Stung

Page 40

The camera zooms in on the people outside the wall, on their gaunt, dirty, haggard faces. Scared faces. Weeping faces, with tear-streaked cheeks. Laughing faces, eyes full of hope. Shocked faces, mouths hanging open. People start jumping up and down. Clapping. Dancing. Embracing. They start calling out the news, passing the words to others farther down the street, who pass it on to more people farther down the street. And then they dance, until as far as the camera can see, people are dancing in the streets.
I can literally see the news spreading through them, wiping away despair like a physical wave, and I understand what is happening.
For the first time in four years, they have been given hope.
Epilogue
WARNING: FUGITIVE
FORMER GOVERNOR JACOBY SONESCHEN
HAS ESCAPED FROM PRISON
Age: 48
Height: 5’9”
Weight: 150
Hair: Brown with gray temples
Other: Recent bullet wound to chest
Possibly running for Wyoming
Reward: 8 oz honey for any information
leading to his recapture