Michael’s Devils

Michael whispered something into his folded palm and then made a throwing gesture at the village. He was leaving the village along with his family as the land had been acquired for development. In fact, an adventure park was going to be constructed on the land.

The security guards at the gate stopped him. A huge wall was erected around the village with security guards at the gate after the land was acquired under the Land Acquisition Order promulgated hurriedly as soon as the new King was enthroned. One of the many mottoes of the King was: ‘Decisions are in; delays are out.’ Michael being lazy, his family was one of the last to be out of the village.

“Why did you curse?” asked one of the guards.

Michael looked at him in dismay. “I didn’t curse.”

“But you made the gesture of a curse.”

“That’s not a curse. It’s exorcism.” Michael explained that devils had started entering his soul from the time the guards and their bosses had taken over his village. He wished to leave the devils behind. “How can I carry your property with me?” He looked at the guard waiting for appreciation of his honesty.

In the meanwhile messages had been conveyed through radio phones and one of the bosses arrived. The boss looked like any of the numerous soldiers of the King who had already cleared 240 similar land acquisition projects within three months of the Coronation.

When so-called experts from organisations like Greenpeace warned that such projects would engender drastic climate changes, the King delivered a characteristically powerful speech. “Climate change?” asked the King. “Is this terminology correct? The reality is that in our family some people are old and they say the weather is colder. Old age and climate are not the best of friends.”

Soon Greenpeace was barred from receiving funds from abroad. Its license was suspended until its memory would be replaced with something else in the minds of people who cared about it. The King had already ordered out the Royal Board for Wildlife. Decisions are in. Delays are out. The Forest Conservation Act was decimated. Development is more important than forests, declared the King.

The boss refused to accept Michael’s exorcism. “We’ve already got evidence of your associations with witches,” said the boss. He flicked open a gadget and showed Michael kissing Viola the witch. “We arrest you for your unholy practices.”

When Michael was being carried to the Royal Incarceration, yet another Order was being promulgated by the King making astrology a mandatory subject in senior secondary school.

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