Well, they've been arguing off and on for pretty much the whole day now, sunset is coming and I'm not sure we're any more close to a resolve than when we started the day. There's a lull in the conversation so I've decided to take the opportunity to jot some things down. A number of them have even taken a break to eat some food. I've had a kettle of pork & beans stewing since lunch, and the lot of them brought a mixture of day-old breads loafs, apples, carrots, and few other odd-ends for snacking to hold them over for the long day (I told them no one was going home until we figured out what to do and to bring what they might need accordingly.) Everyone has been welcome to, and some have, help themselves and eat as it's suited them as the day has gone on.
Things started off a little slow for a while into the late morning. Everyone was pretty stand offish and didn't have much to say, which was not really surprising, as I think most of us were still processing what happened.
Despite some tensions and a few heated moments, everyone is getting along quite well and I'm pleased with that.
There have been a good number of points where I feel like real progress is being made and that everyone is invested, engaged, being peaceful and reasonable, and working together like I've asked them to. Then at other points I feel like resolving this situation is utterly hopeless. There have been a couple times that I thought some were going to resort to violence, but thankfully it seems like it won't actually ever come to that. It is just a bunch of hot words and posturing as far as I see.
Everyone seems to be getting tired and things are calming down and we'll probably decide to resume discussions tomorrow and I'll just keep Henry hidden for another night. Hell, I'll keep him hidden as many nights as it takes, he can wait it out if it comes to that.
I'm going to take this opportunity to take a little break from my current duty of overseeing this meeting and go handle some "duty" of my own. They'll fill me in on any pertinent conversation that happens while I'm gone. I shouldn't be more than 15 minutes.
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Oh dear! Oh my oh me, oh dear!!! I was so wrong... I can't believe it came to...this...
I shouldn't have left them alone! DAMNIT!
As far as I can tell, while I was out and out of earshot, things got...bad...
. I was on my way back, feeling relaxed after dropping the load off and having a nice whistle to myself, and I turned the corner to bring my house in to view like I've done hundreds of times before...except this time...
This time everyone I had gathered was outside in a scattered circle. Right away something seemed off - I cut-off my whistling. It seemed like they were all standing around something - they all turned to me as I rounded the corner and my whistling came within their earshots. I couldn't quite tell at first what was going on and I approached them all a bit on-guard. Had someone choked on a stale biscuit?
Then I saw blood and someone stepped aside (I don't even remember who), and I saw what they'd done.
"What have you done!?" I screamed at them as shock hit me. Earl was laying there in a bloody pile. His head severed at the neck and laying not a foot away from his body. Someone had taken a broad axe from my large tool closet and in one swift stroke --- just like a butchered pig.
I can't believe they did this. I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.
"What have you done?!" I screamed at them again. The length of time between the first time and this second was a blur of surreal terror, but it couldn't have been but a few brief moments. More organized murder, this time right outside my own home, a place which has always been of serenity and comfort for me.
Almost50 stood there with the axe in their hands. "We decided to hold a vote while you were out at the outhouse," they explained. "We figured there was no other way to resolve the issue, and we knew you didn't want to be part of such a thing. We respectfully waited until you were gone so that you had no choice in the matter. I may have dealt the killing stroke, but we all had our hand in agreeing to reach a decision in this way. Say what you will about it, but we stand by it."
I didn't know what to say to them. "I wish you'd all have just told me this is was what you wanted to do, I might have come around to it, or been able to find a better way!"
"There was no 'better way'" someone countered.
"It had to be done" added another.
Things had certainly been heated between them all - at points to where I thought an open melee might just break out between them, but I honestly didn't think it would result in anything more than a bunch of thrown punches and received bruises.
I asked them, "Tell me, what has killing Earl achieved? Are any of you any closer to discovering who is responsible for the plot to take over the Jenkis property? Tell me, at the end of the day, what have you learned from his death?"
