The shovel filled with loose dirt is lifted up into the air in a demonstration of the work to begin. The ground breaking for my first construction project. It’s hard to believe I even got the House of Delegates and the State Senate to agree with me, but eventually, after lots of debate and pointing out that this Memory Sickness didn’t care about class, I finally did it. They finally all agreed on the tax. A weary, defeated agreement, but an agreement nonetheless.

This building won’t be beautiful, but it will help many people. It will help educate and prepare people who don’t have jobs and are looking for work and it will help all the poor souls whose memories I have taken to get here. Any excess rooms that are unused will be sleeping places for homeless and orphans where they can sleep without worry.

The people all around me are cheering and the crowds are pushing at the ropes and security guards trying to get my signature.

You’re here again. Why haven’t I seen you until now? Where have you been? I’ve been wanting to show you my success. The city is changing. I’m bringing about this change. Can you see it? These first steps. It’s happening. This will be a place where people can grow up with equal opportunities in life. I’m doing so much to help everyone I can.

Lizzie’s group of orphans are sitting in special guest chairs. Since I took office, I’ve been living in the Governor’s mansion, a special complex built in the middle of Richmond. I invited Lizzie to bring all the orphans to live with us as a show of my goodwill and my intentions to give everyone housing and a place to live.

Between Lizzie and Patrick is an empty chair. A chair with Nathan’s name on it, and no one sitting in it. I sent an invite to him, but he didn’t respond.

When I tried to go myself, Reno stopped me. I tried to disguise myself and slip out, but he even stopped me then, shaking his head and saying, “Madam Governor, I know you want to visit your friend, but it’s dangerous to go out on the streets now. Someone might recognize you and you could be harmed. Please don’t try and slip out again. We’ve already lost one Governor this year and our State is already in a state of emergency caused by this memory sickness.”

I look over at him, standing there like a statue. It wasn’t his words that convinced me, but his disappointment in me. That and the clenching feeling in my stomach when I think about the current problems. I know that I made the government weak and caused greater public distrust, not that the people of the city trust the government to begin with, but this is all necessary. Patrick said, my crazy plan will lead to a better city. I might not live to see it, but one day, it will be a place where people trust their government and where everyone has a chance to live a good life.

I raise the microphone up toward my mouth and watch as the crowds quiet down.

“Welcome my fellow citizens. Today, we embark on a new journey together. This is a journey to discover prosperity and happiness for everyone in this city. This is a journey to eliminate class discrimination and to allow each and every person to live. Every single person in this world is special. Each of us have that individual spark that makes us who we are, and I see that in each person I talk to.” I pause, and look at the crowd, making sure to catch the eyes of my audience. Patrick told me this is a key to being a good speaker.

“This shelter will nurture Richmond and will help bring prosperity to even the lowest and most desperate among our population. It will teach the necessary job skills to those who come to it for shelter and help.”

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“Liar!” a voice screams out from somewhere beyond the line of security guards.

“She’s a traitor to the people. Corrupt…” The roar of the crowd drowns out the rest of the words.

What have I done to deserve this? I’ve worked tirelessly for their sake. I only want to see them succeed, to have a better life than the life I had.

I look around at the screaming crowd beyond the finery, and then down at my notes. Love cannot come from everyone. They would have to watch for longer, to see the strength of my plan.

I would give everyone a chance; a chance at a better life.

The audience waited for me, “Together we will stand strong and raise up out of the uncertainty that surrounds these tumultuous times. By giving everyone a chance, we will prove to the world that Rousseau is correct believing that man is naturally good.”

Patrick suggested that I read about the work of philosophers. Rousseau’s theory quickly became my favorite and the one I clung to.

“Today, we begin a journey to destroy the economic divide that corrupts man’s good nature. Today, we will destroy the inequality that exists by being born to the wrong parent. We will grant everyone a chance to start over. Everyone was born good, and with help, everyone can be that way again. This ground here, this is the sacred ground from which equality shall bloom.”

I step down from my podium.

The special guests politely stand and clap while the crowd outside the ropes and security guards scream and cheer. They understand that this is just the beginning. There will be more programs. I won’t stop till everyone has a chance to reach the American dream.

Patrick simply shrugs when I look at him. “I still don’t think one shelter will change anything. Cities often used to run shelters and care about people. We just ran out of money to spend on people who wouldn’t help themselves. All you will do is enable their current lifestyle to continue,” He spoke under the cover of the cheering crowd, carefully concealing his lip movements from the watching cameras.

“Why are you so determined to undermine me?” Every time I feel something is going well, he has to try and make me feel as if everything will fail.

“If doubt does not exist, you will become complacent,” He turns away to face the crowd as he finishes saying this. He waves at them as if he is a famous celebrity standing next to me.

The best advice and the most doubt come from him. I knew, no, I didn’t know. I didn’t understand anything when I pulled his memories from him. I stole him away and watched him memories like a guidebook, and still I couldn’t understand how he thought. No matter what I did, he was there helping me and yet hindering me.

I can’t do this without him, and yet how long would it be before he brought down everything I am working for? Behind my back is he secretly undermining every plan I bring forward to him? But this plan went through. It all went according to the plan he helped me develop.

His eyes are always watching, and when he thinks I’m not looking, sometimes I see it. That look of speculation that causes the skin around his eyes to pinch up and produce the gleam that I can only describe as unadulterated hatred. He knows. But then it is gone, and my fear subsides into the crevices that I don’t want to look at.

For now, he is on my side, I think. He looks at me with a happy smile, but I can tell it’s plastered on. He smiles for the cameras. “Look at your people Hope. They cheer for you. They believe in you.”

He is right; they are the priority here. I smile and wave at them. I let the joy of what I am creating, this perfect society, wrap me and carry the feeling out into the crowd with my smile and wave. This is how real change begins. One step at a time. One can only bring about this type of change by joining the system. My childish rebellion was nothing that could change these stuffy minds. Only joining them and forcing them to my will through fear could bring the change to make the world better, starting with this city.

Why do you look so horrified? I’m doing what we wanted. I’m building a better world. I promised I would make it happen, and it’s happening. Can’t you see? Don’t leave me! I swear to you, I’ll create a perfect society, and everyone will love it. The sacrifice will be worth it. Don’t fade away, I need you here, to watch me.