The Election

I straightened my tie while clearing my throat. Letting my fingers run along the chain beneath my freshly pressed shirt I took a deep breath. I was still in disbelief. Never would I have thought that I would be a presidential candidate waiting to give his final speech the night before election day. I took another deep breath and almost reached for the chain again but was called to my left by Sydney.
"Hey man are you all right? You look a little pale. You go on in about 5 minutes. Is your speech ready?" I could tell he was just as nervous as I.
"Sid bro relax, I'm ok. It will be ok." I spoke slow and reassuringly "Yes we want me to win of course. But if I lose is it really the end of the world?"
We both laughed awkwardly, he a little longer than I. "Man Izzy you have some dark humor." He shook his head " Glad to see you haven't lost that to all the pain and stress of this passed year."

Sidney had been my best friend since I was six and my mom made me join the youth groups. Both of our fathers had passed away within weeks of each other. It was always in waves like that, large groups of people all at once. With each part per million that the CO2 rose large numbers of adults would perish from carbon dioxide poisoning. The youth groups were created as a form of mass grief counseling and a way for that children to have a small sense of normalcy.
Sid was the only kid from the youth groups that would talk to me since I was from the labs and everyone hated the Scientific Party. When I was nominated he was the only person I could think of to have by my side as my campaign manager. We had been through the worst of everything together and I knew together we could make the best of anything. Even the end of the world.

"Sometimes all you got is the humor Sid." I unapologetically ran my fingers down the chain again. "I'm nervous but I just keep hearing her tell me to 'breathe, breathe deep.' and it really helps. I remember that she was the smartest woman I knew and that if she thought I was capable then somehow I must be." I put my hand on his shoulder. "We are literally born to save the world bro and that's just what we're going to do."


"Israel Ketuea! Excuse me sir you are due at the que. Your time begins in one minute." A short stage hand PR assistant came beaconing me.
"Still feels so crazy being called 'Sir'. " I laughed to Sidney "Send me that good energy." I turned to follow the kid.

It felt surreal following him down the corridor toward the arena. I could hear the hum of the crowd above us and the announcer giving my introduction.

"It is absolutely no surprise he is the scientific nomination, he co-discovered the Recyclapary Gland and the Golden Ratio. He is undoubtedly the underdog in this election but has been gaining popularity with his solution focused campaign but is facing scrutiny from the Traditionalist for his idealistic view points…."
His voice began to fade as my heart beat grew louder. 'How did I get here? I don't want to be president.' The doubts and resentment started to flood my mind. Like a waterfall they fell over the edge of uncertainty and into the pit of insecurity. I could no longer hear the announcer or the crowd. All I could hear was my heartbeat. Then her voice broke the persistent pounding and said 'breathe, breathe deep.'
I loosened my tie and pulled the heart shaped locket out from under my shirt. Gripping it tightly between my fingers and thumbs I looked at it intensely. I had not taken it off since the day she gave it to me nearly a year and a half ago. It was the day she passed, we knew it was coming as we knew with every adult since she and I discovered the Golden Ratio. My mother was a brilliant scientist and my hero. She told me as long as I wore it I had her heart and greatest strength with me. I asked what her greatest strength was since to me at fourteen she seemed to have so many. She said that she kept it sealed away within the locket. It took me weeks after her death to open it and see that it was a picture of us in our science coats together. Being her greatest strength gave me strength. I left the necklace out and tightened my tie.

"Speaking for the Scientific party I present to you Israel Ketuea!" There was a mixture of cheers and boos as I walked out to the podium. My hands shook as I attempted to wave diplomatically, I was nervous beyond description. I was about to speak to the last three thousand humans alive on Earth.

"Hello and good evening. I know many of you are expecting me to come up here and attempt to persuade you to vote for me but that's not what I'm going to use this time for. Instead I will use this time to share some of my perspective with you and speak to each of you as genuinely as I possibly can. Because I can't guarantee any amount of elaquent words will inspire your support but I know that there are a few things I can say that may insite your concern. And this might very well be my last chance to speak to you all collectively as a whole so I need to use it responsibly.
"First of all let's all take a moment to acknowledge ourselves and each other for how well we have all dealt with the tremendous losses we've suffered these past ten years. We should be proud of our ability to play these roles that we were cast into. I'm sure I'm not alone when I say there are a lot of days I feel like I'm just a kid playing pretend." I laughed a slow laugh that creeped across the arena and filled the tense air with humor.
"Wait that's right I am a kid." The laughter grew louder but a little uncomfortable. "We have been nearly a year without anyone over the age of nineteen and we are still standing. We really are doing this you guys! Give it up for yourselves!" A thunderous clap and a roar of cheers carried up and shook the stage. If there was one thing that could unite a crowd of teenagers it was self recognition.
"That's right, celebrate it! But know that this is only the beginning. We are the future of the human race and it is our purpose to create something we can stay proud of.
"The Recyclapary Gland isn't just what saved us as a race, it is what is meant to save the planet as a whole. Our bodies literally evolved to be the solution to all our predecessors' mistakes. Not only does it enable us to exist in a world full of pollution by allowing us to breathe nearly any gas but it actually changes the environment upon our exhales. We are converting carbon dioxide and other noxious gases back into oxygen thus healing the planet. On the simplest level WE are the cure to the end of the human race. We were born to save the world you guys!" Tremendous cheers filled the air again.
"But I want us to save each other as well. I don't just want us to heal the planet from the pollutants, I want us to heal the social and economical poisons that led to our demise as a species. It's as simple as practicing acceptance while also holding each other accountable. We already know what not to do. I mean our grandparents and great grandparents were excellent examples of that." More of my awkward humor.
" It starts with all the division. Take a look at this election, we have six electoral parties. Traditionalist, Elitest, Celebrity, Environmental and Scientific. We didn't create these parties or this division, we just inherited it along with a decaying planet. Both we can refuse to accept and choose to build something new.
Most of my competitors campaigns of continuing the status quo because the air quality is no longer a threat is dangerous and just plain dumb. We have to continue to make the changes our parents tried to put in place. We need to move away from fossil fuels and need to strive for sustainability and conscious living within our ecosystem.
Give respect for each other and our planet. To think that we can test extinction again is arrogant and will only lead to our complete destruction.
"All I'm asking is that we live up to the task at hand. We can not expect to get different results by doing the same thing. We are genetically evolved therefore we need to be morally enlightened." I took a breath to gauge their reaction and found a contemplative stillness amongst them.
"I know it is our generation who will save the world, otherwise we wouldn't have been the first to have our Recyclapary glands within the Golden Ratio. It is our destiny to do better so I won't ask you to vote for me. I will only employ you to grow with me as we rebuild our world." I waited for a moment at the podium for their response but turned to leave the stage after a few moments of silence.
Then from somewhere in the crowd I heard my slogan being chanted. "Forward for the future of all. Together as one." It was followed by clapping and cheering that turned into chanting. I walked off the stage as tall as my 15 year old self had ever felt, chanting right along with them.

"Forward for the future of all together as one."

I hope they heard me. I hope after a year of campaigning and speech giving that this was the one that won them over but I guess we won't know until tomorrow.