The Eternal Leader

The bunker was nearly a mile below the surface, too deep to hear the bombs. Meryl sat in a hallway within, handcuffed to a bench and staring up at the low ceiling, wondering if her friends were still alive. The hall was long and narrow, lit by sterile fluorescent bulbs that glowed down on her like ionizing radiation, infecting and destroying her cells one at a time as she waited.

Her bench was outside a set of heavy metal doors, labelled ominously as the Tribunal Chamber. An armed soldier stood next to her, guarding both her and the doors themselves, but they hadn’t once made eye contact. Maybe he doesn’t have permission, she thought, noticing the rigid and awkward way he stared straight ahead at the wall, gun held at the ready.

Beep! A sharp chirp came from a wall-mounted speaker beside the doors.

“Bring her in,” said a voice from the box and now for the first time, the guard addressed her. He ordered her to stand and place her hands against the whitewashed brick walls as he unlocked the chain linking her to the bench.

“Move,” he said, once he had positioned himself behind her.

The doors had already been opened from within, so she stepped slowly inside. The chamber was the exact opposite of the hallway, vast and sprawling with unknown dimension. The lighting was dim all around her, almost black, except for a tall arching dais lit up at the end of the room where several party members sat in wait.

A thick stench filled the chamber like chemicals and rotten meat, and instantly it overwhelmed her. What is that? She went to cover her nose but the chain around her cuffs stopped her hand from reaching and for a moment, she thought she might throw up.

She wavered light-headed until the guard prodded her forward, bringing her to the center of the room where a cone of light marked the ground as the high platform arched around it. The high counter above held nine seats in total, and over each hung low lamps that cast crisp beams of light down on cold illuminated faces. She scanned each of their faces briefly until finally she fell upon the central judge. The lamp overhead lit up a stern and unmoving figure. An older man unknown to her, yet his face was vaguely familiar. Strangely, he looked to be covered in makeup, and his eyes were shaded behind dark sunglasses.

“We bring this court to session,” started one of the other judges. He wore a plain brown suit with a matching tie. Deputy Minister Creutzfeldt. She knew him well. He sat to the right of the central figure and held up a hand toward him. “We speak on behalf of High Chairman Vonn, and we are honored by his presence and guidance during this tribunal.” The other officials nodded respectfully toward the stoic party leader.

Alexander Vonn, the leader of the ruling party. It can’t be him, she thought. It must be a look-alike. A decoy. That’s why he’s wearing makeup… but why? Could she really be this close to him? He looked much older than his iconic image that plastered every wall and billboard in every city, but she had never seen him in the flesh before. Few had. Some thought he had died years ago, others said he was just in hiding from the rebels. He was the heart and soul of a government she had spent most of her life resisting. A chill crawled up her spine as she felt him watching her.

“Meryl Buchanan,” said a female official in a high-collared grey blouse and hair pulled tight into a bun. Minister Ellen Kim, a gaunt faced woman of little humor. “You have been charged with crimes against the state, not limited to acts of terrorism, incitement to violence, high treason…”

As the woman listed her various crimes, Meryl’s mind started to wander. She looked around at the other faces lit up by the lamps above, looking at each one in turn. Military officers, high-ranking officials and ministers, party members all. Until once again her eyes fell on the silent figure of Chairman Vonn at the center of the long desk. If I could just get free of these chains, I could –

“How do you plea?” said Minister Kim annoyed, as if repeating herself.

Meryl turned her eyes back to her. “It stinks in here,” she said bluntly.

“Let the record show that Ms. Buchanan does not deny these charges,” said a smug donkey-faced man from the other side. She did not know his name, but he was a military official for certain, judging by the outlandish display of medals across his chest. Soon after, Creutzfeldt cleared his throat and straightened his tie.

“Ms. Buchanan, you are accused of betraying your country and you have nothing to say in your defense?”

Meryl shot him a look. “I betray the party, minister, not the country.” She then spoke directly to Chairman Vonn. “It is you who betray the country. You, Mr. Vonn. You and all your cronies.”

The chairman said nothing, nor did he move. He was completely unaffected by her words. The other judges laughed and Creutzfeldt pursed his lips and shook his head. “Typical extremist rationalization. Your lot can convince themselves of anything, can’t you?”

“We only want to be free.”

“And this desire gives you the right to endanger others?” This came from another minister, but it didn’t matter who spoke the words when they all shared the same voice. “Why not protest legally? Why wage war when you can use your words?”

“War is protest when words are silenced,” Meryl said firmly.

“Bombs are not protest, Ms. Buchanan,” Minister Kim said. “It is terrorism.”

“I use words on the people,” Meryl said calmly, “the bombs are for you.”

“The party protects the people, Ms. Buchanan.”

“Then why are you losing?” Meryl shot back. “The people are on my side, not yours.”

“Your propaganda is good, I’ll grant you,” Creutzfeldt said. “You may have convinced a few, yes, but we must protect the people... even from themselves.”

Meryl smiled, “Now who’s rationalizing?”

“Enough!” Creutzfeldt shouted suddenly, lurching ahead and slamming his fist down on the desk in front of him.

The outburst caused Chairman Vonn to shift in his seat. He slumped forward and suddenly looked very weak, as if he couldn’t stop himself from falling. Creutzfeldt jumped to keep him from hitting the desk, but as he braced the Chairman back into his seat, the sunglasses fell from his face and exposed a pair of sunken eye sockets beneath, as if no eyeballs remained under the skin. Meryl stepped back in shock and horror. It all made sense now.

“So, it is true... he is dead then.”

The deputy-minister rushed to place the sunglasses back on the Chairman and gently placed him back into position. “Lies! The Chairman has never been more alive.”

“Here! Here!” Came a shout from one of the judges.

“Chairman Vonn is simply exhausted from his work. He suffers for the state!”

This time the entire panel voiced their agreement. Meryl looked around at them in disbelief. Was this all for her benefit? But why? Some sort of trick?

“Your disinformation campaign has no effect here, Ms. Buchanan,” said Minister Kim. She sat to the left of Vonn and turned to address the dead man. “Mr. Chairman, I apologize for this insolence.”

“He’s dead!” Meryl shouted. “Look at him!”

Creutzfeldt snapped his finger and pointed at her, “We will have you gagged if you do not control yourself, Ms. Buchanan. The Chairman would not be sitting here now if he wasn’t in the position to lead.” He then adjusted his tie and sighed. “Minister Kim, you may continue the proceedings.”

“Thank you, minister,” said the thin woman with a nod. “Ms. Buchanan, it is the conclusion of this council that you are guilty of all charges, and we hereby sentence you to twenty years hard labor... However, we are willing to commute this sentence if you reveal the whereabouts of rebel leader Adam Garcia-Nkosi.”

Lies. She knew she would be shot as soon as she gave them what they wanted. She let out a laugh. “You can’t be serious.”

“This is no laughing matter, Ms. Buchanan. I suggest you start to think about your future.”

“The future is all I think about, Minister. A future without you... And I think about the past too, when a nation in fear chose a comforting lie over the dangerous truth. I think about the people that have been lost to the party, in body and mind… I think because I still can.”

“Very touching.” Minister Kim said, in a mocking sort of tone.

Meryl then looked to the corpse seated in judgement. “Look at your leader… just another lie. You can prop him up and paint him with as much makeup as you like, but sooner than later the truth will be seen by all.”

“That’s enough, Ms. Buchanan.” Creutzfeldt said.

Meryl looked around at the silent panel of judges, each one looked away from her, not saying a word. “I know you all see it too. Maybe you don’t want to see it, maybe you’re too afraid of what it will mean if it really is true.”

“Enough!” Creutzfeldt spat.

Meryl continued anyway. “Is this how you want to live? Hidden away in a bunker while reality beats down above you? Do you think you’re safe here? Dead men are meant to be buried, just as much as bad ideas.”

“Guards!" cried Creutzfeldt. "Take her away! We will hear no more of this!”

Meryl spoke quicker now, knowing her time was nearly up. “You can end this! A lie only lives if it is repeated. You can come to the surface and breathe fresh air again. It’s your choice! Don’t let yourself be buried along with your leader! Don’t let –

She was hit in the stomach with the butt of a rifle, causing the air in her lungs to rush out so she couldn’t breathe or speak. Two guards then grabbed her under the arms and dragged her away toward the doors. She knew the end was near. They would take her from the chamber, lead her down the long hallway and finally, she’d be put in front of a firing squad where she would be shot and killed.

She felt her legs go weak beneath her. The guards struggled with her weight as they lifted her out of the dark chamber. The room remained silent as she neared the bright lights of the hall. She always knew that this was a possibility. She told herself many times that it was a sacrifice she would be willing to make, but it didn’t make the moment any easier. Yet, even as she was almost out of the darkness, she heard one of the ministers behind her speak.

“Does anyone smell that?”