Far Cry 5 Oneshot/s

Saviour

"You are free to stand now, my child."

Joseph took off the cuffs around the deputy's wrists, allowing him to move around. At this point, he had finally stopped struggling. He seemed to realise that no matter how much he fought, he couldn't get out of the situation he found himself in. Struggling wouldn't get him out of the cuffs, screaming wouldn't open the doors of the bunker, and crying wouldn't reverse the damage done by the Collapse.

And it sure as hell wouldn't bring Dutch back.

His lifeless body, which had now been shoved into the corner of the room, had started to decay, and the smell was repulsive.
Joseph studied the deputy as he stood up, looked around the bunker... and made his way to where the weapons were stored.

Joseph didn't stop him. He simply followed him into the room and watched as he stood before a pistol. He raised his hand, letting it linger over the weapon.

"You know there is no use, Deputy."

The deputy flinched as he turned around to see the Father standing in the doorframe. He sighed.

"Tell me, my child, if you were to kill me, what will that mend? What will that change?"

The deputy lowered his hand, and watched as Joseph approached him.
"I understand your anger, my child. You have lost... everything..." His attention is caught by something on a nearby table. It appears to be a small model of an AdjudiCor FBW, painted to look like John Seed's plane.

"And believe me, so have I..." Joseph picks it up and spins the propeller. "My people... my Faith... my brothers..."
He spins the propeller again, showing a sad smile as he does.

"John loved this plane," he looks over at the deputy as he speaks, "I gave it to him when we first arrived in Hope County, as a gift. A gift to say thank you. To thank him for his help, and for his devotion to this project."
His smile fades, and he looks momentarily at the deputy.
"With this gift, I also made a promise. A promise that his devotion would pay off. That he would join me, and our brother Jacob, in waiting out the Collapse. That when this was all over, we would walk arm in arm, to see the New Eden."
He sets the plane down back on the table. He then sits on a nearby folding chair, and pushes his head into his hands. The deputy can hear him let out a long sigh.

"But now, that promise has been broken. Shattered. The promise I made to help him, to protect him. I've failed him... again. My baby brother, who I had promised to protect with my life. I've failed him."

Joseph lifts his head up to look at the ceiling. The deputy can see that his face is now red, his eyes glistening with tears, and he sniffled as he spoke.
"I've failed them all. John... Jacob... Faith... and I've failed God."
Joseph's voice starts to quiver. A tear starts to run down his cheek.
"I was chosen by God, because He believed I was worthy. That I could complete this mission. He believed that I would be capable, that I would lead my flock towards a new life. A new hope. A paradise."
He takes a deep breath, and wipes the tears from his face.
"...Or maybe this was God's plan." He turns to look at the deputy.
"Maybe my brothers were never supposed to make it this far. They were not meant to survive the Collapse. Instead..."
The old folding chair creaked as Joseph stood up. He stood in front of the deputy, resting his hands on his shoulders.
"It was only meant to be you, child. Maybe it was only meant to be you, and I..."
He pauses.
"What if I don't know God's plan after all? This might have all happened as it was meant to..."
He lets go of the deputy's shoulders.
"But... that's impossible..."
Joseph reached behind the deputy, and took the pistol from the table. He moved it away, placing it on top of a shelf. He stood there for a moment, his back turned to him. He sighed again.
"You're all I have left now, Deputy."
The deputy slowly steps closer to Joseph, as he turns around again.
"You are my family... my child... and the only thing I have left. And I know I'm the only thing you have now, too." Joseph reaches out to the deputy again.
"And my child... I have saved you. Even when I couldn't save anyone else. Not even Faith. Not even John. Not even Jacob."
His voice drops to a whisper.

"I saved you."

Joseph turns away, and leaves the room, leaving the deputy alone. He turns back to the plane model, and picks it up. He spins the propeller as Joseph did.

Was it the right thing to do? He wondered to himself. Was any of this the right thing to do? The Collapse is upon us, and Joseph has saved me... and who have I saved? Who have I saved from the end of the world?

Am I really the hero after all?