Chapter 29 – PTSD

Jake and the rest of the gang stood in a circle on the far side of the room. They were trying to figure out what to do with Edwin. Chloe was with them, standing with crutches made out of wood and pipe. Whenever she drifted her eyes over Jake, she quickly averted her gaze.

“What do we do with him?” Glenn was the first to speak.

“What do we do with him?” Lyle repeated like he couldn’t believe the question. “We need to punish him. Lock him in a room. Do something.”

“Because that went so well before,” Sloane said, motioning towards Edwin and the prisoner.

Lyle leaned in, angry. “Then what do you suggest, we just let him continue on like nothing happened and let everyone on the floor know that they can murder and get away with it?”

“Guys?” Glenn blinked and looked straight at Chloe, his eyes holding obvious suspicion. “Elepthant in the room? Are we sure Chloe didn’t stir up some mayhem?”

Chloe bristled. “I wouldn’t—”

Sloane scoffed and interrupted her. “Wouldn’t? Poor choice of words, there, Chloe.”

Chloe stood straight, about to defend herself. Arthur did that for her. “Again with this? Chloe was in her room the entire time. Stop throwing around accusations without hard proof, Sloane.”

“I can attest to that,” Lyle said, arms crossed.

“We need Edwin,” Jake finally spoke up. The others turned to him. “We’ve only gotten so far because of him. The formation. Strategy. His calm in dealing with sudden situations… Could you do any of that?”

Arthur shifted on the spot.

No one knew what to say. The answer was simple: no, they couldn’t. Jake was many things, but a leader wasn’t one of them, and they knew that.

“Do we know what even happened?” Chloe suddenly asked.

“Ptsd,” Claire answered. “He’s a veteran. I remember he had some problem with the police a few weeks ago, a sudden outburst. He was screaming at the time, acting like he was back on the frontlines in the middle of the hall. A lot of people were worried at the time.”

Damn. I don’t remember any of that. Maybe I should pay more attention when it comes to my neighbours… Yeah, no thanks.

“So he killed three people because he just lost it?” Glenn muttered. “He’s a nut.”

“He’s a murderer,” Lyle said, arms crossed. “And a loose cannon. He’s not fit to be with us. We need to lock him up before he hurts anyone else. I can’t believe we’re even discussing this.”

“The world isn’t as it used to be, Lyle,” Sloane said. “Edwin, regardless of his… mind, makes us stronger. If it weren’t for him, a lot of us would have most likely died by now. His plan in the Verdant Expanse—we couldn’t have come up with any of that on our own.”

Lyle frowned. “I’m not arguing. He needs to be punished, Sloane.”

“This isn’t black or white. We need the strongest of us to push up further. We need food, water. Everyone is already starting to come apart at the seams because we’re all hungry and thirsty and—”

“—Because we have murderers amongst us, or those who assault based on assumptions,” Lyle glared at Jake, his voice rising. “It’s obvious why we are falling apart at the seams, Sloane. We need punishments to fit the crime!”

Sloane didn’t back down. “What, you think we’re judges? Jury? This is a new world, Lyle. Get your head out of your ass! Everyone above and below us wants us dead. Dead!”

Lyle stepped closer. “And you think that reason is enough to have us murder and break each other?!”

“They were demons,” A sudden voice broke up Lyle and Sloane. They all turned to the new person who had entered the room. It was the Father.

“They were demons,” he repeated. “They deserved to die.”

“What are you—”

Lyle wasn’t given a chance to engage when the priest approached Edwin. Lyle wanted to stop him, but for some reason, stopped. The balding man of faith rested his hand on Edwin’s shoulder. “They were demons, son.”

“Demons?” Edwin looked up.

The man nodded. “You did what had to be done. They needed to be killed.”

“Jake,” Claire said, her voice dropping into a sudden, sharp panic as she realized what the old man was doing. “Stop him. Separate them right now.”

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Confused, Jake listened. He grabbed the Father and pulled him back. But it was too late.

Clarity returned to Edwin’s eyes. “They needed to be killed,” he said, finally standing up. He looked right at Jake. “They needed to be killed, Jake. It was me or them.”

Jake didn’t know what to say. What could he say? He glanced at the dead bodies on the floor. They were innocent. Well, the murderer wasn’t. But there were no weapons on their body at all, no sign of threat.

“I’m done,” Lyle whispered. “I’m done!” He yelled. “I’m done with all of you. Jake is a psychoapth. Edwin is insane. Chloe… I can’t make out who you are, which is just as terrifying. You all have no morals, and I will be no part of this.”

Lyle stormed out of the room, leaving Jake and the others to deal with the aftermath.

Sloane sighed, massaging her temples. “Regardless,” she said. “Edwin needs to receive punishment. Are you back inside that head of yours?”

Edwin shifted uncomfortably.

She turned to everyone. “Suggestions? I’m all ears.”

Chloe agreed. “We need Edwin, but what he did was abhorrent. Lyle is right, both of you are. We need punishment to fit the crime. But what?”

“Exile,” Jake suggested.

Glenn leaned against the wall, nodding. “We need Edwin’s combat experience, but I must admit, even I don’t feel good having a—” He looked like he was about to say something bad, but when he saw Edwin’s eyes, decided against it. “—A veteran that has gone through a lot, with the rest of us.”

“Exile him where?” Susan asked.

“The 8th floor,” Jake said. “It’s wet, but you can make a platform. Find a couch or something.”