All the people were gathered at the town centre, staring at the empty podium that stood before them. There was incessant chatter across the sea of people that covered the chiselled marble beneath them; all the men, women and children stood patiently waiting for a figurehead to stand above them. Suddenly, there was a soft hum oozing from the speakers hanging down from the buildings, commanding the crowd’s undivided attention. For a moment, all was silent. The hum had stopped and the people stopped their chatter, one could hear the few birds in the lone tree chirping from afar. A woman in a black suit strode towards the podium, fixing her white collar and cufflinks as she walked. The crowd cheered, as flashing lights from all across the sea of men illuminated the town centre, with some hollering and screaming for the woman,

‘Oh, Clerry! What new creation do you bring unto us, Clerry!’

‘We beg for your wisdom and knowledge, Clerry!’

The Clerry raised her hand and all was silent once again. She looked out to the crowd; all their eyes were on her, and it made her smile. As she pulled the microphone closer to her mouth, she cleared her throat and began announcing her greatest discovery to the people.

‘People of Magus-Orin! It is a pleasure to stand here and see your excited faces once again!’ The crowd cheered once again, throwing bouquets of imitation flowers at the podium. Once they were silenced promptly, the Clerry continued, ‘I am eternally grateful for your faith and loyalty in my inventions.They may not be perfect, but I am certain they have done wonders for you and your children. Unfortunately I have some unsettling news to share with you.’ The Clerry pulled out a device, and the projector behind her lit up, showing images of frail children wearing tarnished clothes, clinging to the bodies of their parents, ‘These people…they could be your neighbour, an old friend, family. Ever since the end of the War, they have been suffering behind their doors, or under the roofs of your own flats. For so long, we’ve done nothing but become ignorant to their suffering, muffling their cries for help as we live in luxury and comfort. But today shall be different. Today, we will change their lives—and yours as well!’ she raised a contraption into the air, ‘I present to you the Hachetuwoe, a cure-all for thirst, hunger and all your aches and pains!’

The crowd burst into a cry of tears and cheers. Moved by the Clerry’s speech, they began raising their hands into the air, begging for her grace to descend upon them once again. The Clerry watched as the people swarmed closer towards the podium, then she silenced them with the wave of her arm,

‘Before I share this creation to you, it would be irresponsible of me to not show you how it works.’ She called for the guards, who took post in the far corners of the podium. They emerged with a frail man holding an empty tin can, his clothes were tattered just like the children in the image. His skin was dull and sloughing, covered in ulcers and sores as he limped with the guards who were carrying the man on their shoulders. When they met eyes with the Clerry, the guards let the man go. Immediately, he sprawled onto the podium floor, begging and pleading for the Clerry to feed him the Hachetuwoe as he clung onto her heel. The Clerry looked down on him, slowly bending down on one knee and carefully fed the frail man the Hachetuwoe.

‘Thank…thank you…thankyou!’ the man slurred as he was carried off the podium once again. The Clerry’s eye twitched, before returning to face the crowd, who had begun cheering again for her humanitarian act.

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‘In a few days,’ the Clerry said into the microphone, commanding the people’s attention once again, ‘he will return to good health. His sores and ulcers will go away, and his skin will become white and clear once again! With my Hachetuwoe, we will change the world for the better! Gift these to your neighbours, your friends and your family, who may be suffering just like that poor man and I promise you, we will return health, dignity and honour to the People of Magus-Orin!’

‘Liar!’ A man in the crowd yelled out before any of the people could begin to cheer, ‘You lie, Clerry! You are despicable, a disgrace and a con-man to the People of Magus-Orin—nay, to the entire world!’

The crowd surrounded the man like a mob, encircling him as several spotlights lit up the man.

‘Return to your cave, Sommers!’ a woman yelled in the distance, ‘Back to where you came from and never come back, you scum!’

‘Scum! Scum!’ The crowd riled and chanted, throwing their fists at the man named Sommers as he stood, glaring solely at the Clerry. Suddenly, there was a soft hum emanating from the speakers. The crowd immediately silenced, still facing Sommers.

‘Sommers! You are a brave one for showing your face here. Especially when you come out here wearing your white coat!’ The crowd laughed alongside the Clerry, who was pointing her finger at Sommers mockingly, ‘The people know I do not lie. I have given this country much wealth and humanitarian contribution with my inventions and wisdom.’

‘Prove it then! Prove that you speak the truth to the people and your creations are no lie at all!’

‘Was my demonstration not enough proof for you?’

After hearing this, Sommers immediately marched towards the podium. The crowd attempted to bar him from reaching the Clerry, but at her signal, they all made a path for Sommers to reach the podium. Standing face to face with the Clerry, Sommers snatched the Hachetuwoe away from her hands and began consuming it in one fell swoop. Thrusting the contraption into her hands, he spoke into the microphone,

‘Tell me, People of Magus-Orin. What do you think Hachetuwoe is?’

‘A medicinal plant!’ a man yelled from across the block.

‘No, you fool! You are all fools! This is no medicine, it is water! Water! “A cure-all for thirst, hunger and all your aches and pains”? Clerry, do you really think water can do all that?’

‘Hachetuwoe can.’

The crowd began to chant once again, ‘Hachetuwoe! A cure-all for thirst, hunger and all your aches and pains!’

Sommers stared at the crowd in bewilderment. They had already been indoctrinated with the Clerry’s wiles and slogans; their chanting only made their power stronger—it made her stronger. Sommers turned to face the Clerry, who walked up to him and whispered closely into his ear, ‘Long live Hachetuwoe, and long live the Clerry’s Empire.’

As the Clerry strode off the podium fixing her white collar and black suit, Sommers yelled into the microphone, begging and grovelling for the people to listen to him as the crowd dragged him down by his white coat from the marble floor below. As Sommers lay on the ground, with the wind knocked out from his breast, the mob assaulted him, striking him with their fists and feet until the guards took him away from the town centre. The Clerry witnessed all of this from the confines of her limousine. She laughed, revelling in her victory as she celebrated with a glass of wine in her hand,

‘Sommers, you truly are a fool.’