Debut Fiction: 'Running From President' by Katy Tripp

Hudson gazed at a patch of sky through the grimy window of the community center. Cirrus clouds decorated the atmosphere above him, painting their pale broad strokes on a backdrop of blue. They looked so flimsy from where he sat, as delicate as the ice crystals that made them. He envied their lack of consciousness: if they knew how fragile they were, maybe they wouldn’t be so bold.

But they were just clouds.

Counting Hudson, fifteen out of sixteen members of the community’s Cloud Gazing Club were present—the sixteenth was Jensen, and he was always late. Hudson wondered if the older man would get there before Mara made her big announcement. Considering how many times she’d mentioned it in the past three months, Hudson couldn’t imagine that anyone would be surprised. Sure, Mara had been the club president for literal decades, but as she so frequently reminded him, nothing lasts forever. She was stepping down that day, and she had been clear that she wanted Hudson to take her place.

Mara may have made up her mind, but Hudson wasn’t so convinced. Since he’d left college two years ago, his life had been full of work and taking care of the house and keeping his mom company. Cloud Gazing Club was his escape and being president would ruin that. Of course, the only thing more daunting than taking charge was telling Mara that he didn’t want to.

Five minutes past the official meeting start time, Mara stood up to get things rolling.

Maybe, if Hudson left, he could avoid the whole thing. But then Mara would probably just wait until the next meeting, or the one after that, or however long it took him to stop running.

“As you all know,” Mara began, “I’m about as old as dirt.”

Then again, ducking out might be worth a try. Hudson braced himself to scoot his chair back as gently as possible, but Jensen slapped a hand on his shoulder before he could begin.

“Did I miss much?” the older man asked. “Hey, remind me to show you, I’ve got some great pictures of a lenticular formation I saw this weekend.”

“So I want Hudson to take my place,” Mara finished with a pointed glance at Jensen.

Hudson blinked. If he was made of ice particles, they were melting.

“Well, Hudson, you knew this was coming. What do you say?” Mara asked.

“I’m going back to college in the fall.” The words tumbled out of him and, though he didn’t remember making the decision, he knew he meant it.

Mara’s eyebrows shot up, but she composed herself quickly. “Well, I guess I’ll have to try again next year. Now then, we’re signed up to run the hydration booth at the annual 5k again.”

The meeting went on and Hudson mostly listened, though part of him was out in the atmosphere, making broad, feathery strokes in the pale blue sky, unconcerned with how easily they could disappear.