There was a Class-4 shelter several paces along on the left. He rushed to it and pressed the High Official's key to the square. A dim red light glowed through the plastic of the key. Full.
He pounded on the panel. Of course it was soundproof. Of course the shelter was full of wise Civil Servants. Only the fumble-fingered and the feeble-witted, only the chaff....
The People came pouring around the corner as Glen backed toward the end of the corridor. A stone sang past him and smashed through the window. Another caught him in the ribs. He backed faster, now completely blinded by tears. The growl of hatred from the mob grew louder. A heavy blow struck his collarbone and he lurched backward. His knees caught, and then he was flipping over. Out and down.
He sailed through the air.
The pressure of the mob was gone. There was no time to think. There was just an exhilarating sense of flight, of space, of freedom.
Editorial from the Albany Evening Star:
A MOST SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE'S DAY
People's Day is over again. For four more years peace and order reign over the land.
We feel that this year's Day was one of the most successful in history. The damage seemed to be substantially less than usual. Among those no longer with us are: