Discernment

Chapter 27

Waking up in the morning knowing a busy day to come is never good. I get out of bed, do the normal activities like waking Jess up and crossing out the next day on the new calender. Then I decide what I should do first, visit Fay or go interrogate Craig and the Zealot, though I feel I'd get the easy out of the way first and just go visit Fay, see if she's recovering well after the attack we had yesterday.

I get dressed, have a small meal and head out to the hospital. I get in there, no doctors around. I don't see Anna, nor do I see Ryan, though I just resume to the hospital room. Fay and Dani are sharing a room, Dani sleeping on one side of the curtain, Fay, looking pale and eyes wide open and bloodshot, just sitting in a ball leaning against the back of the hospital bed and shaking. "Fay, are you alright?" I ask her as I moved towards her. She looks up at my quickly. "Thomas. Th-They're after me. I.. I can't stay here Thomas, no I can't. Ryan.. Joel.. Craig.. They're all after me. They're all trying to kill me.. I need to leave, I need to leave!" Fay says with fear in her eyes and is acting paranoid. "Fay.. Don't worry. Joel comes back, we take care of him. Ryan's with us now, he won't hurt you." I say. "No! No Thomas! He's after me! I.. I gotta leave!" She says instantly.

Anna walks in soon after, wondering what was going on. "We need to tranquilize Fay. She's going insane after what happened yesterday." I tell Anna as I restrained Fay. "Alright, watch out." Anna says and sticks the needle in Fay's arm and watches as she calmed down. "Alright, Anna, you keep a close eye on her.." I tell Anna. "I'll be back in a few hours to check in on her. Keep checking in on Fay, Anna." I tell Anna as I walked off towards the exit and to the subway.

Now, at District E, I find the room where Craig is at. One man is in the room with me, named Hap. He has been working with Ryan for a while, and has been useful for restraining people. With him standing in the corner, I walk over to Craig. His greasy, dark hair covering his face as he slouched over while bound in the chair. I check him, in case he's wired, if that's even possible in the apocalypse, or if he has weapons. He was clean, so I begin crouching down, trying to get Craig's attention. "Craig, talk to me. Why'd you even leave us in the first place?" I ask him.

Craig sits there, and begins slowly raising his head, maniacally laughing as he did. "Come on, Craig, talk to me. At least tell me what's funny?" I asked him. "The reason I left, Thomas.. Hehe.. Is because you're weak. Pathetic. Not worthy of leaving my life in your hands. As soon as you and that bitch joined my parents and I, my mom died. You started trouble with a superior group that was only trying to help you? Idiotic, Thomas. You should have given up, instead of trying. Because honestly, this 'community' you have running here, it's not going to last for long. Leave while you can, Thomas. Like I did." Craig states. I shake my head and smile, not effected by his words. "Hap, bring in Washington, I know I saw him out there." I say to him, still looking Craig dead in the eyes.

A couple minutes later, Washington comes in with Hap. Washington sees his son there, and his heart instantly drops. "Dad, long time no see?" Craig greets his father. "What happened to you, boy.." Washington mutters. "I'm strong dad, stronger than you'll ever be. Thomas may have tricked you into staying weak, but not I.." Craig says. "Sooner or later, Joel will be back. He'll get me out of here, and he'll crush your home.. Don't get too cozy, Thomas." Craig says. I then put my hand on Washington's shoulder, moving him out of the room. "Listen, Washington.. Back when Elliot was alive, and was talking about executing Craig.. I think he was right." I mutter to him, although disgusted with the thought of killing my friend's son.

Washington sighs as I say that. "I knew this would come.. Ever since he escaped to join that cult." Washington concludes and pulls out his gun, at the sound of scuffling coming from the room. I open the door quickly to see Craig jamming bent paperclips or something similar into Hap's eyes and neck, then springs forward me. With two loud explosions, Craig falls to the side and slides toward me. I open my eyes and let go of my gun, still holstered, and look to Washington, who was shaking with his gun in his hand and a small strand of smoke coming from the barrel.