The Parliament
The Parliament’s vote
A buzzing room
The 30 Members of the Parliament of the People create a buzzing sound in the small hall. It seems like many bees are working on building a wall of honey. There’s no more honey, though, but only a vast wall. A solid barrier was constructed long ago all around the tiny nation. As a new trend, the countries started getting smaller and smaller before realising that the problem would be one day or another the ‘vital space’. They are like a crazy cat which jumped inside a small box and now doesn’t know how to get out.
“Dling-dling-dling!”
A small silver bell called to put some order in the room.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the Parlament, colleagues, women and men, please silence. I will give the floor to the Minister of Infrastructures and Quiet Living, Mr Arnoldo Svanzoni. Please.”
The imposing figure of the ex-boxer Arnoldo Svanzoni stands in the centre of the room. All newspapers place their microphones; it’s all on-air and the media don’t lose a syllable of the speech. It’s a critical moment, the first time after the Champion got “Full Authority” over the Parliament that someone dared to speak. As a result, the Parliament is getting less useful, as a public library open for teenagers only.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m here standing before you today to solve a problem. We already have to fight against terroristic attacks and a poor state of the world economy. As I said, I’m here with a solution. I was one of the first to advocate the construction of the Mighty Walls raised around our beloved Motherland. The same walls we celebrate today with the Day of Independence.”
“Again, I was the first promoter of racial laws against refugees and terrorists. I did what I did with the sole purpose of serving our beloved Motherland. That said, today in front of you is not a member of the Parliament, but a simple family man. We have to consider the possibility that, as People’s Police attested, these aliens are coming from the future. A future certified around 100 years from now at the most. We must reconsider our position because statistically, there is a high possibility that the so-called aliens would be nothing less than our sons, daughters, nephews and nieces.”
“Dling-dling-dling!”
The bell rings, trying to calm down the drooling members of the Parliament and the press. How he dares! All these months of propaganda speaking about aliens, and now this guy comes with this idea.
Preposterous!
“Dling- dling -dliiiiiiiing!”
“Ladies and gentlemen, please try to calm down. We’re in a Parliament’s room, for the Head’s sake!”
On the empty chair of the Champ sits a fatty cat. When the Champ is occupied, being photographed as a puppet or out for personal reasons like today, the only one entitled to sit in his chair is Minu, his cat.
“The solution, and here comes the end of my speech, ladies and gentlemen, is extremely easy. If we change our message and transform the ‘drop’ place for the aliens, we should be able to save approximately 90% of them. The human cost at that point will be insignificant and we could find another way of sending them back to the future from where they belong.”
“Dling- dling- dliiiiiiiiing!”
“Ladies, gentlemen! You will scare the cat!”
Hearing this, the whole room turned to the Head’s chair, terrorised. If the cat left the chair, scared by them, something terrible would happen. The cat moves his eyes from one to another, like he knows exactly what kind of power he holds.
This is the end of The Parliament, continue to read the rest of Go back to the future, written by Daniele Frau and illustrated by Gabriele Manca, Dmq Productions. All the rights for the story and the illustrations are kept by the respective owners.
Continue to read A cat’s choice.
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I’m reading your story and I find it really cool. I cannot understand the Italian part properly, could you please make some lessons to better understand the text in Italian? I will really appreciate it 🙏
Sami
Sure, Sami. Thank you for reaching out, you can find some short stories in Italian with English translations for free here. I will also start soon with some Italian lessons, so you will be able to follow along. Have a great day!
Dan