Роберт Уилсон - Days Since... - Thomas - Day 758

“What about the other one?”

“Not your concern.”

Thomas looked over to James. “Can I have his? Just…”

“I can’t. Sorry. Take your time with yours. It should be enough news to process. You don’t need to know any more than that.”

Blaine left Thomas’s side, moving toward the center of camp. Thomas flipped the envelope over. My next assignment. He picked at the black wax that sealed its contents from tampering—from unprivileged eyes. Inside, a typed letter.

Soldier:

It pleases me to be the first to congratulate you on your promotion to Soldier. As you know, this will be a life changing event for you and your family. This should be considered your greatest accomplishment. However, with it comes a great responsibility to care for those within the Second Alliance and those noble people that reside within our region that have yet to realize the strength of our banner. Whenever duty calls you forth, you will respond effectively, efficiently, and without mercy for those who stand against us. I know you will not fail. It’s not in you to do so.

I know you must be eager to learn of your next assignment. In the very brief amount of time I have known of you, there have only ever been positive remarks about your abilities. I have requested that you join me in my next endeavor in expanding our influence throughout the region. I have been tasked with overseeing the transition of River’s Edge Academy on the west side of Cincinnati. This is no simple task. They have been spoiled with an ideology that runs contrary to many of our most basic principles. To put it bluntly, conflict with the natives is anticipated due to this difference in philosophies, and you are tasked with ensuring matters do not get out of hand.

Once River’s Edge Academy has fallen into an obedient frame of mind, you will be entitled to bring your immediate family and one individual you feel is trustworthy and deserving of the opportunities that come with the honor of being a Soldier. You will report for duty within the week. Specific tasks will be discussed once you arrive.

Again, congratulations. I look forward to having you in my command.

Thomas pored over the details again. This is it. Everything I’ve been working toward. I got it. But— James… He looked to Blaine just as he pitched the second envelope into the fire. It caught. A quick rise in the flame that took unknown words from the world. I couldn’t have done this without you, man.

“We need to stack these bodies up!” Blaine shouted. “Once we’re finished here, we can leave.”

The Soldiers left the warmth of their fire and began sorting through the remains. Wrists and ankles were held within their grips before being tossed on top of one another. Limp arms and legs intertwined in a heap. Faces peering through the tangle. Thomas found himself affixed to their eyes, counting the sets that stared back.

“Scotty…” he spoke under his breath. Stop caring, damn it. These people made their choice. They were too selfish or too blind to see what we offered them. Anyone steps out of line this will be their fate. I owe it to James to ensure we don’t lose another. Thomas gripped the tent once more, covering James with it while saying his last good-bye. I’m going to make sure they take care of you. A proper burial and everything.

Not wanting to leave James alone, Thomas waved Riley to the truck to maintain watch. He had one last thing on his mind.

Atop the short hill, the corpse remained hanging, eyes bulging, discolored from the pockets of blood that settled above the noose—the face unrecognizable. No one had bothered to relieve the tree of its burden.

It wasn’t as if the man truly deserved the consideration. It was simply that this entire travesty needed to be laid to rest—full closure for the Butcher’s camp—a way to ensure this mission could truly be completed.

He withdrew his knife and flipped the blade, but as he neared, he thought better of cutting him down. Never waste rope. Thomas turned back toward Blaine. The pile of bodies had nearly been stacked whole, and a few of the Soldiers stood without work, chatting with the newly-freed women. “I need someone up here!” Thomas shouted.

“I got ya!” Krenshaw waved the others off as he started toward him.

Thomas couldn’t help but wonder if this man or the woman had told the truth. Although the man’s intentions with the woman were troubling, could the mere accusation be considered absolute truth at face value? What if it truly was an honest reaction? Regardless, death under these circumstances was not proportionate to the crime. The world could only be restored with law and order but only if served appropriately.

Thomas took hold of the legs and lifted the body, relieving the tension on the rope. “What do you need me to do?” Krenshaw asked.

“I’ll hold him up. I just need you to loosen the rope, and we’ll carry him down to the pile.”

Krenshaw obliged, taking hold of the noose while feeding the slack through the knot. Thomas twisted the body, wresting the head from the noose, and with the help of his partner, they eased him to the ground. Each took an end and carried the man toward the pile, ultimately tossing him in with the others. The two of them gave each other an earnest nod.

“Now that has got to be the last one,” Riley said.

“Is it?” Thomas surveyed camp, looking for any known tasks that had not been completed. “Looks like it. Did they get the ones from the outposts too?”

“The last two bodies we dropped off.”

“Ready?” Blaine held a can of gasoline within his hand, his eyebrows perked. “You want the honors?” He offered it to Thomas.

“Leave them.”

Blaine’s head cocked sideways, his eyebrows scrunched up as he looked to Thomas for clarification.

“They don’t deserve anything close to humane. Let the birds pick them over. Leave it as a warning to the others. Anyone who comes in here once we leave will know that this shit isn’t acceptable. Make people know there are consequences for doing this. Let them spread that warning.”

Blaine thought for a moment, crossing his arms, looking to the pile. He sneered then turned back to Thomas. “It’s in poor taste.”

“That seems only suitable for what this place was.”

The Soldiers nodded.

Blaine eyed the camp. “Are those trucks loaded up?” he shouted toward the Soldiers unpacking the disabled U-Haul. A thumbs up from one of the men working along with two others. Blaine smiled. “You know what…?” His smile stretched a bit further. “A message would be well served in this circumstance. We’ll let them rot.”

The women were called down from the gazebo and shuffled into the back end of the crescent formation of Soldiers surrounding Blaine and Thomas. Blaine addressed everyone, laying out instructions and the expectations that went with them. Thomas caught very little of the spiel as his thoughts wandered through the excitement of his new assignment.

We made it Joseph. Kate. It’s only a matter of time before life gets better for us. Better quarters. Better food. It’s not going to be immediate, but once we get there, it’s going to be so much better. I can’t wait to see your faces.

Blaine finished his speech, and Thomas broke for the truck.

“Is that it?” Cindy came from behind him. “Nothing else? Just going to hop in the pickup and leave?”

“I—” Thomas thought for a moment. “What else is there?”

“You didn’t feel it?”

Thomas smiled.

“I knew you did.” She took his hand. “You knew all along that you were going to save us, didn’t you?”

“I hoped it would end up this way.”