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I’d made sure to remove all footage of the fey kicking their asses. Although it would be clear they were responsible since they stood off to the side now, I didn’t want to spread any more fey-fear or hate.
At first, it was just us silently watching the loop. But as the sky lightened, and the time to meet for a supply run approached, more people gathered. The size of the crowd gradually grew to include those who came to stand in the soup kitchen line as well. Finally, Ryan and his fey arrived. He didn’t go to Matt as usual but hung back with the fey to watch the footage.
Through it all, the men in front of us remained hatefully aware but quiet. Shelby knelt beside her husband. She’d insisted on being bound and gagged like the others. She finally got her way, despite fey protest, after saying, “It’ll be easier on me out there if I’m treated the same in here.”
My heart went out to her.
“It’s time,” Matt said quietly.
I nodded and stepped forward. After a long discussion with him, I’d gotten my way as well.
“When the fey found me and Ryan told me about the settlements that had been created, it sounded like a dream. A safe place where I wouldn’t be alone anymore. People living and working together to survive what the world threw at them. That’s what I expected it to be. What it needs to be. Not the nightmare I experienced when a group of these men broke in and stole our food only to return the next day to beat the man I was with to the point he couldn’t walk anymore.
“This isn’t the community it needs to be if we want to survive. We have to help each other. We need to work together to bring food in so we don’t starve. We have to stop the hatred.”
Matt stepped forward.
“Change starts today. You will no longer be assigned to houses. You know your neighbors well enough to know who you want to live with by now. Choose wisely.”
There was a murmur through the crowd at that.
“That’s not fair,” someone called.
“Why not?” Matt asked.
“All the people who go out for supplies are going to group together.”
“Then become one of the people who leave for supplies,” Matt said angrily. “What’s not fair is living off of someone else’s hard work. Which leads me to change number two. Everyone over the age of sixteen will leave on a supply run once a week.”
There was more outcry.
“My knee’s shot. I can’t run. You’ll be sending me out to die.”
“No, he won’t,” I said, speaking up. “I’ve gone on supply runs. The fey do all the leg work. They carry us when infected are around and jump to the roofs to keep us out of harm’s way. All I have to do is pack the food I find into totes. The fey even carry out the weighted totes. Don’t throw out excuses before you even try going on a run. It’s fear holding you back, not physical limitations.”
“I’m not letting one of them carry me around,” someone shouted.
“That’s your choice,” Matt said. “But those who refuse to do their share are saying loud and clear that they do not want to be a part of this community. From this day forward, this community will be open to the fey. If you can’t sit at a table with them, eat the food they’re generously preparing, and offer a word of thanks for their part in making this the safe haven it’s meant to be, then this isn’t the place for you.
“The group of men, and woman, before you are hereby exiled from Tenacity for their parts in stealing or intent to steal food. They will leave with the clothes on their backs and nothing else. But if anyone would like to join them, I will not hold you in the same contempt. I will provide you with provisions and an escort to the bunker June once used as a refuge. You can forge your own way of survival as you see fit and without fey influence.”
“The fey hate ends today,” I said. “Set aside your biases or leave. Stealing food and spreading hate are equally unacceptable. We’re not saying you need to like them, but you must have the ability to willingly work with them.”
The crowd was completely silent, finally understanding the seriousness of the message. A few men made their way forward.
“We had nothing to do with stealing food, but I don’t want to live in a place where our freedoms are being taken away from us.”
“Yeah, the freedom to hate without reason is an important one,” I said. “Good luck out there.”
