Fighting Against God

The whole audience fell into silence, more out of shock than respect, gasping as they did so. The sudden alarming news sent a hundred questions at once streaming through my head. Peering around at the sea of solemn, grieving faces, all looking at the grey, concrete floor, I knew I wasn’t the only one with all the questions, and without any of the answers.

Stacey buried her face into my chest, tears running from her eyes. I held my arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

After a few moments of deathly quiet, the man spoke again, after some muttering started to arise from a group of journalists nearby.

‘We ask you respect the royal family’s wish to remain undisturbed during this horrendously traumatic time. Thank you.’

He then turned away to walk back into the palace, a cascade of questioning following him, attempting to squeeze out any other information he may have.

‘Cyrus,’ Pete turned to me, taking time to get his thoughts together. ‘As awful as this news is, I need you to get to Downing Street and report on the prime ministers reaction.’

‘Yeah,’ I sighed, keeping my arms around Stacey.

‘I can’t come with you?’ she whispered looking up at me.

‘I’m really sorry,’ I replied, not bearing to see her in this state.

‘I’ll get someone to give her a lift home,’ Pete patted my back.

Slightly relieved at his offer I managed a weak smile. ‘Cheers, Pete.’

I kissed Stacey on the lips goodbye, tasting her salty tears, before having to walk away, into a snowfall that was growing heavier each minute. I hated myself for having to leave her; but I was caught in an unwinnable dilemma. She couldn’t come with me, and I couldn’t stay with her. I was thankful of Pete for giving another option to make sure she got home safe. She was a grown woman, but these weren’t safe times.

Especially with terrorists in London.

*

The prime minister was extremely quick to respond to this morning’s horror. An hour after the spokesperson had confirmed the Queen’s death, Etah stood in front of No. 10, speech in hand.

I stood, shaking from the steady snow falling out of the sky, encircled by other trembling journalists. My hair had completely flattened, my coat soaked through. My lips had turned a worrying blue, with my pen now attached to my hand, frozen. My writing became more erratic as I could no longer feel my fingertips, tearing holes in the soggy paper. With no umbrella, or shelter, I wished Etah’s speech along.

Etah had somberly walked out of the black No. 10 door, enveloped in a knee length dark winter coat, a sickly green scarf constricting his neck. His face was long, a small beard starting to cover his wrinkled face.

He stopped at the microphone, policeman stood behind him. He slowly looked up, his eyes wet.

‘This morning, we have all awoken to the exorbitant and deeply saddening death of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II,’ Etah began, folding up his speech, before it disappeared inside his coat pocket. ‘I hope, before I begin, I can ask for a moment of silence to mourn what a great loss to our country we have all suffered.’

Amid the adherence, coughing and violent sneezing regularly broke Etah’s well-meant gesture. Though, as disrespectful as it was, my mind kept wondering back to Stacey. She would be fine, I kept repeating.

But no one had been arrested. It frightened me to keep thinking about where they would strike next. The underground? A city bus? What if it was the train Stacey was on, making her way home? There had been no suspects - they could be anywhere in London right now.

Even here.

I was partially thankful for the prime ministers interruption of my ill thoughts, to continue his speech. But during the tribute Etah paid to the Queen, I found my mind wondering again. Annoyed, I kept snapping myself back to pay attention to Etah’s words, but it was to no avail.

That was until Etah made an extremely startling claim.

‘As much as this day should be dedicated to the detriment of the Queen and the deep wounds inflicted upon the royal family, I would just like to add one thing.

‘Our party rose to power on the backs of a frustrated public, furious at the previous government. After gaining theirs, and the army’s, support, we have already started fulfilling our promises.

‘But unfortunately, as with every party, there are those who are against our policies. Those who do not realise the full extent of the struggle we are currently in. Left-wing extremists, who do not agree with our ideas, who do not believe in the same God we do.

‘There is a growing threat, increasingly more vehement with every passing day. A rise of those who have sprung right to the other end of the political spectrum, angry at the lack of success from the socialist Labour government.

‘Ladies and gentleman. I fear a new accession of communists. A group which will never be able to represent the public, but who will continue, blinded by their beliefs, committing to what they think is justified. Such a devastating act carried out this morning could only have been conceived of from inside the warped mindset of such radical insurgents.

‘It hurts me with great sorrow to end this speech on the note that I believe this is not the last of the aggression, but rather the beginning. Our government, today, pledges to the public to permanently stamp out this communist hazard while it is small - those responsible will rightfully be held accountable for the highest levels of treason.

‘We are the only cure to this country’s persistent diseases. Within the week, I plan to call an immediate general election. I promise this country security and order. Only our party has the backing of the army and we will use every resource available to restore justice and control to our society.

‘Thank you.’