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Sean, Randy, Caleb, Damian, and Brody sat in the grass a small distance from the stage with Pastor Dan and a handful of other leaders from the local churches, watching the trials taking place. After some discussion it turned out that Pastor Dan was the only head pastor still alive or residing in town. Randy and Sean told them that they would be left in charge for the next week till elections were held to replace the mayor, city council, and sheriff. They staunchly refused, especially Pastor Dan, which is why Randy told them "that is exactly why it must be you." The trials went on for nearly two hours with multiple other people coming forward to tell of crimes and brutality committed at the hands of Mr. Andrews and his men. Brody had gone first, going into more detail of the terrible conditions the victims were found in. Charlie had testified against Mr. Andrews in regards to many orders he was given including the raiding of the store house, but insisted that he didn't know Travis intended to kill any deputies in the raid. In a moment that surprised everyone, Charlie had dropped a bombshell during his testimony and said that Travis had let slip that Sheriff Branson had known about the raid as well. That brought a renewed wave of whispering among the crowd. Lastly, he had pleaded ignorance to the condition of the women that were found in Mr. Andrews’s basement. Mike had testified to the same. Earlier, Sean had briefly spoken on behalf of Charlie and Mike, not to exonerate their crimes, but to inform the jurors of their assistance the previous two days. For the first time in over twenty-four hours, Mr. Andrews had the dirty sock removed from his mouth and was pulled before the town. When asked if he would like to explain his actions, he had refused to speak and just stood there defiantly.
Nearly the entire town stayed during the trial, and once the jurors retreated to the city building to deliberate, the humming of voices picked back up. The crescendo of whispering grew louder and louder to the point that the original humming sound became a roar as the townspeople discussed and debated the things they had heard. Without any warning, the people grew hushed as the twelve jurors climbed the steps of the platform. A gangly looking older man walked up to the podium with a piece of paper in his hands, which he nervously unfolded.
"We find all three prisoners guilty of the crimes they have been accused." The murmuring of the crowd instantly picked up until the man raised his hands, asking for quiet. "We find Mr. Andrews guilty of murder, rape, and child abuse as well as many other lesser crimes against our town and his fellow man. Immediately following this trial, we sentence him to die by way of hanging on his own gallows that he had built. God rest his soul." His punishment didn’t surprise Sean, but the way the man was speaking definitely did. He had obviously watched a lot of court movies in the past with the way he phrased things. "Charles Sullivan and Michael Peterson, we find you guilty of kidnapping and looting. We also find you liable and partially responsible for the death of three of our deputies as well as helping Mr. Andrews keep the atrocities he was committing hidden from view. Your assistance in the freeing of these women does not absolve you of your crimes. We do not feel that execution is warranted; however, we do not have the spare food to keep you imprisoned for the next twenty-five years. Our judgment is that you will be immediately taken and thrown off the First Street Bridge into the icy river waters. You will be given no supplies, aid, or comfort. If either of you survive and return to this town or immediate vicinity, you will be shot on sight. If you survive the river, with no way to protect yourselves on the open road and no means of acquiring or producing food or fresh water, we are placing you into the hands of nature’s god and will allow him to determine your fate.
"Sheriff Branson, please step forward." There was some murmuring starting again and Sean saw the look of concern on Branson's face as he slowly climbed the stairs to the stage. "Sheriff Branson, we also find you liable and partially responsible for the deaths of three of your own deputies as well as aiding Mr. Andrews in his crimes against this town. It was your responsibility as our town’s sheriff to protect and serve us and you have failed miserably."
Sheriff Branson tried to speak up and defend himself but the man cut him off yelling over him. "Sheriff Branson, please wait till I am finished. I realize that you were given no opportunity to defend yourself. I recommend you hold quiet and hear the ruling of our group before you ruin the olive branch we are prepared to extend to you. If you would like to explain yourself then and request a trial, we will give you that privilege, but if you do that, our offer is off the table." Branson nodded his agreement and shut his mouth to hear what was said. "While we were prepared to offer you the same fate as Charlie and Mike, that would also be a punishment to Sarah Burgeon who has been through enough tragedy for one lifetime. As she has no other family in town due to her two brothers being killed by Travis and Mr. Andrews, we are prepared to spare you only for her sake. You will be held in a prison cell until she has recuperated enough to travel. At which time you will be given food, supplies and your choice of weapons and ammo in order to escort her back to her family's farm.
“As with Charlie and Mike, you are also barred from this town or the immediate area and will be shot on site if you return. Sarah, however, will always be welcome here... if she so chooses to return. Now, if you do not agree to those terms, we will be happy to hold a trial for you as well. You will be given the opportunity to defend yourself but others will also be given the opportunity to come forward and present grievances against you. Sheriff Branson, I will leave the final decision up to you. On the other hand, I firmly suggest you take the opportunity we are giving you." Sheriff Branson nodded his head in agreement. "Deputy Richard, please handcuff and escort the former sheriff to a holding cell and keep watch on him till you are relieved." Richard stepped forward uncomfortably and did as he was told, leading the distraught Branson away.
"Under discussion with various members of the community, I was told to announce that we will be holding elections by paper ballot on Saturday, one week from today at first light. We will be electing a mayor, a five member city council, and a new sheriff. Tomorrow at noon, any individual who has an interest in running for any of the offices will be allowed thirty minutes on stage to articulate why they are running for office. This Friday evening, each candidate will also be allowed another thirty minute speech the day before the election. In the interim, Pastor Dan, Assistant Pastor Robbie, Deacon Kent, Deacon Troy, and Bishop Anthony have been volunteered against their wishes to handle any major decisions that need addressed. Brody from the neighboring community has volunteered to act as Sheriff in the interim and we are happy to have his former military Special Forces experience to help increase the town’s defenses and coordinate our security." Sean looked over at Brody curiously who just smiled back and looked away. Sean figured it had something to do with Beth Ann staying in town for the time being. "Their authority will only be recognized for the next week. The various individuals making this recommendation do not have the authority to mandate this, so we are going to have a vote of hands for the interim governing body. All those opposed?" Only a few dozen people raised their hands. "All those for?" Half of the town raised their hand in support, leaving Sean to wonder that even under the present circumstances, nearly a third of the population didn't vote even though it would have a direct impact on their daily lives. "The motion is passed.
"Next, to the group of men who risked their lives to bring these men to justice, please step forward." Sean looked at Brody, Caleb, Damian, and Randy, who just shrugged. Andrew was still behind the stage helping guard the three prisoners. They all climbed onto the stage except for Darren, Luke, and Beth Ann who were at the church with the rescued girls. "We want to formally thank you for what you have done and let you know that should your community need anything, we would be happy to assist if we have the means to do so. I can assure you that your group will no longer be troubled by members or representatives from Tionesta." He stepped away from the podium and shook each of their hands as did the other eleven jurors who exited the stage to the applause of the crowd.
Sean hesitated for a few moments, building up some courage before stepping forward to the podium once more. "People of Tionesta, this is a good day for your town even though it does not make your future any easier. I challenge each and every one of you to come out and vote next week. You must get involved in your community if you intend to survive this dark time in our nation's history. The days of sitting on the sidelines and letting other people pick up the slack are over. Each man must earn his keep. Every one of you has a God-given ability or talent that you must begin to cultivate and apply. It is going to be enormously difficult, but I believe this town can make it. I also implore you to elect honorable people first and foremost before smooth talkers. As we have seen time and time again in the past, our country would elect well-spoken candidates to represent us in Washington, D.C., only for them to be corrupted by politics and power. I beg you to attend every candidate's speech and spend time seriously considering and praying for guidance in electing the next leaders of your town.
"You might be under the impression that Mr. Andrews’s way of handling things worked. You could sit back and let someone else provide you with the food and sustenance needed to survive. What you did not see is the devastated countryside he left behind. He was running out of options, which is why he was forced to try and raise an army to loot our peaceful yet well-fortified community. Upon entering town, we passed a greenhouse next to a few small fields and yards that were full of growing crops. I can assure you that it won’t be nearly enough to get the entire town through a tough winter. Instead of stealing from the local farmers that remain and turning them against you, I suggest you reach out to them and use their expertise and knowledge to grow more food for this town. You have the ability to help them provide security for their fields at night while offering them the man power to help them grow larger crops in their fields than they could have on their own.”
Sean stood silent for a minute, not sure what to say next. He felt very uncomfortable having hundreds of people just staring at him and never enjoyed the limelight. He preferred a quiet life but felt compelled to try and encourage this group of people that looked so depressed and defeated. “This great country was founded by hard men! Men willing to cut trails across the Great Divide, fight to defend what was theirs, and work in the fields from sun up till sun down—all to provide a new life for their families. Our country has become rich, fat, and lazy. People were willing to sit by idly and live off another’s labor and success and the politicians praised this as charity and welfare when in fact we were raising up generations of lazy, selfish people unable to provide for themselves, let alone their families. If you haven’t figured it out by now, those days are over. If this country is to rebuild, we will once again need to be those hard and determined men and women who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. I don’t know how long this is going to last or how long we will be on our own, but we must work together if we are to survive! I am sure that there are probably dark days down the road, just as I am sure that our best days are still ahead of us, not behind. We have the ability to rebuild this country as it was originally founded based on freedom, liberty, individual God-given rights, and pulling yourself up by the bootstraps when things get tough. Hold tight to the things that matter: family, friends, honor, integrity, and perseverance and never give up or give in.
“This country may have been dealt a devastating blow, but in time we will rebuild it, just as we have done throughout the history of our great nation. My hope is that in the years ahead, this town will become a beacon of light for the surrounding area—the ‘shining city upon a hill’ our forefathers envisioned. Our community will be praying for your success and safety and I’m sure our paths will cross again soon, but next time as neighbors and friends, not enemies.” He stepped back from the podium as people began to applaud and a few cheers rang out, causing his cheeks to redden. Luckily the sun was scorching and most would think he was just hot.
Sean felt Randy brush past his shoulder and step forward to the podium. “Amazing grace... How sweet the sound... That saved a wretch like me....” Randy led the town in Amazing Grace and then the national anthem, and by the time he was done there wasn’t a dry eye to be seen. They left the stage and were uncomfortably greeted like celebrities with lots of people huddled around and shaking their hands. They stayed long enough to make sure of Mr. Andrews’s execution and Charlie and Mike’s banishment. Sean shared a sad moment with Charlie as he made eye contact with Sean while being marched through the crowd towards the bridge. Sean shouldered his way alongside him and gave Charlie a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he stealthily slid his small New Testament bible into Charlie’s front pants pocket. Sean had kept it in a Ziploc bag in his pack for years and had made the decision a few minutes before to give it up. Charlie and Mike had a tough road ahead and Sean hoped it may give them some hope and guidance.
They said their good-byes to the interim leaders as well as to Brody, who promised he would be home in a week with Darren and Beth Ann if she decided to come back. Sean smiled and winked at Brody while nodding his head toward Beth Ann who had her back turned. Brody blushed and then just shrugged his shoulders. Sean gave him a quick friendly hug and then boarded the hay wagon with the rest of the group. They rolled out of town with one of the deputies at the wheel so he could drive the tractor back to the town. A couple more deputies rode in the back for extra protection. Sean relaxed for the first time in two days and leaned back against a bale of straw and let his eyes close. For a moment, the scratchy feeling and the sweet smell of the straw filled his senses and he felt like he was twelve again, back on his grandfather’s farm. Sean thought about his family he left behind and said a quiet prayer for their safe keeping. It was a short and uneventful ride and suddenly they were nearing home. The alarm sounded as they came around the bend headed towards the front gate.
Damian unlocked the gate and moments later, their loved ones and neighbors came pouring out of the tree line to greet them. Maria waddled across the field, slowly falling behind the others and Sean ran out to meet her. He gently swept her up in a big hug, being careful not to squeeze her fully grown belly too hard. “We were all so worried, I almost died. Don’t you ever scare me like that again!” she scolded him. “You said you’d be back last night?”
“So we thought, Babe, so we thought,” Sean apologized.
“So... did you get him?” she asked seriously. “Did you find Beth Ann and Butch’s wife? What about Luke’s daughter?”
“Yeah, we got him. Things got a little crazy, but at the same time we couldn’t have asked for a better outcome. We found Beth Ann, Luke’s daughter, and Butch’s wife and spent the night at Mr. Andrews’s retreat after his capture. This morning we went to town putting him before a jury where he was found guilty and executed. There are a lot of other details as well, but I imagine we’ll go over those this evening with the group. To be honest with you, I’m exhausted and just want to get some sleep,” Sean said tiredly.
“Okay, babe. Let’s get you to bed then.” Maria slid her arm around his waist and they turned back towards the retreat. Sean looked over his shoulder as his friends were also greeting their family members. He saw Luke’s wife on her knees holding their daughter tight and tears streaming down both their faces. Sean smiled pleasantly at their reunion and the fact that they were able to rescue the young girl before anything truly terrible had happened to her. Sean pushed his rifle behind his back so he could reach over with his other hand and rub his wife’s thirty-seven week belly.
“How’s my boy doing?” Another two more weeks and they would have a family of their own.
ONE WEEK FOLLOWING the group’s return, Sean sat before a great feast spread out in front of him. He couldn’t remember being so happy since the lights went out, or maybe even a long time before that. The previous day, Maria had gone into labor a week early. Luckily it was only a few hours after Darren and Brody had returned from town. In the excitement, Sean hadn’t even had time to inquire as to the elections that were supposed to be held that morning. It had been an exhausting and stressful day for Sean watching the birth of his baby boy. With no epidural and only a few Percocet, it had been really hard on Maria. But that was yesterday. Today was Memorial Day, and he was the proud father of a one-day-old little boy, and a wife who was recovering rapidly. In celebration of the new addition to the group and Memorial Day, their community had come together and prepared a great feast of food. Sean couldn’t imagine things getting any better.
Randy and Emily sat to Sean’s left and Damian was to his right while across the table from him sat Brody, who had been acting strangely since his return. On multiple occasions since his return the day before, Brody had just looked at Sean and started laughing. Every time Sean tried to question Brody on what was so funny, Brody would just shrug and say, “You’ll find out soon enough.” Sean just figured it had something to do with Beth Ann and was happy for their budding relationship.
Sean’s sister Allison approached and sat down in the empty seat next to Brody. “Maria’s awake. She wants you to bring her a plate when you’re finished. She said to make sure she gets some turkey before it’s all gone.”
“Okay, kiddo. Thanks for checking on them. I better get her a plate together now before it’s too late.” Sean looked at his sister and smiled, happy that he had brought her with them what seemed like a lifetime ago.
Just as the great meal was wrapping up, the alarm went off signaling someone was approaching the front gate that wasn’t a threat. Sean walked up to the gate with Brody, Randy and Damian to meet the small procession from Tionesta with Pastor Dan standing out front. Sean reached his hand through the gate to shake the pastor’s hand. “How is your group making out on this fine Memorial Day?” Pastor Dan asked warmly.
“Well, we haven’t got the Direct TV working yet, so I reckon we’re going to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year.” Pastor Dan and the others laughed at Sean’s joke. “How are you making out in town? Did the elections go okay?”
“Oh yes, the elections went really well.” Pastor Dan laughed again. Sean wasn’t sure what was so funny about that though. “It was a unanimous decision for mayor with over ninety percent of the votes.”
“Oh yeah?” Sean said, surprised at the turnout. Even still, he didn’t wish that job on his worst enemy. “Who’s the unlucky guy?”
“You are,” Dan smiled.
Sean waited for him to laugh it off, but Pastor Dan just stood there and raised his eyebrows quizzically. “Oh, hell no!” Sean exclaimed loudly while laughing in disbelief. There was no way he would want that kind of responsibility. “You couldn’t pay me enough to take that job. Pastor Dan, effective as of yesterday morning, I'm officially turning in my resignation!”
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The End