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January
20, 2053 Silent dawn approached. Janice Doery, wrapped in an oversized robe, stood in the sliding glass doorway of her balcony. She looked over the darkened city, and pushed back a stray piece of wet hair. She drank her coffee, then lowered the mug to reveal her smile. Thirty years in the making and I am finally here. The sun broke the horizon casting Janice's long shadow into her living room. The news anchors discussed Clark's appearance and approval rating as the infonet news channel droned on about the inauguration ceremony. One female reporter joked about his charming smile. Janice nodded in agreement. The exact reason I chose him as my running mate. As the story shifted, clips of Mayor Lopez's November stump speech on Janice's behalf caught her attention. Janice slid the door shut and watched the images shift to her acceptance speech while the commentators debated whether or not she truly was the underdog. Janice
rolled her eyes. After today, the answer would be obvious. She walked
into the bathroom and passed her suit hanging on the door. She nudged
her right shoe in line so both pumps stood perfectly under her skirt. |
Advisors continued to stress the importance of upholding tradition and asked, no, pleaded Janice wear a black suit, but she was not about tradition. She was not about to comply with antiquated policy in order to appeal to the comfort of the American people; she loved her red suit. She noticed a tiny speck of mascara on her eyelid. Janice's piercing blue eyes narrowed as she removed the smudge. She stood back from the mirror and dried her highlighted hair practicing her speech and movements. Janice dressed and slipped her feet into her shoes which raised her to 6'2". Her diamond necklace clutched the sunlight and shimmered. Janice felt every adjective Lopez used in his speech: innovative, courageous, strong. As part of the Doery family, she understood the importance of making bold moves. She played the presidential race game and won. Reporters bantered with the anchors about Janice's risk-taking abilities. Janice turned the infonet off and focused on her image in the mirror. Risks that were planned. Risks that paid off. What bigger risk than to kick the crutch of religion out from under the U.S. citizens and remind them of their working legs? No more God; just people. Janice beamed at her reflection. Flawless. |
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