The Chair stood on the very same platform in the very same parade ground where his grandfather had presumably made a similar speech more than sixty years earlier. His grandfather’s remarks had all been recorded, but Christopher never bothered to read them. He never read much of anything, most often preferring to wing it based on his gut instincts. His puppet council members, including Jacob, stood directly behind him, and Marina stood by his side.
As he addressed his subjects from the scripted notes prepared by Jacob, he rattled off his great accomplishments and thanked the council and all the citizens of Eden for making it an ideal society. Most of the citizens felt differently. They were thinking that the real celebration would begin tomorrow when the Chair was at the bottom of the lake.
Next, Christopher pulled Marina to his side, raised her hand with his, and declared her the new Chair, effective upon his death. Marina noted the departure from tradition. Unlike her father, she was well-read on all the laws and history of Eden. Ramius had abdicated to RJ prior to his death, and it had been recorded as a precedence for the transition of power to allow the new leader a short period of counsel. But before she had time to dwell on this, her part was done, and Christopher went on to announce the issuance of the credits to all citizens.
Because the audience members numbered in the thousands, only those nearby could hear what he had just said.
There was a roar of approval from those close by, but the remainder were puzzled, yearning to understand what had been so deserving of this sudden eruption. Christopher watched and waited as the information percolated outward like the ripples created when a stone is dropped into water. The sound levels started to elevate as the wave continued to propagate. Soon, there was a uniform vibration visible throughout the crowd.
Fists were punching the air, and people were jumping up and down. A chant started somewhere off to the left and spread inward and across, engulfing the crowd as if people were bound by instinct to follow: “Chair! Chair! Chair!” and on it went. Christopher smiled broadly and waved with both arms.
Marina knew what it was, but the sudden power of the crowd’s reaction caught her by surprise, and she found herself feeling giddy, smiling, and chanting, also powerless to restrain herself. But she was the first to regain control, and her involuntary elation suddenly turned into controlled anger.
Christopher was carried to the Fish House by a team of guards. A special chair had been built to enable him to sit while he was taken down the hill to prepare. It had been arranged by Jacob as a way for Christopher to be seen as strong, as he wouldn’t have to show his inability to walk or stand up straight.
Just prior to the departure, Bobby had come to see Marina to convince her that her father preferred if she did not attend. It was for her own sake and to spare him the emotional goodbye. But to her, it supplied further evidence that something was afoot.
“Fine! I won’t go. But I will say goodbye face to face!”
Bobby stood aside as she stormed past him and ran up the stairs to the main level, where her father and Jacob were fixing his robe. They were startled to see her, but luckily, they had already secured and hidden the airbag and knife within the robe.
“Darling! No! I didn’t want you to see me. It’s too sad for me to have to say goodbye this way,” Christopher said, trying his best to act genuine, but not pulling it off.
“Goodbye, Father.” Marina hugged him.
He was concerned and withdrew but then gave in. “Yes, darling. Everything will be fine. You will do just fine. I love you.
Remember that. You are my precious child, and I will always love you more than anything in this world.”
“Yes, Father.”
“It’s time,” announced Jacob, looking tense as he tried to move things along. Christopher started to limp toward the customized chair in the front hall, just as Bobby entered with six large mule guards. Christopher stepped onto the platform and sat in the chair.
Marina’s careful examination of history showed her the irony of what she was witnessing. Just like Saul, she thought to herself as the mules hoisted the large chair high into the air. As they started out through the front entrance, Christopher looked back at Marina.
“I’ll see you soon,” she said. Christopher’s face suddenly changed expression from happiness to shock, and then he looked confused as he craned his neck to maintain eye contact.
But the chair was now through the front door and moving toward the formation of soldiers that would accompany the Chair down to the lake.
No doubt, the bystanders who lined the street numbered much more and were more positive because of the Chair’s generosity. There were only positive things said as the procession passed.
Soon, they arrived at the Fish House, and the mules set the chair down. Christopher stood with the help of Jacob and Bobby. He turned and waved to the sizable gathering in attendance, and they cheered. Then, he disappeared into the building.
Once the Big House was cleared and people followed the procession down to the lake, Marina retreated to her suite and went to see her husband to get a better view of what was happening. As she entered the shelter, Moey walked up to meet her, and they embraced.
Christopher sat in a comfortable chair as a beautiful woman in a blue robe delivered the carved goblet containing the sweet juice laced with the drug.
“Just set it on the table there,” commanded Jacob.
“Leave us.” The woman complied. Jacob grabbed the goblet and emptied its contents out a small window on the side of the building. He then rinsed the goblet from his water bag twice and then refilled it with water. He set the goblet back where it had been.
“Okay. Bring her in.” Bobby opened the door. The woman was waiting nearby, and he used only a hand motion to invite her back in. She returned and then stood there, waiting for instructions.
“He’s ready now. Go about your business,” Bobby commanded.
She walked to the table, picked up the goblet, and handed it to Christopher. He looked at it and then at her and the others. He proceeded to drink it down in two gulps.
“How long is it supposed to take?” he asked her.
“Normally, it works very quickly. In your case, Leader, with your strength, I’m sure it will take longer,” she said, trying to compliment him.
“You gentlemen, see to things, will you? Keep this place running. Help my daughter,” Christopher said, trying to keep the act alive. After a short while, he pretended to feel the effects of the poison.
“Oh. Now, I feel it,” he said calmly. He closed his eyes and started to deepen his breathing. “Goodbye, my friends,” he said softly, and this was the last thing he said. Minutes later, the four crewmen came in with a wooden stretcher and gently placed him on it, with help from Bobby. They then hoisted the stretcher and carried it out the back door toward the waiting barge. The barge had been decorated far more than normal, signifying the importance of this particular burial.
There were other large barges beside the main barge, and all of them were packed with people who were somehow affiliated with the Chair at either the government or the personal level and had been invited by Jacob to witness the miracle.
Christopher lay still as the crew carried him aboard and set him on the table in the middle of the boat deck. The dock hands pushed the barges away from the dock with long, sturdy poles, and the captain of the main barge commanded his oarsmen with precision as they rowed toward the designated spot well out into the lake.
There were several military canoe escorts on either side of the main barge, and each was crewed by four paddlers. This was more for pageantry than for security. But the canoes were in fact there for an entirely different purpose—a purpose that the paddlers of the canoes themselves were completely unaware of. They were there to rescue the Chair.
Comments