Good Graffiti

Protest Art

Sleep didn't come easy for either one of them, that night. Alexandria was at her solar-powered laptop, searching for another unsustainable business in the county to protest, their current target was the local slaughterhouse. Jacqueline sat on a carpet in a corner of her room, covered in paint and regretting what she'd just returned from doing. Unfortunately, there was no way to cover it up and she could only hope nobody would find her out.

*****

"Organics not synthetics! Organics not synthetics," the entire Long Shore environmentalist community repeatedly chanted.

Alexandria stood on top of Malcolm's VW van with a megaphone and her obvious fury radiating off her. "We deserve better," she bellowed angrily as a symbol of rebellion. "Hormone-pumped animal products are building antibiotic resistance within us! rBST is the leading cause of colon cancer and immunodeficiencies in the United States! We demand organics not synthetics!" The crowd roared in agreement. "Cows are Earth's children too! rBST in them creates pus and blood in their milk and their calves are deformed! This is inhumane! Organics not synthetics!"

Alexandria and the other environmentalists - though many in determination - were few in numbers. Despite that, the slaughterhouse they gathered around had dozens of police officers and reporters. Alexandria Avery was notorious in Long Shore for her rebellious reputation and though she worked with few people, her methods were extreme. She had hundreds (if not thousands) of followers who supported her.

Many of whom were behind barricading but still chanted with them; some had banners showing support for either Alexandria, her cause or both. The rally didn't last long when a brawl broke out between an employee trying to get to work and David McKidd, a sophomore at Long Shore High. The water cannon was turned on but it was only the first warning of tear gas that cleared the vicinity.

Alexandria and one of her two associates, Malcolm, scrambled to get into the van and found her other associate. Their silent supporter who was Jacqueline Montreal. Despite Malcolm's reckless driving, Jacqueline still sturdily sat in the heart of the van's rear, sketching away. Per the norm.

They rounded the slaughterhouse's side and found the entire wall tagged. Malcolm pulled to an abrupt halt, stirring Jacqueline to move to the front. "Whoa," Alexandria stated. The artistry captured everything she complained about. The intricate design and the detailed shading and tinting captured the dangers of animals that are injected with hormones. Jacqueline interlocked her fingers and bit her lip as she took in all the flaws in her artwork with a soft whimper. Malcolm shook his head in disbelief but a smile threatened to spread.

It wasn't until sirens started sounding and the screaming protesters' voices refilled the van's occupants that Jacqueline was freed from her self-criticism. "Drive," she hissed and Malcolm sped off with Alexandria smiling, still dazed by the artwork. "Damn," Jacqueline responded to her artwork, regretting that she conceived the idea.

"I know." It was Alexandria who spoke, obviously to her friend's direction of thought. "It was so awesome! We have to back to take a picture." Jacqueline almost involuntarily said 'thank you' but Alexandria cut in, "whoever did that is my new hero!"

Jacqueline sighed to herself as she turned away from the front of the van and took note of the faint traces of spray paint on her hands. She shook her head, silently vowing to never do that ever again. She ran her hands through her hair with a confused scoff-like giggle. She pulled her sketch pad closer to continue drawing out a hummingbird on a branch of a blossom tree.