Dark Dreams Read Free

her friend and her friend’s future: would Sofia’s move into politics benefit Sofia?
    “You’ve never talked to me before about wanting to be a politician.”
    “Jana, what I’ve been doing over the last years is political.”
    “Wrong,” said Jana. “Now you’re your own master. You don’t have to answer to the voters. You don’t have to kowtow to a political party. You don’t have to consider expediency and make compromises.”
    “Jana, I’ve examined all the arguments for and against.”
    “That’s the right start.”
    “I’ll tell you something I’ve never told even you. This has always been my secret dream. I pushed it back into a corner of my mind. I never thought that I could get there. Inside, I always see a powerless person in my mirror. How could a powerless woman become a member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic? How could I become a person who people look up to? That Sofia in my mirror could never be a member of parliament. Then, like a gift from the gods, it’s offered to me on a silver platter.”
    “If the party wins.”
    “Why shouldn’t the party win? This regime of criminals is ready to crumble. The people are turning against it. I can help the slate. They want the people to know that there are reformers in the party. I’ve been working for Transparency; I’m well known as a speaker for truth, so I’m perfect for them. It is a great fit.”
    Jana sighed. “The opposition, the newspapers, all the media, will look for everything and anything that they can use against you, not only during the election but all the while you hold office. You’ll have no privacy. The people who voted for you will demand your attention; everyone will be ready to criticize, and to criticize unfairly.” Jana was trying to lay it on as thick as possible so Sofia would realize what she was getting into. “There’ll be blame heaped on you for both what you do wrong and what you didn’t manage to get done and, in reality, couldn’t be expected to do. You’ll only have brief moments of love from the voters, and lots of moments of anger and rejection.” Jana finally ran down. “Can you face that?”
    Sofia did not even bother to reflect.
    “I am ready for anything and everything.” She threw back her head, raising her fists in the air in triumph. “It can all come, and I’ll survive it; I’ll eat it all up and lick my lips afterward.” Her arms came down. “Will you help your friend Sofia, Jana?”
    Jana responded to the plea as any good friend would have. “If you’re sure, then I’ll help.”
    Sofia began clapping her hands and jumping up and down in glee. “I knew you would approve; I knew you’d support me!!”
    The line moved forward. The two of them went into the café, picked up their trays, and moved to the serving line. There was a moment of silence as they ordered and the food was passed across the counter onto their trays. Sofia’s voice, when she spoke again, was more subdued, scarcely above a whisper.
    “The party has plans for a number of us to make a bicycle trip around the country, from city to city, village to village, talking directly to the people. They’ve asked me to participate, and I’ve agreed. I’ll be one of their major spokespersons. And we’ll change Slovakia for the better.”
    Jana winced at the thought of all the speeches, all the hand-shaking, and all the holding of babies as their mothers thrust them forward. “Not something I would want. But maybe it’s right for you. You were always daring.”
    Sofia giggled. “I can be both daring and good at the same time.”
    “Just remember the ‘good’ part,” Jana whispered back.
    After they paid, Sofia glanced around the room looking for a place to sit and eat. Her eyes stopped at a table where there was only one person. Even seated you could see that he was tall and dressed in a suit more expensive than the ordinary Slovak could afford, with a dark blue tie and a very white starched