Chester And The 24-hour Lottery

Chapter 11; Chester goes out with a bang

Although Chester was not short, the cloak Ernesto Saldivar had given him was much longer than he liked, so before he could leave the hotel room, he sent for sewing pins which made Garth smirk in a way that emasculated but Chester would not risk falling flat on his face in a crowd for anyone.

The council members stood in a row in front of the lobby entrance, all wearing the same stiff black robe with hoods drawn over their heads. Holding his head high, he exited the hotel with them falling into step behind, feeling like an old-time celebrity as people clamored for his attention.

The Ozark officers made a path, yelling and poking people with electric prod sticks, reminding Chester of how he'd electrified March. Thinking of his neighborhood council, he remembered March was the only one missing. How had that happened?

There was no time to dwell on it as he took to the stage where the manager was in a fit about how Chester had delegated his lottery hours. Finally, asking for the man's name, he was told Mick with a haughty sniff before forced to confront the crowd.

The mood was much different this time, no shoes were thrown at his head and people were smiling, chanting his name in a pleasant way. His smile was reserved as Saldivar came over to whisper encouraging words, but Chester's eyes fell onto the alcohol cart and anger surged up.

"I thought I made it clear no booze," he hissed, pointing.

Saldivar shrugged and patted his back awkwardly, "Do you want to go down there and take away the people's libations? It's Halloween. Look over the crowd Chester, they are enjoying themselves, talking to others they would normally avoid. The people are coming together because of you."

Chester didn't like his placating tone or the fact his order had been ignored. Seems Governor Spell had won, and it bothered him. He looked around as suggested, seeing happy faces as they waited for him to get his shit together and talk. What could he say to them?

"Where is Vanyla?"

"Where is Fred March?" he countered.

The man shrugged, "I sent word to March after his Virto-Frames couldn't be connected. Are you sure when you electrocuted the crowd last night he wasn't harmed?"

When citizens are injured, they go to their neighborhood clinic but March wouldn't have gone there, having shitheads for assigned health technicians. Most could not afford the medicine Chester had been ingesting and if not able to work, you were picked up and send to Fort Ozark where nobody saw you again.

"Get on with the speech," Mick urged, coming up to wave and impatient hand towards the crowd, "The food is prepared and will be distributed through the restaurants but they are waiting on you. I myself am looking forward to a hot meal but you're holding everything up."

Chester smiled, "You're a high-strung individual Mick. I'm not sure what to say."

"Is that your mother?" Saldivar asked, to which Chester turned, seeing her standing near the stage stairs, "Do nothing you'll regret Chester. Remember this is about unity."

Frowning, he felt sick to his stomach as he walked over to his mother. What was she doing here? He looked around, spotting Garth down at the bottom of the stairs with Vid Frames, talking to someone he couldn't make out.

"Mother," he cleared his throat when the word came out harsher than he intended, "I thought they took you home?"

Marla stood still, her fat fingers entwined together and her dull brown eyes seemed to float in their sockets, sliding first up, then to the side and down, as if tracking something only she could see. Impatiently, Chester waited, knowing if he spoke again, it wouldn't be kind and she wasn't in any condition to understand what was happening around her.