I wake up and realize I'm strapped down. This must be Yoder's house. My head is strapped in tight. So I can't see anything but the ceiling above me. I hear the door open and foot steps coming in towards me. Stopping their approach just out of sight.

"Oh good, you are finally awake."

It's Yoder.

A strap across my chin makes it impossible to speak.

Yoder continues.

"I took Amos back home. Laid the poor boy in bed. I do not know if he was left weak from the damage you had done. Or perhaps I'm correct in my assumption that the sick will settle down and return to normal. Regardless you can rest assured he put up no fight against my aid. You had done quite the number on his home. Blood dripping from the ceiling. Guts strewn about. I am very disappointed in you. What are we do to with a boy like you Levi? I suppose leave you strapped for now, but beyond that? Normally in case such as yours, where a member is unfit for the community we would simply banish them. But murder? That is something else entirely. I have never dealt with this kind of thing before you know. In a few days time, once everyone has returned to normal we shall discuss a proper punishment. Though in all sincerity I do not believe there is a punishment on this earth severe enough for your crimes."

Yoder now steps into view, leaning directly over me.

"Sarah, poor Sarah. The things done to that girl. Not natural, what you did. Shirt torn to bits, a breast missing. Where is it Levi? I'd hate to think you tucked it away in some pocket. Keeping it as a souvenir of some kind."

He stares directly into my eyes for several minutes before continuing.

"You had mentioned going out and finding a cure. Needless to say that won't be happening now. But I would like you to know. If you had gone out, you would not have found a cure. You may have thought you had. likely even been told you had. But you would not have been welcomed back in. There is no cure out there. With things as bad as they are, it worries me you would even think to go out. Whatever you would have brought back would undoubtedly have made things worse. Need I remind you, it was going out that brought this upon us in the first place. Think of your family Levi. Think of your poor Mother. Think how she will feel when I have the unpleasant task of reporting your crimes to her. She loved you. You were her heart. Her very reason for being. You know she is far too old to start again. To have another child is out of the question. And so now, thanks to your horrendous actions. She is left with nothing. Never to be a grandmother. Never to have a family again. Just her and your Father. Growing old and wondering where they went wrong. Even I feel partly responsible for your actions. Always a troubled boy growing up. I should have invested more time in you. Put in more of an effort to set you on the right path. Though perhaps sometimes people are just a lost cause. Oh well."

He claps his hands together.

"I will return in a few hours to check in on you. Bringing some sort of soup or the like. No need to worry about that."

He moves out of view, the foot steps heading back the way they came before coming to an abrupt stop.

"Oh, and one more thing. If you hear any screams or cries coming from the room to your left, there is no sense fretting about it. There was a pair of little girls. They came to me when their family had fallen ill. Well as luck would have it, one had just started to come down with the symptoms. I thought there no better opportunity to study this disease first hand. Watch it all unfold from beginning to end. And to see how transmittable it is no less. I was truly lucky indeed. It took three hours to cross the room and the initial symptoms to show. No reason for you to fear though. The door is locked tight. You are in no danger."

The door slams shut and I am left alone again.

I drifted in and out of sleep for a while. Though it's hard to tell how long a while is. I can tell its getting late though. Watching the sunlight move across the ceiling. I think it will be set within the next half hour or so. Hunger is really starting to set in. I was expecting Yoder back hours ago. I've been trying to ignore my need to use the washroom. Though I debate just pissing myself at this point. I don't even know what Yoder had planned for that problem.

Finally the door opens again. Just as before, foot steps approach but I can not see their source.

"I brought you something."

That's Amos' voice. He drops something with a fair weight to it on my chest.

"Figured you'd need something to piss in."

He steps into view.

"I wasn't doing anything that didn't need doing. I really thought you of all people would understand that. You know, with the sneaking around breaking into people's homes. Stealing journals. What I didn't realize was it's okay for you to break the rules for a righteous cause. But not for me. Why is that?"

He waits a moment.

"Ah, you can't speak. Well that's okay. You can just listen. You should know I didn't enjoy it. Or I should say I didn't enjoy it at first. It does grow on you after a while. It's such a rush. The power, the control, all of it. Ya know, Each time I take one down. I feel like I'm stabbing a dagger straight into Satan's heart. And brother, let me tell you. It sure is interesting. Have you ever wondered what's inside a girl? I know I have. And now I know. Thanks for leaving your Mother tied up for me by the way. Sure made things real easy. I was able to take my time. Really get in there and poke around. Had a good look. Cleaned her right out. Each organ, separated. delicately removed one at a time. Laid out on the table. Funny thing is, she didn't die. Not right away at least. See it was a learning experience. I was trying to see, How much damage do they need to take before they go down. I dug around a bit. found the heart. But that didn't do it. Lungs, liver, all sorts of stuff I can't even name. Then it hit me. It's the brain. It's been the brain this whole time. The moment ya mess with that they just drop. Turns out all that dismemberment was for not. All ya need is one swift blow to the head. Oh well, By the time I figured that out, I already had a proven method down. If it works, why change it? But ya know what Levi? I've been getting curious about something. I do wonder what it's like with a normal person. The sick, They don't react. Sure they scream a bit, they fight. But I don't think they feel pain. They sure don't act like they do. Someone like you though? Oh that's a different story. How far could I push you before your body gives out? Which organs do you need, which can you do without?"

Amos Grabs my left hand. Restrained by the wrist, there's little I can do. I try too keep my fist clenched but he pries my pinky finger out. With one swift motion. CRACK. My finger is broken. I try to scream, With my Jaw strapped shut it comes out muffled. My body shaking what little it can. Trying to wriggle free but unable to. Whatever Amos placed on my chest falls to the floor.

"Yes Levi! That is what I'm talking about. That scream. That will to live. The anguish on your face. That right there is what I was missing. Ho I'm feeling good now. But something."

He taps my chest twice quickly.

"It's not right. No something is missing. This isn't a fair fight. The others? well, except for your Mother. They fought back. Gnashing their teeth and falling all over the place. They didn't fight well.But they tried. See, with them it was an earned victory. The thrill of battle and all that. And that Levi, is why I brought you a second gift. It's your scythe! That's right my friend. I'm going to let you free. On the condition we try our little duel again. Which I'm sure you'd do regardless of my request. I have a feeling I'll do better this time. More practise. Besides, I couldn't quite justify killing you while you lay here."

CRACK

He breaks the ring finger on my left hand.

"That's just to level the playing field a bit. What with my bad leg and all."

He loosens the strap holding my head down. Then the one on my chin.

"If you were free. Trying to stop me, Well, then I'd have no choice."

My head now free, I lift it too see Amos Is blood soaked, My own chest covered as well.

"You're really forcing my hand here Levi"

He bends down and picks up whatever had fallen off my chest earlier.

It's Father Yoder, Well, his head. Amos holding it up proud for me to see, A big smile on his face.

"He didn't put up much of a fight. Not for lack of trying. But with age, well, you understand. He even had the advantage. I could barely walk after what you did to me. It was really disappointing. I'm getting better now by the way. I know, I know, the bugs did it. And soon I'll be one of them. I understand that. All the more reason for us to fight. I'll be dead soon regardless. Or sick at least, really they're the same thing."

He starts taking the strap off my left arm and rests the scythe on my left side, leaning against the bed.

"Take your time getting out. You should be able to cut the straps and free yourself. Though I don't expect it to be easy with those broken fingers. I'm going to wait for you outside."