Ballot Boxes Strapped in Municipal Van Trunk

Deep blue floodlights from the government building above cast the open trunk of a municipal van into sharp silhouette against the early spring evening. Several cardboard ballot boxes sit tightly packed inside, secured with thick black straps that cut across their surfaces. Behind the vehicle, wet posters cling stubbornly to metal barriers, their paper swollen with recent rain and reflecting the city lights beginning to glow in the distance. The asphalt beneath the van gleams with a thin layer of moisture, mirroring the harsh white beams overhead. Dark shadows pool around the tire treads while the interior of the trunk remains a void of black shapes. A loose strap end hangs low, its frayed edge catching a faint glint of light.