The tophatted man held his pale hands high above the lustrous, golden podium —— a signal to quiet the clamoring mass of flesh vessels before the tower. The sun peaked out from behind dark, jagged clouds as the people paralyzed their tongues to open their hearts. “Good citizens of Parasio, we are gathered here today to cast our votes! Your decisions today will impact this immaculate land for the next twenty-four years! And thus, have an impact on this heavenly plane for until time brings rottenness to all things!” The top hat boomed like thunder and the creature beneath it smiled a dry, ever dry smile. Every man, woman and child raised their hands into the air — as was the custom when recieving True Instruction. Each one hoped, though they’d never known hope, to grasp onto the Truth that fell upon them by the breath pouring out of the sagacious hat. “Blessed be the Truth!” The body cried in terrible unison. “Yes! Blessed be!” The man uttered from his horrid lips, prompting the Hat to tighten around his crown. The good hat continued, “Today we will vote! On one hand, we have the Greene Party! On the other, the Yellowes! We hope you are familiar, by now, with their many philosophies and traditions — as we’ve made great strides in implanting these wonderous truths about your very minds!” “And the minds of our children also!” The wretched horde cried out. “Yes! As is the custom, each party with have a few moments to speak to you before you cast your ballot! The Greene Party hath rolled the higher lot, so the Majesty, Royal Truthborne, Highest House, Barthameous Greene shall speak first!” The hat roared and used its disgusting appendages to slither down the weeping man’s head and positioned itself into his trembling hands. Barthameous Greene, or Good Greene, to his loyalists, took the stage and the hat bore itself into his head. The people who retained their right hands applauded with all their might, those without utilized the hands of those around them with a great array of powerful, lefty high fives. Upon nestling itself upon the now comatose Good Greene, the hat cried out, “We’ve got to look out for ourselves! Each one of us! We should make every effort to climb higher and higher, until we stare down at the sun! We should mock the weak and lowly, exalting only ourselves and our Blessed Truth! Each man should place himself at the center of his self, his life at the center of his life! And make fortunes to be enjoyed by he and he alone! Thus sayeth Good Greene! There is no joy apart from Blessed, Good Greed!” The decrepit masses relinquished their praise, screaming with forked tongues and scorching their throats with the fire that erupted from them. “Settle down now!” The horrible hat shouted, retracting its slimy hooks from Greene’s bloodied skull and leaping back to the pale man’s head. “Next, we have the Yellowe Party! Please put your hands, or hand, together for Your Perfect Leader, The Unyielding Beauty, Royal Yollana Yellowe!” the words flowed from the coward’s lips with a bit of blood and envy. The woman limped to the stage with fleshless legs and bowed her tangled heaps of hair before the hat. It obliged and drilled its way through her thick cranium. “Good people of Parasio, my name is Yollana Yellowe! I am thrilled to lead this perfect place to higher heights! We should not dare trample over anyone on our way to ourselves! Greene would have you believe that the Blessed Truth is a trophy to be combated for! I say no! One man’s hard work should be enjoyed by all! You should place others at the center of you, alongside you, and especially alongside me! You should eat what is given you, toil in what is decided for you! The Yellowe Party understands that the good people of Parasio cannot think for themselves! The wealthy should be made poor and the poor should wear only the yellow cloth provided by me! Let everyone do what is right in their own eyes! Thus sayeth Yollana Yellowe, the time has come to sacrifice yourself for the betterment of me!” The twisted beasts ravaged the air with their glorifying shouts, producing their rows of knives fixed upon their gums. Each being sounded as a siren, though for embellishment and not for any warning. The cruel hat made its way back to the pale man and wasted no time in continuing, “Very well! People of Parasio, you have heard both sides of Truth! It is up to you to decide what is the correct truth! What is it that is true to you!? Those with a vote to give, do give it with your greatest ambition!” A thousand handless horrors began to pass out scalpels among the crowd, while a thousand more set up the bins of yellow and green to catch the hands of the walking dead. The process was slow, as the feet of all men were bound together by serpents, but the day went on. It went on, and the hat smiled, for he knew precisely who would win. For the few that knew they were imprisoned, their tongues were removed, and they were forced to vote twice. Thus, everyone smiled, because they were free.