# The Nameless
A Tie.
She gracefully stood up, receiving the microphone handed by the host. Before she could speak, a nameless figure sprang out from somewhere in the audience, no one knew him, not even sure if he knew himself. Rather arrogantly, he snatched the microphone, leaving her and the host standing awkwardly on the side, wondering what to do. The whole venue fell into silence, as tense as a stretched sheet, not a single movement. As if apologetic, he waved to the entire audience.
The humid air passed through the microphone, emitting a hoarse sound.
“I was a dreamer.” No one understood why he spoke in an incomprehensible language, here is his monologue faithfully recorded:
“I once had a dream to take every single person in this community seriously, to give everyone a voice, to allow everyone to join academic talks without shackles of inferiority or fear.
“I acknowledged that we should always value People. And that is because we, the people, not one more, not one less, compose this community, this very community that we cherish. The communion with my friends and colleagues only firmed my belief that the community would be better off with such fundamental principles. People laughed, people cried, people awed, they aligned with me, for once.
“I tried so hard in pursuit of my own dream, this dream to value everyone as individuals unique and special. We even had a little team to put it into action.
“But there is only one problem. That is the grim fact that I am failing. Both mentally and physically.
“At first, I lost my voice when I ask teachers and scholars for participation in our events. I took it as a mere temporary malady. But days, weeks, months passed, things just got worse. I didn’t even have the guts to ask my best team to work alongside me. Orders no more, communion no more, words no more. I backed off, from what I believed so much in.
“I failed my dream, I failed myself, I failed you.
“But the woman standing right here did not.
“She was my successor, one much better. She was once a member of my team, a diligent one, not only diligent in learning procedures of work, but also in learning the ways of my dream. I didn’t give her much, but she started to pick up where I left off, in a smarter way.
“Reading groups in a series, politics training camp. What I see is someone bringing my dream into reality in my place. People started to join, acquaint and love each other because of her. A community was rebuilt and renewed because of her.
“She talks less, but does more. She deserves your vote, my fellow students.”
# Suddenly
The senior next to me roughly nudged me, jolting me awake.
On stage, she calmly continued introducing herself, and I glanced at the screen showing the vote count – she was leading.