A Life Sentence

September 23rd, 2026

September 23rd, 2026

We have made a huge mistake. I don't think anyone will ever convince me any different. It's been three days since the church and we have not seen anyone, or heard anyone. We can still smell the smoke hanging in the air. I would have thought the smoke would have settled by now, instead it's hanging around like a constant reminder.

None of us have really said much about it. The only time the topic has come up is if we have seen anyone. There is always the chance someone wasn't there and knew where we were. They could easily decide to do the same to us. If they did I wouldn't blame them. Even Lucas who is always ready to pick a fight is still bothered by what we did.

I think the thing that bothers me the most is the fact we didn't even talk to them, we didn't even try. For all we knew if we just talked to them we could have left one another alone. After All they were five miles away and for the longest time we never knew they were there. If Kate and I had not gotten bored we would never have been there. For all we knew as far as they were concerned we didn't exist either until we broke into their church.

To be fair they did come to our home and threaten us, but other than that they didn't do a damn thing to us, well they put an arrow in Allen. If i have to be honest with myself I think the real problem was they insulted our sensibilities. I am not sure why they would be digging up graves, especially of children and that's fucked up for sure, but who the hell was it hurting? Certainly not us. Besides, what use do sensibilities have in today's world?

Those people were dead, hell most of the people on the planet were dead. So many were just tossed into mass graves or cremated without even so much as a funeral. Society's respect for the dead gave way to expediency and circumstances.

I think we just forgot we live in a different kind of world now. The old norms are as dead as the civilization around us. There are so few of us left. Can we really afford to be so judgmental?

I won't lie, I still think what they did was one of the most awful things I could ever have imagined. If they had been caught just a couple years ago they would have all ended up in prison, or worse. The social media apps would have spit so much vitriol at them, but that was then, this is now.

Now, instead of them going to prison for breaking laws set by society that no longer exists, Lucas, Kate and I decided to execute them. We told ourselves it was to protect ourselves. But did we really just allow hysteria and mob mentality to take over?

The funny thing is I doubt anyone would blame us. Hell, I bet most people would have congratulated us, but those people aren't the ones who did the deed.

Those people were immoral for sure, and by our old standards, criminals, but now so are we. We are not only murderers, but mass murderers. We don't even know how many people we killed. If we were to be judged by the old laws we would at minimum be sent to one of those supermax prisons. Personally I think we deserve a worse punishment.

Kate and Lucas both have been hovering around me a lot lately. Kate was usually never too far, but Lucas is a bit different. I didn't understand why until yesterday.

I had just got done cleaning my .45, not that it needed it, but it helped keep me busy for a little while. Once it was done I slid the mag back in and just looked at it. I am not sure how long I held the thing in my hand and stared at it, but it must have been a long time. When I finally put the gun down to get up and stretch my legs when I came back it was gone.

I found it in Kate's room with the mag missing. I took the gun back, but never asked about the mag, I had more. I thought maybe Kate had taken it thinking it was hers. That is until they both started being helicopter parents, then it dawned on me. They thought I was thinking about putting a round through my head.

When I first realized it I was pretty pissed, so much so I almost went off on them, but once I calmed down I started to wonder, were they right? I mean that exact thought never went through my head, at least not that I remember. But I do remember thinking we all deserve to die. And if we are really honest it wouldn't be the first time I thought that about myself. Especially after Elena died.

Maybe that is what we all deserve now. The excuse of the world we live in is not the same and life is hard and has changed doesn't seem to hold water. Society is gone, so does that mean all morality and ethics are gone too? If that is the case does that mean we are no longer human?

It looks like life is starting get to him. Problem is I don't think he really has a way to take a vacation. Next chapter is coming soon. Please leave a comment and follow.

Sorry for not posting these as regularly as I once was. I have not been feeling too well. I promise I have the entire series completed. It is just a matter of getting them posted.