Remembrance Day

[TeamXHawk]

They all slowly and patiently march in silence. It is the first time so many people have joined for such a cause. The line seems to be stretching for miles. A tall, well-built man is swiftly leading the way on the dusty uphill path. Behind him, a few diplomats only serve to emphasize his authoritarian demeanor. Here and there thoughtful people are carrying books, notes, pictures and other objects of remembrance.

Minutes later the marching stops and everyone comes back to their senses from the state of thoughtfulness. The ceremony is about to begin. Some whisper nervously, others carefully observe the preparations. A powerful voice thunders, requesting silence. The leader turned around, stood straight and took a deep breath: 'Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first annual Artists' Remembrance Day'. Every pair of eyes and ears is focused on the speaker. For every name mentioned there are a few proud smiles in the crowd and a few candles are lit. The air is slowly becoming thick with the smell of incense and intense pressure straps my chest as people are starting to push forward to close in to the man.

A short while later, the orator invites his listeners to present their tributes to the subjects of commemoration. Everybody carefully plants items under a rough, towering tree while some are saying a few memorable words. Whereas a man spreads dark passages of a novel to everyone, a woman offers me, amongst other people, a piece of chocolate made by the recipe of her famous defunct grandfather. The bittersweet taste was one step away from perfection assured me the man had lived up to his name.

Towards the end, emotions build up when the last speaker takes his turn. Afterwards, the crowd scatters, leaving heart-warming evidence of their presence behind. Dozens of faces stare blankly at me from the portraits while a melancholic breeze spreads the smell of flowers over the hill. I can still remember.

NOTE: It was part of my preparation for a writing contest (which is why it's kind of soft).
I had to describe 'a tradition that you wish your community had'. The description had to include all five senses, and this is what came out. Feel free to give constructive criticism.