Disclaimer: I do not own Harrison Bergeron or any plots/characters related to the short story by Kurt Vonnegut. I also do not own the title to this story, it belongs to Mordred here on
Betrayal
Harrison's rallies continued, and his audience simply grew in number. More and more people began to realize the downside to equality and thought that a better life would follow if Harrison became emperor. They followed this fourteen-year-old willingly, and pretty soon an army of sorts began to rise. Every Saturday, crowds would flock to the old TV studio to listen to this young man speak to them like a friend and promise a better life. They were the best and brightest in the country, and they supported Harrison wholeheartedly.
Harrison had even formed a council with which he could discuss plans. On it was the best of the best. The most talented artist, the most accurate sharpshooter, the most talented athlete, and various others were all on the council. Of course Charles was also on it, as second in command. Harrison would meet with his council and discuss various issues, mostly involving how their new government would run. He promised all of them high political positions for their loyalty, so of course they followed him.
Everything was going smoothly for Harrison, and his dream was coming true. With maybe a few more people, they could storm the office of the Handicapper General and force her into submission. With her down, her country could do nothing. It would be like a snake without a head. From there, Harrison would take over and he would stop this madness. He was so close to his final goal. Everything was perfect! Or so he thought.
This was going to be his last rally, Harrison thought. His crowd had almost doubled, and everything was ready for the conquest. After tonight, at a later date they would storm the capital and end equality. He spoke passionately to his crowd, raising their enthusiasm.
"And so friends, how can they say equality is beneficial if..."
BANG! The sound of the TV studio door being kicked in reverberated throughout the room and shots rang out. There at the entrance was a small group of H-G men and Diana Moon Glampers. Harrison was dumbstruck and couldn't calculate how such an event could take place. He was in shock! The only thing that knocked him out of his stupor was a strong impact in his chest that knocked the wind out of him. He fell back a few steps and looked down at his chest to where his bag of buckshot had once again been blown open.
"Not again..." He said through clenched teeth. Fortunately this time though, he ended up conscious. Screams wrought the air as H-G men aimed their guns at various audience members. Thankfully, their aim was not very good. In this world of equality, even they were forced to wear handicaps, which included large weights. The best marksmen in the group had to use pellet guns, so that they would have the same chance of killing someone as the average marksmen. Still, some bullets did meet their targets. Harrison had to think fast, for everyone in the room now had a target on their back. Diana would not allow this uprising to take place...
"Everyone over here!" he shouted to his followers, and he rushed out the emergency back entrance. Most of the crowd made it out safely, and Harrison barricaded the door. "That won't hold them very long... Down the manhole!" he shouted once more, and everyone obeyed. When the last woman made it down safely, Harrison followed. He held the manhole cover in place with all of his strength. Down in the sewer, there was general chatter, but Harrison yelled for them to be quiet. The voices died down just in time. Diana and her men crashed through the door and observed the back alley.
"Where did they go, madam?"
"I don't know... They probably ran off in that direction. It shouldn't be too hard to find them; they all forgot their handicaps inside... Also, we have that list of the major members of their rebellion remember? We'll find them. Don't worry."
Down in the sewer, Harrison was furious. His cover was ruined. His plan was ruined! It would be difficult to take over if Glampers had men constantly on the lookout for him. He still couldn't get over seeing her standing there, rifle in hand. How had she known? How did he find her? Then, it hit him.
"We were ratted out..." he snarled. The large crowd around him muttered, wondering who could do such a thing.
"Who told her? WHO TOLD? WHAT TRAITOR DID THIS?" Harrison's voice grew into a shout, and the people surrounding him looked up in fear at the power of this boy. Harrison looked them all in the eye, but mainly he just detected fear. Then he reached a pair of eyes who showed two emotions, fear and guilt. The eyes avoided Harrison's gaze. Those eyes gave away the traitor. Those sunken eyes...
Charles had often felt Harrison's gigantic hand on his shoulder, offering advice. He had known the power of those hands, but whenever he had come in contact with them they had been gentle. Now was not the case. Now, the hands were not on his shoulders, they were around his neck.
"HOW COULD YOU CHARLES?"
"There were rumors, Harrison, rumors of someone trying to take over the government! They came to my house and threatened my family! I had to tell them!" Charles gulped, gasping for air.
"You didn't have to tell them anything, you traitor! I trusted you!" Harrison's face was red with fury; he shook and never once lifted the vice on Charles' neck.
"Harrison, you can't do this to me! I saved your life! Without me, you wouldn't be where you are today! You owe me!"
"I owe you? Look at these men and women around you! Their lives are in danger; some have already lost their lives, all because of you! I don't owe you anything!"
"Please Harrison! They were going to kill me and my family." Charles pleaded, his eyes filled with tears. Harrison didn't budge.
"You should have known anyway Charles, that by signing with them signed your death contract. Pity, you would have made a good duke."
Harrison's grip tightened.
Betrayal
Harrison's rallies continued, and his audience simply grew in number. More and more people began to realize the downside to equality and thought that a better life would follow if Harrison became emperor. They followed this fourteen-year-old willingly, and pretty soon an army of sorts began to rise. Every Saturday, crowds would flock to the old TV studio to listen to this young man speak to them like a friend and promise a better life. They were the best and brightest in the country, and they supported Harrison wholeheartedly.
Harrison had even formed a council with which he could discuss plans. On it was the best of the best. The most talented artist, the most accurate sharpshooter, the most talented athlete, and various others were all on the council. Of course Charles was also on it, as second in command. Harrison would meet with his council and discuss various issues, mostly involving how their new government would run. He promised all of them high political positions for their loyalty, so of course they followed him.
Everything was going smoothly for Harrison, and his dream was coming true. With maybe a few more people, they could storm the office of the Handicapper General and force her into submission. With her down, her country could do nothing. It would be like a snake without a head. From there, Harrison would take over and he would stop this madness. He was so close to his final goal. Everything was perfect! Or so he thought.
This was going to be his last rally, Harrison thought. His crowd had almost doubled, and everything was ready for the conquest. After tonight, at a later date they would storm the capital and end equality. He spoke passionately to his crowd, raising their enthusiasm.
"And so friends, how can they say equality is beneficial if..."
BANG! The sound of the TV studio door being kicked in reverberated throughout the room and shots rang out. There at the entrance was a small group of H-G men and Diana Moon Glampers. Harrison was dumbstruck and couldn't calculate how such an event could take place. He was in shock! The only thing that knocked him out of his stupor was a strong impact in his chest that knocked the wind out of him. He fell back a few steps and looked down at his chest to where his bag of buckshot had once again been blown open.
"Not again..." He said through clenched teeth. Fortunately this time though, he ended up conscious. Screams wrought the air as H-G men aimed their guns at various audience members. Thankfully, their aim was not very good. In this world of equality, even they were forced to wear handicaps, which included large weights. The best marksmen in the group had to use pellet guns, so that they would have the same chance of killing someone as the average marksmen. Still, some bullets did meet their targets. Harrison had to think fast, for everyone in the room now had a target on their back. Diana would not allow this uprising to take place...
"Everyone over here!" he shouted to his followers, and he rushed out the emergency back entrance. Most of the crowd made it out safely, and Harrison barricaded the door. "That won't hold them very long... Down the manhole!" he shouted once more, and everyone obeyed. When the last woman made it down safely, Harrison followed. He held the manhole cover in place with all of his strength. Down in the sewer, there was general chatter, but Harrison yelled for them to be quiet. The voices died down just in time. Diana and her men crashed through the door and observed the back alley.
"Where did they go, madam?"
"I don't know... They probably ran off in that direction. It shouldn't be too hard to find them; they all forgot their handicaps inside... Also, we have that list of the major members of their rebellion remember? We'll find them. Don't worry."
Down in the sewer, Harrison was furious. His cover was ruined. His plan was ruined! It would be difficult to take over if Glampers had men constantly on the lookout for him. He still couldn't get over seeing her standing there, rifle in hand. How had she known? How did he find her? Then, it hit him.
"We were ratted out..." he snarled. The large crowd around him muttered, wondering who could do such a thing.
"Who told her? WHO TOLD? WHAT TRAITOR DID THIS?" Harrison's voice grew into a shout, and the people surrounding him looked up in fear at the power of this boy. Harrison looked them all in the eye, but mainly he just detected fear. Then he reached a pair of eyes who showed two emotions, fear and guilt. The eyes avoided Harrison's gaze. Those eyes gave away the traitor. Those sunken eyes...
Charles had often felt Harrison's gigantic hand on his shoulder, offering advice. He had known the power of those hands, but whenever he had come in contact with them they had been gentle. Now was not the case. Now, the hands were not on his shoulders, they were around his neck.
"HOW COULD YOU CHARLES?"
"There were rumors, Harrison, rumors of someone trying to take over the government! They came to my house and threatened my family! I had to tell them!" Charles gulped, gasping for air.
"You didn't have to tell them anything, you traitor! I trusted you!" Harrison's face was red with fury; he shook and never once lifted the vice on Charles' neck.
"Harrison, you can't do this to me! I saved your life! Without me, you wouldn't be where you are today! You owe me!"
"I owe you? Look at these men and women around you! Their lives are in danger; some have already lost their lives, all because of you! I don't owe you anything!"
"Please Harrison! They were going to kill me and my family." Charles pleaded, his eyes filled with tears. Harrison didn't budge.
"You should have known anyway Charles, that by signing with them signed your death contract. Pity, you would have made a good duke."
Harrison's grip tightened.