by T A Williams
Jack had been a part of his family. Every person that lived on the same ground where his loved ones rested were his family. His father and Joseph had been taken from him, and he had lost Ally and Ben. He had to take care of the people that were here and build a place where Ally and Ben would be safe if he was ever able to find them. In order to do that he was going to have to make tough choices.
Alec got up and walked through the meadow towards the house. Waiting there was Trevor. The man’s eyes were red and worry lines were evident on his face.
“You don’t have to do this, you shouldn’t do this.”
Alec kept walking and Trevor matched him stride for stride.
“Alec do you hear me? This will change you, this will change this place.”
Alec finally stopped and met his gaze. He could see the struggle in Trevor’s face. This was a man who would always do the good thing because he was convinced it was the right thing. He wasn’t able to make the hard choice.
“We voted.” was all Alec said.
Trevor opened his mouth to say something else but Alec had already begun walking away towards the basement of the house.
The council had taken another vote. Trevor voted again to banish Clive. Freddie and Malcolm voted to kill him. Jack had not been there to tie it up this time but Alec could have. He didn’t. If he had made the tough choice the first time, then Jack would still be there. Jack may have been disappointed by his decision then, he may even have been mad at him, but he would have been alive.
In the basement, Clive sat on his knees, tied up. The skeleton of a man had his head down and looked defeated. Freddie stood over him with a gun in hand. He met Alec’s eyes calmly.
“I can do this.”
“I know you can,” Alec said. “But I should. This is my home, Jack was my friend and I made the choice that got us here.”
Freddie just stood there in silence.
“Bring him out back.”
Freddie put his arm under Clive’s armpit and easily lifted the man up and walked him out through the garage. Clive didn’t lift his head up, he didn’t say anything.
Outside many of the others stood outside their homes watching. Some of their faces showed anger, some pity, while others were nothing more than blank masks hiding the emotions that swirled within them.
They walked out far away from the settlement and into a heavy wooded area where the trees would block what was about to happen. Freddie dropped Clive to the ground where the man fell to his knees and began to cry.
Freddie once again turned to Alec who waved him away. “I’ll be right over here” he said instead and walked over to the edge of the woods.
Alec walked around to the front of Clive. The broken man raised his head and looked at him. Tears poured from his eyes and snot ran from his noise.
“I…..I don’t know why.”
The world had gone black and everything that Alec had known had been destroyed or taken away from him. Years ago, it felt more like decades now, he had been just another kid. His father had not been there for him but the same could be said for a lot of families. Then his mother had died, he had thought the world had ended then, but then it actually had. Joseph was taken away, his father was taken away, Ally had been stolen from him, and Ben had left. Alec was different now, whether he wanted to be or not.
“I….I think I might be sick.” Clive said through sobs.
“Yes, you are.” Alec said kindly. There had never been any doubt about that.
“I…didn’t……I’m sorry.”
Alec raised the gun and pointed it at the man. To protect the ones he loved, he had to be able to make the hard decisions.
“So am I.” Alec said
And then he pulled the trigger.
About The Author
T.A. Williams is the author of the After The Event Series (After The Event, The Remnants, and Innocence Lost). He lives in middle-America, USA with his wife and son.
http://www.TheTAWilliams.com