“Alright,” Jamie let out a laugh into the microphone, pleased with the response he had received. “I think it seems like we’re in agreement.” Another roar of applause rang out, punctuating his sentence and making him smile once more. Jamie loved Kauai and the last thing he wanted was to see his beautiful island destroyed because of this. He would fight for it until his dying breath and he hoped his friends would all do the same.
“There are several things which are going to be key to us all in the coming weeks and months – however long this may last. The first of these is power; I’m sure everyone is aware that our electric grid has been on the blink for the last thirty-six hours or so. If anyone has any experience in that sort of technology – the sort that I don’t even know the name for –” Jamie paused and chuckled to himself, “then please head over to the clock tower after this meeting.
“We’re going to need to divide up into core work groups, with each focusing on a different element of island life. Power will be one, food and water another. But we need to maintain other aspects of normal life too: we must focus on our healthcare, our education systems and our maintenance. Working with a few others, I believe we have developed a list of these key areas – though naturally if there is something more which anyone feels needs to be looked into, we can expand.
“As I said earlier, we need to elect a leadership group to orchestrate and maintain this new way of life. So that’s enough of me going on about what I think should happen. Let’s take a vote. If anyone would like to stand for the leadership council – or like to nominate someone – then please make it known now. I will be putting my own hat into the ring for it, as I believe I have a lot I can offer this island. But I have no expectations. Please – the floor is yours. Who else would like to try and make a difference to our island?”
As Jamie finally finished his speech, ripples and murmurs carried across the crowd like waves on the ocean. It went without saying that Jamie would be a part of the leadership council, after his introduction and what he had come up with already, anyone would have serious difficulty trying to remove him from the position. The question that remained now was who would join him.
Jessie looked at her husband and raised her eyebrows. She had no intention of putting herself forward for the position, but she was curious about who would. Art shook his head slightly in response to say he too was waiting to find out who was up for it, the rest of the crowd in a similar position until a woman’s voice rose above the murmurs.
“I’ve helped Jamie come up with the plan so far.”
People craned their necks in the direction of the voice, trying to determine who was speaking before she walked up onto the stage alongside him and revealed herself. Jessie already knew it was Martha though, recognizing the woman’s voice and already trusting that she would be a strong addition to the leadership council.
“And I’d like to continue to offer my support – particularly in the schooling and education of our little ones.” Martha was a teacher at the school that both Zayn and Axel attended, meaning Jessie knew the woman well and she was more than happy to have the woman heading up their education going forward. She was pleased it had already been mentioned, the question about what to do with her boys in the coming weeks already crossing her mind on several occasions in the last couple of days.
“I too would like to be involved!” Another man’s voice echoed out above the crowd, the new volunteer now needing to be much louder than Martha had been as the whispering amongst the crowd increased. Jessie looked back into the throng of people but couldn’t see where the voice was coming from, nor did she recognize the sound of it.
“I am a doctor at –”
“I nominate Richard Harri-”
“I should be –”
In a matter of seconds, the orderly meeting started to descend into chaos, people standing up and shouting over one another to make their pleas for the leadership council. Jessie looked to the stage where Jamie and Martha stood, both talking in hushed tones to one another and shaking their heads, neither expecting the response to blow up like it had. People were practically climbing over each other to make their nominations or put themselves forward, the idea of a simple public forum spiraling out of control quicker than anyone could have imagined. Jessie gripped Art’s hand in her own, frightened by how easily something so orderly could be turned on its head.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Jamie spoke into the microphone again, trying to calm the crowd down. But with the din of everyone shouting, his voice could barely be heard due to the quality of his speakers. They were designed to be used in the enclosed performance area of the surf shack, where local musicians played guitars and sung soft melodies; not out in the open with the wind, waves and wrestling islanders to contend with. He didn’t have a choice though, looking questioningly at Martha as he continued to try and regain the peace.
“Come on people, calm it down! Things weren’t supposed to happen like this!”
Little by little, the residents of Kauai started to listen to Jamie and took their seats again, the momentary madness subsiding and fading away like a retreating
