The Sleeper Cells: A Terrorism Story

Chapter 30: The Vote

My mom and the Hernandez's all leave to vote. The rush of them scurrying out the door and to their car. It's obvious they're passionate about keeping us here. I'm not exactly sure what the plan is for The Vista. I don't think they know for sure either, but I do not want to lose my mom—my family—again. I haven't even seen my dad yet. He still sways in the area of unknown. Along with Titus...

It's trembling. The rest of us just wait at the house for not only their return, but also the results from the votes. Tonight, our president, Praxton Miles will pop onto every television in the country revealing the results from the vote. Saying if we're kicked out of our home or not.

Nasom is not technically classified as a refugee the way we are. Kennedy is nervous. She's twirling her thumbs in unending circles. Around and around, like a Ferris wheel going too fast. She keeps fixing her beautiful brown hair, stringing it behind her ears, even when it's already perfect.

No one is really saying too much about what's going on. I know our heads are all filled with a million words. We're just not saying them out loud. Every second is painful. More nerves shaking through our bodies as our fate sits in voting boxes throughout The Vista.

I'm leaning over the wooden counter in the kitchen. It still smells like our last delicious meal. Kennedy walks in and sits across the counter from me on a peach-colored, wooden stool.

"What's wrong?" I ask, knowing the answer. We both have the same problem.

"I'm not used to this. We've been through it all, but not this. I always felt like I had some type of control. I always felt like I could take advantage of something and find a way to get out alive."

"I know what you mean."

"But it's just...now I can't. What do we do? We just sit and wait?"

"That's all we can do. Unless you want to hit the streets with signs and chants."

"It's officially out of our control, and I'm not used to this."

"I know."

"I'm realizing something more now. It's some-thing new, actually. Before, I could walk around not thinking anything about it. But you just...uh"

"What is it?" my voice trembles.

"You don't know how much I need you...how much I want you."

That's something about Kennedy. She's the definition of independent. Not the annoying, in your face type. She doesn't have to say she's independent. She just is. She knows she can support herself, and she doesn't feel the need to let everyone know. Actions speak louder than words and she knows that. She also knows she doesn't need me. She knows she wants me.

"You make me happy," she says as she reaches for my hand across the counter.

"You make me happy. I'm safe with you," I tell her.

She smiles, letting her dimples peek from her cheeks.

I flashback to when she ran up to my house that day it all began. The wooden cabin in the woods and the runs I took with Titus. I was so scared. I was timidly scampering around, shaking at every corner. I had no idea what to expect. Sleepers were out to get us. I think about where I'm at now. I'm no longer scared of that next corner. I think if they asked me to run out and fight for my life again, I would. I'm courageous. I'm ready.

And just like that, the nervousness about the vote was gone. I know I've dealt with worse things. It's just that next obstacle. Even if The Vista decides to do something with us, it can't be any worse than being in the sleeper zone.

__________

That night, the atmosphere was silent. The television had everyone circled around it. My mom had her arms wrapped around me tight. She doesn't want to let go, and I don't think she is ever going to. If the results came back that the 'refugees' had to go elsewhere, she was going to lose it. Mr. and Mrs. Hernandez sit together on the loveseat, literally on the edge of the seat. Mrs. Hernandez chewed away at her fingernails waiting for the president to walk up to the podium on the screen. Kennedy sat at my side, with her head held high and her hair in a messy but cute bun at the top of her head. Nasom stood next to the television screen. He didn't want to sit down.

"I'm not ready," Nasom says.

"Me either," my mom says.

"Alissa, everything will be okay. We will figure out something if it comes back wrong," Mrs. Hernandez tells my mom.

"We'll hide them in the—" Mrs. Hernandez starts to say, but President Praxton Miles himself walks up to the podium on the television.

The room goes silent. We all stare at the screen. President Miles has no expression on his face. He isn't swaying or giving clues to anything. His pause before his statement is erringly too long. I'm ready for anything, including him hurrying up.

He finally begins to speak, "Hello my fellow Vista citizens. Our country was attacked by terrorists not long ago. Citizens everywhere—men, women, and children—all having their lives taken away. It was a sleeper cell that was fighting for evil. As we all know, this country was called Kakos and led by Zain over twenty years ago. These terrorists wanted to restore the evilness that Zain represented. They were persuaded by his horrific killings for his own selfish agenda. These ignorant terrorists were not prepared for us. The Vista is a world power and will destroy anyone, or anything trying to cause us harm. I am here today to announce to my fellow citizens two things: news on the terrorists, and news on the voting results. First, the territory the terrorists were occupying is shrinking in size every day. The Vista's military is fighting—and has been fighting—since day one. Yes, they were able to control a large area for quite some time. But, those days...are over. The terrorists are almost completely taken into custody or destroyed. The Vista will not fail. We have overcome Zain and Kakos before, and we will do it again! The terrorists occupy only 3.8% of Vista territory, and that percentage will drop to 0...tonight."

He takes a moment to pause as we wait for the country to think about what he told us. He looks down at his notes then refocuses on the camera.

"Additionally...the voting results are in."

My mom squeezes me tighter. I know I'm ready, but I still feel a butterfly or two still flying around in my stomach.

"The two main voting topics have been settled. To begin, the privacy of survivors will be tightened. It has come to the attention of the country that the privacy now, is not enough. Any slip could lead to an unauthorized person getting information they don't need. With the majority of the vote, the privacy will be tighter. The survivors will notify Vista workers upon liberation whom to send information to. Citizens will be notified when necessary. Citizens can no longer reach out for information; it will come to you."

Kennedy nods her head in agreement with President Miles. I notice he keeps saying survivors instead of refugees.

"The next huge voting topic. It was overwhelmingly a landslide vote. The winning decision on the survivor application vote was decided with a 79% to 21% differentiation. I'm proud of my country. I'm proud of The Vista citizens in this vote. 79% has decided that the survivors will remain the way they are. Safe in safe houses. They are examined upon arrival and nothing will change. They are citizens of The Vista just like you and me. Please, from your President, love the survivors. They survived something horrific. They fought back, and they are part of the reason we are still surviving." He pauses, letting the camera's zoom tighten on him. "Love the survivors."