This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/GN0515_ on 2024-11-05 22:29:51+00:00.
I thought it was funny, personally. As I drove home, I passed the town’s only stoplight. I was listening to the radio for local election results. Our mayor, who hadn’t lost an election in over twenty years, was running unopposed. I don’t know what possessed me, but I decided to write myself in.
The radio crackled as I continued down the strip, passing the grocery store and at least three Dollar Generals. Then, Ollie Brandsford’s voice boomed over the static, “Alright, it’s another election day in Shara County. We’re expecting some tight races for Alderman today, and as usual, Mayor Harlan Drover is running unopposed.”
“Should be a quick one there,” I chuckled.
“Oh wow, we’ve got early results and projected the winner for mayor of Shara County.”
“Lemme guess, Harlan Drover,” I said dryly as I turned left, passing the final Dollar General. “Let’s just get it over with.”
“And the winner who won by two votes is Benny Sinclair!”
I hit the brakes and pulled over to the side of the road. Did he just say Benny Sinclair? That was my name. Was I now Mayor-Elect? “What a shocker, folks!” Ollie said over the radio. “I’ve never seen something like this happen before!”
I sat in my car, shocked, as I turned down the radio’s volume and sat there silently until my phone rang. It was a local number I didn’t recognize. “Hello?” I stuttered, still puzzled.
“Benny Sinclair, this is Mayor Harlan Drover,” the voice said. “Congratulations on your win.”
“Uh, yeah, about that…”
“Yeah, I’m a little shocked by the results myself.”
“I didn’t even campaign, sir.”
“Well, regardless, how about you come down to the Town Hall, so we can begin the transition?”
“You still have a little bit left in your term, sir.”
“I would rather get the ball rolling so you’re fully prepared for the responsibilities of Shara County,” he replied with a strange and obtuse tone. It felt almost sinister to me. “So can I expect you here in the next 30 minutes?”
“Let me check my schedule,” I answered, trying to figure out an excuse to get out of going to Town Hall, much less actually be the Mayor. “Yeah, it looks–”
“So I can see you in 28 minutes?” he interrupted. “We have much to discuss and there is no better time than now to do it.”
“Okay, I can–,” I replied, trying to think of another way to get out of going there.
“That’s great, I shall see you in 27 minutes,” he continued before he hung up the phone. It meant I was now going to Town Hall.
—
The parking lot held one car as I gazed from my windshield at the aged, almost gothic structure that was strangely our Town Hall. I stepped out of my car and looked at the double doors, wondering if this would become a regular sight. Was I really going to be the mayor?
As I walked down the dimly lit hallway, its old tile a familiar sight in government buildings, I called out, “Hello?” Each step echoed through the space.
A door at the end of the hall swung open loudly, and a barely visible silhouette stood in the doorway, too dark to make out. “I see you made it,” the voice reverberated across the hall. It was Mayor Drover.
“Hey Mayor Drover, so I came like you asked, but I still think it's a little early to start the transition.”
“It’s never too early.”
“Alright, I guess,” I replied as I continued to walk towards the Mayor. I realized I’d never really seen him before. He was a shorter man with very deep eyes that showed signs of exhaustion. His posture was slouched as he extended his hand.
“Congratulations, Mayor-Elect,” he replied, shaking my hand with a limp grip. As he guided me through the door to a descending staircase, he added, “So let’s go over a couple of things.”
“Listen, I wrote myself in as a joke,” I said, looking down to see the darkness deepening as we descended further. “I don’t think I’m Mayor material.”
“Nonsense, democracy has spoken!”
“I won by two votes.”
“Well, there were only two people who voted for Mayor.”
“Oh, that’s kind of weird.”
“Well, the voter has spoken,” he responded, beginning to walk down the stairs. I paused, trying to process everything that had happened. “So are you coming or not?”
I relented, for whatever reason, and began to follow him down. As I descended further, I had to ask, “So am I really going to be the Mayor?” He turned his head and gave me a smile that sent chills down my spine.
“Being the Mayor of Shara County is quite the responsibility.” “Yeah, and like I said, it was pretty much a joke.” “The office of Mayor in Shara County is no joke, Mayor-Elect.”
“That’s what I’m saying, Mayor Drover,” I explained as the darkness deepened the further we went. But Mayor Drover remained silent, making me feel even more uneasy. “So can we do like one of those Florida recount things?”
“Sure, we can do that!” he exclaimed as we finally reached the bottom. A narrow hallway with a stone floor contrasted the tile from before. The hall led to a pair of oversized wooden doors.
“So we’re going to do the recount?”
“Absolutely! We can do it right now!”
“How are you going to do that here?”
“You voted for yourself, right?” he said, starting to walk toward the oversized doors. “So that’s one of the two votes.”
“As a joke, which I keep on saying!”
“I voted for you, too,” he replied as he stopped in front of the doors. “Probably shouldn’t have bragged about it to your friends; word gets around fast in a small town.”
“Wait, why would you vote for me?” “Because I’m tired, Mr. Mayor-Elect,” he said as he began to push the doors open.
“I’ve been the keeper of the town’s secret for over twenty years.”
“What are you talking about?” I said as I heard the wind begin to blow violently from the doors. “The secret?”
“Our town is the home of an old god,” he answered. “The old god demands the blood of the leader when a new leader is chosen.”
“So why would you want a new leader?” I asked, as I watched a large hand appear from the door, slowly moving to Mayor Dover. As he smiled at me one last time, while the giant fingers wrapped around him.
“Because politics is exhausting.”