. Eyes of anticipation bore into his soul as he refixated his gaze on the paper in front of him. He took in a deep breath before reading over the first lines of the speech.

“People of Lodisius,” he read, voice firm and confident. “Today is the day that we are able to proudly say we are free from tyranny. Today is the day we say goodbye to the past. Today is the day…” His voice faltered. He glanced up to see Cato staring down at him expectantly. He turned back to his speech to continue. “Today is the day that we are free from the ruling power of the old oppressive republic.” 

Every word left a sour taste on his lips. “Today, we ignite a fire that will burn down our enemies and shine a light to the future. Today is the day of reckoning.” A collective roar of applause and cheering rose from the audience. Toby’s grip on the podium tightened as the sound crashed into his ears. He gave them all a moment to settle down before continuing with the speech. “Today we, the Imperial Regimen, free you all from a government with only an interest in upholding its own power. Our first motion as a new government is to…” Toby’s eyes widened as he read the next few words. He began to tremble as he stared intently at the single page.

Cato leaned over slightly to whisper in his ear. “Don’t stop now, kid.” 

Toby squeezed his eyes shut for a second and opened them to read the last few words. “Our first motion as a new government is… is to execute all previous Party members without trial.” He watched in absolute horror as his friends were marched onto the stage before him, chained and beaten almost beyond recognition. 

While the audience yelled at the prisoners, Toby leaned over Cato. “I can’t do this,” he whispered. “I’ve done everything else, please don’t make me do this too.”

“If it wasn’t for me, you’d be standing up there with them,” Cato snapped back. “You’re just as guilty as they are, but I still cared about you. After all you did to betray me, to betray your country, I still cared.” The two stared at each other for a few seconds before Cato spoke again, softer this time. “Even if you can’t do this for me, do it for Deo.” The mention of his best friend hit Toby right in the heart. 

“Don’t you ever speak about Deo,” Toby whispered. A tear grazed his left cheek, but the audience was too far away to be able to notice. He looked down at the paper one more time before fixing his gaze out on the audience, trying his best to ignore the pleading looks his friends were giving him from their positions on the stage. “On numerous counts of neglectivity to the people and government brutality,” he read, vision blurring with tears. “We hereby sentence the leadership of the Party of Lodisuis to execution by the state, effective immediately.” Guards wearing masks of solid black stepped forward, each taking one of the convicts by the shoulder. They were simultaneously pushed to their knees, too weak to even think of fighting back. 

“Arms!” a general from the edge of the stage yelled. On que, the guards raised their guns to the heads of the old leaders. Toby tried to turn away, but a firm grip on the shoulders from Cato stopped him.

“Fire!” the general cried. In a matter of seconds, all of the guns on the stage had gone off. Toby tried to silence himself, but he was broken. A loud gasp followed by a series of muffled sobs fell from his lips. Cato turned him and pushed him towards the edge of the stage. Toby took the hint and quickly scrambled down the steps hidden behind a curtain and ran out of the building. His chest was heaving by the time his shoes hit the grass, but he kept running.

He ran down the cobble path outside of the Hall, letting his feet carry him wherever they wanted. He found himself sitting in the grass beside the pond, just staring blankly at the horizon. It was calm. He jumped suddenly at the sound of shoes crunching through the grass. He whipped around to see-

“Deo?”

“Hey, Tubs.” Deo stopped a few steps away from Toby, who was staring at him in complete awe.

“I thought you were dead,” Toby whispered, his hand coming to cover his mouth.

“So did I.” He extended a hand to Toby, who gladly allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. In mere seconds, though, both of them were on the ground after Toby caught Deo in a tackle hug.

“Please don’t leave again,” Toby whispered into his friend’s shoulder.

“I promise,” he whispered back. “I won’t.” The two boys just layed there for a few moments, holding each other and enjoying the comfort.

“I wish,” Toby mumbled into Deo’s shoulder. “That we were just two stupid kids again. No problems, no politics. Just a couple of idiots messing around.”

“I wish it were that simple, Tubs.” Deo sighed. “But it isn’t anymore. We both made choices, and there’s no going back.”

Toby rolled off of Deo and the pair layed there for a few moments staring up at the passing clouds.

“They’re gonna come for me soon.” Deo turned his face to look at Toby, who was still watching the sky.

“Can we just enjoy this moment?” Deo asked. Toby sat up suddenly, hopping to his feet. “Where are you going?” Deo asked. Toby turned and glanced at him over his shoulder as he walked away.

“I don’t want to waste the time we have. Come on, let’s go be kids.”