The creaking sound of the floorboard disturbed his sleep and he groaned, turning from side to side. But then, he was alone in the room and the entire ranch was empty therefore, there should be repetitive sound from the floorboard.
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Deep in his sleep, he thought of what it could be. With his back turned to his room door, he slowly withdrew his pocket knife from his waist belt and without hesitation he jerked up from the bed and pointed the knife in the direction where he heard the movement.
“Smith??” Levi called out.
Smith was their mayor’s son. He was known for his notorious ways which Levi was starting to get tired of. He was either forcefully taking taxes from people, people who barely had enough to eat to crashing into their farmland and destroying their crops all in the name of retribution. The craziest part was that the Mayor did nothing about all of these but seeing him in his room, trying to steal his new boots was just the height of it all.
“Hello, Levi,” Smith said with a feigned smile as he froze with the boots in his hands. “Can you lower that, please?” Levi, who had almost forgotten he was holding a knife looked over at his right hand and immediately lowered it.
“What…” he let out a frustrated breath. “What on earth are you doing with my boots??!”
“Uhmm…it’s not what it seems like…”
Levi moved to attack him but he made a defensive stance which only meant one thing, he was ready to run out of the room with his new boots in his hands. Levi quickly caught on this and hurriedly blocked his way.
“This would be your last atrocity!” Levi said as he moved from side to side to block him from running.
Smith moved as well but he was blocked. He had only one option which was to attack first before Levi did. So, Smith budged with his left shoulder, crashing into Levi and causing him to fall on his back.
Smith sped away at full speed and Levi hurried up and ran after him. In no time, Levi caught up to him, lunging at him and they both fell on the field.
Levi lurked his shirt and hit him repeatedly on his face and now, Smith became weak, letting the boots go.
Levi pulled him by the collar of his shirt and dragged him towards town.
“Let go of me right now or you will have yourself to blame!”
“I have no idea what that means!” Levi clapped back.
“Should I remind you I am the Mayor’s son? I can do no wrong!”
“Well, that’s about to change this instant.”
Levi dragged him throughout the town with smiteful eyes lurking at every corner from everyone. Smith stands firm without remorse, holding on to his words that his father would let him go.
A few people joined Levi as he dragged him to the Mayor’s place and as they got there, they were greeted by a family, kneeling outside the Mayor’s quarters right under the scorching sun.
Levi let go of Smith’s shirt and hurried over to the family.
“Mr Carson…Mrs Carson. What’s wrong? What's going on?” Levi asked.
“Our son, Dylan was arrested yesterday night. We have no idea what he did wrong.”
“I told you. I said you were going to regret this. My father doesn’t joke with me!!”
Levi moved closer in an attempt to hit him but the Mayor showed his presence.
“What is going on here??” The Mayor’s voice was stern and harsh. Levi retreated back to stand behind the family.
The Mayor lowered his gaze and eyed Mr and Mrs Carson before strolling his gaze to his son’s face with scorn and back Levi’s face. “And you are?” the Mayor asked.
“If I must introduce myself again, then I will.”
“And you are?”
“Levi. Levi Butch,”
“Oh. You’re Butch’s son. Never knew he had a grown son who knows his rights this much. He was a great man. I’m sorry for your loss…”
“No sir. I didn't come here to speak about my father!” Levi started.
“Hit me with your pain point, young man,” the Mayor retorted with his hands resting on his waist.
“The rule of fair and just society as laid down in your manifest has not been followed from the first day of your reign on this seat!”
“No! No!!” the people yelled in solidarity.
“We have watched you punish people for the same crime you condone your son for. We have watched you crucify your people for the sake of your son. We have watched you judge without mercy, derail from justice and rule without fairness. This has to end!!”
“Yes! It has to end!!” they all shouted in uniformity again.
The Mayor looked at them all in silence as though thinking of some soothing words to say but out of nowhere, he busted out in a resounding laughter that caught everyone by surprise.
“How though would you lots manage to put an end to this, to me?!” Everyone gasped and soon, murmuring overtook the whole place.
This went on for a long while and now, Levi was speechless. From the crowd, eggs began to fly, hitting the Mayor.
“You shall be impeached!!” they shouted and soon, the whole crowd began to throw eggs at the Mayor and his son.
Ever since that day, that was the end of Mayor Birch and his son while Levi Butch was made the new Mayor to restore peace, justice and fairness.
This is my submission to the Inleo prompt suggestion for the month of April. The topic is "Laws, community decisions, neighborhood dynamics". You can join here. This is the calendar
