The Rise - Chapter 29

Leon allowed all the seven boys into his room ending dinner with his mother early. They all introduced themselves to Leon and his friends. However, after that, Leon sat in silence in his room that was now cramped with too many people. Leon’s friends were in conversation with the boys but Leon was busy thinking and plotting by his desk. He was wearing headphones and blasting music as he stared at his notebook with intense concentration.

After around twenty minutes Leon turned around with his eyes still wandering and lost in thought – the entire room went silent waiting for him to say something. He suddenly looked at the faces in the room as if he were asleep and just woke up.

He smiles like someone who just figured something out.

“With this many people… This might just work” he said as if speaking to himself

They all move closer towards Leon to hear the plan. He picks up his notebook and begins explaining and issuing orders for the first day of the election.

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The first day of election week. Leon’s eyes were heavy as he could barely sleep. He left for school early morning when the sun was just rising giving the clouds a dab of dark orange hue. He entered the gates barely carrying a large white board and some markers. He huddled to the front door of the school to place the board. Upon placing it, he noticed a large stage in his peripheral – he turned around to see George with his sleeves pulled up, headphones inserted and a sweaty forehead working on the stage.

Leon hears a loud distressed meow and immediately pinpoints its position on top of a tree near George’s stage. He drops the markers and runs towards the tree. He finds a nearby ladder presumably belonging to George and places it on the tree to climb up.

George takes out his headphones as soon as he notices Leon and moves towards him.

“What on earth are you doing?” said George looking up at Leon as he was halfway up the ladder

Leon doesn’t answer – but George hears the cat meow and figures out what’s going on.

“Do you always just take people’s stuff without asking.” said George

Leon still ignoring George finally reaches level with the cat and now pauses as he tries to figure out a way to lure the cat from the branch towards him.

After a long silence he looks down at George as if asking for any ideas.

“Don’t look at me, maybe you should’ve come up with a plan before rushing up the tree.” said George

Leon makes his way onto the branch that the cat was on the end of. Right as he balances on the branch the ladder falls down causing George to quickly move out of the way.

“Are you trying to kill me?” exclaimed George

“Crap. Are you gonna bring that ladder back up or what?” said Leon

George hesitates but eventually picks up the ladder reluctantly and puts up against the tree for Leon to come down.

“Alright now come down” said George

“Not until I get that cat from down there” said Leon

“We can just call the fire brigade” argued George

Leon stubbornly stays in his place still looking at the cat and trying to call it over towards him.

George huffs and starts climbing up the ladder like a mother going upstairs to tell off her son.

“Fine! Let me show you how it’s done” said George as he made his way up “move out of the way” he said as Leon huddled carefully up the branch making space for George

“Wait! Don’t remove your-” the ladder fell before Leon could warn George “Nice one.” said Leon.

“This is all your fault, there’s no one around to see you save this cat so stop trying to be a hero” said George

Leon scoffs at George’s remark. He was only doing this for himself, he’s always loved cats – even the black cat he let into his father’s house during the storm is still at his home being taken care of.

“You’re right, no one is here, where are all your ‘friends’ and your ‘gang’” said Leon

“First rule of leadership, lead by example – I have to be the first one here” said George “What about you, no friends?”

“I don’t have any friends” said Leon half jokingly

George smiles slightly and then looks at the ginger cat

“How do you capture an enemy who’s position is known but is unreachable?” asked George

Leon places his hand on his chin thinking

“Historically, a siege would work – wait for the enemy to starve and he will be forced to surrender – but we’re talking about a cat here. So it might choose starvation over coming to us, especially since we don’t have food.” said Leon

“True, but in the case of William the Third’s capture of the Theon rebels, a siege was not used as the Theon’s had more resources in their fortress than William’s army.” said George

“William dug covert tunnels and burned down the fortress from the inside-out causing mass evacuation.” said Leon suddenly realising George’s proposal “So we should make the cat uncomfortable in its current position and that’ll make it come towards us or at the very least jump down from the tree.” he continued

“But the question is, how to go about doing it.” said George

“We’ll shake the branch vigorously. We won’t be able to force the cat off the branch because it dug its claws in – but the moment it realises the branch isn’t stable it’ll make a run for it.” said Leon

George nods in approval then suddenly opens his mouth to speak right before Leon starts shaking the branch

“I didn’t want to say it like this… Cause it seems like I’m only doing it cause of this conversation we had – but I’ve been wanting to apologise… for talking behind your back” said George trying to swallow his pride

George extends his hand whilst holding onto the branch firmly with the other and shakes hands with a baffled Leon.

“May the best man win.” said George

Leon was speechless. Not because of George’s sudden apology, but rather because of what it meant. George was less scary as a back-biting bully who was afraid, but now he’s shown himself to be someone who isn’t afraid of Leon. George suddenly became the one taking the high road, because he simply can.

“Are you two crazy?” said Layla Lance, George’s girlfriend, appearing suddenly at the bottom of the tree. “You had to employ medieval military theory just to come to the conclusion of shaking the branch?” she continued

“How long have you been there Layla?!” shouted George in embarrassment

“Enough to know you two shouldn’t be anywhere near a cat. Don’t you dare shake that branch and scare that poor thing – I’ve got cat food” said Layla as she left