Chapter 53: The Past

“I can’t believe it has happened,” a younger Coolidge whispered, looking over her deceased child, “I just can’t believe it has happened…”

From then on, Coolidge lived life in a daze; wandering aimlessly from place to place, barely keeping herself together.

After some time, Coolidge found herself shuffling mindlessly through the streets of Chicago. She walked forward, not looking ahead of herself as she bumped into a policeman by the convention hall.

“Hey!” the officer shouted, raising Coolidge by the collar. “What was that for?”

Coolidge said nothing in reponse.

“You some wise guy, huh?” the cop asked, but Coolidge remained silent, her eyes staring through the man.

The cop gritted his teeth, then slapped Coolidge across the face.

Instinctively, Coolidge’s body reacted to the cop’s strike by grabbing hold of his arms and slamming him to the ground. Coolidge stared blankly at the unconscious man, then looked to see a woman standing beside her.

“Wowie!” a young Wanda Harding called with a light applause. “I was about to help you out of that pickle, but it seems you…”

Coolidge turned around and walked away without bothering to wait for Harding to finish.

“Hold your horses, friend!” Harding shouted, running in front of Coolidge. “I know what I’m about to say will make me seem a little looney, but I was wondering if you’d be interested in joining with my Party? We’re in the middle of recruiting season, see, and I can tell you’ve got a fine spirit and a conservative trend of thought in you!”

Coolidge stared at Harding. Normally she would have left by now, but something about Harding drew Coolidge to her.

“And I ought to warn you,” Harding continued, unphased by Coolidge’s silence, “if you’re looking to join with a Party that has lofty, utopian goals like world peace or the end of human suffering, then we ain’t the place for you. No, our Party is only interested in a singular, simple objective.”

Harding raised her hand, pointing to the watch on her wrist.

“We aim…to turn back the clock.”

“…turn back…?” Coolidge spoke for the first time since her son’s tragic death.

“Exact-alutely!” Harding replied with a smile. “We aim to go back: back to a time when our nation reigned supreme, when people could proudly declare themselves to be Americans! I for one am willing to sacrifice my entire being if it means returning to the glorious days of our past…”

Harding held out a hand in front of her.

“…what about you?”

Coolidge fell down onto her knees.

That’s it, she thought, The past! That’s what I’ve been searching for all this time! Of course I would sacrifice myself for that…I would sacrifice anything for that…

Coolidge rose up, gripping tightly Harding’s outstretched hand.

“I’m in!” she howled.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

In the present, Coolidge charged ahead, screaming as she smashed every zombie in reach of her staff.

A huge zombie stepped in front of her, blocking her path. She gave a quick spin of her staff, unleashing a flurry of blows before toppling the creature with a single, heavy swing across its torso.

Madison furrowed her brow in the stands.

“Coolidge isn’t acting like herself…it seems Arthur’s ploy has taken quite the toll on her psyche.”

“Forget about her psyche, baby!” Monroe exclaimed, “Look at her legs!”

Coolidge took another step forward in the arena, then collapsed to the ground. She looked down, widening her eyes as she took in the sight of her feet.

Her skin was a vile green, dark black veins ran up and down her legs, and her toes had swollen something fierce.

Across the arena, Arthur smiled to himself.

“Executive Power,” he muttered, “Spoils System; Corruption!”

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Coolidge’s Flashback II. This part of the flashback is based a lot less in reality. Callie Coolidge striking a police officer is a reference to Calvin Coolidge artfully managing a police strike as governor of Massachusetts, which is what rose him up to national prominence. Other lies include that Warren Harding didn’t particularly advocate for making Calvin Vice President, and Calvin wasn’t depressed during this time (since in particular, his son wouldn’t die until after he became President).