Chapter Nineteen —
Judgement Day

"You have to kill him or let him be."

Elle's words about Campbell lingered on Rosa's mind for the entire day.

Yesterday, Sasha had finally managed to convince Elle to talk to Allie. She didn't reveal much, and Rosa wondered whether she was being purposely vague for a reason.

After spending most of the night discussing what Dewey's punishment should be, Rosa was exhausted, and Allie clearly was too. So that night, against everyone's bitter judgment, Campbell was released on lack of evidence.

Rosa couldn't help thinking that it was the wrong decision. Campbell was capable of anything. But that was the problem. Capable. Allie's reasonings to let him go were completely correct; they couldn't just lock him up as a precaution.

When it was time for Dewey's sentencing, Rosa joined everybody in the town hall. She sat quietly beside Sasha, who was nervously drumming her fingernails against the wooden bench.

Allie made her way to the microphone at the front of the room. "I had two decisions to make," she began. "Two rulings. First, Campbell. This court is not about vengeance. It's about fairness and justice. The only evidence we have against Campbell, which is from Dewey himself, is unreliable. Without evidence, there can be no trial. So last night, I ordered that Campbell be released from custody."

The crowd broke out into whispers of shock and disbelief.

"It was the right thing to do," Allie justified, raising her voice again to be heard. "As for Dewey he's been found guilty of murder, and the punishment for murder is death."

It was as if the world stopped spinning for a moment, the entire room gasping in astonishment at her ruling, some even rising to their feet with shouts of protest. Having been there when Allie made the decision last night, Rosa was not shocked. She remained completely still, staring ahead, her lips drawn together in a thin line.

"Are you kidding me?!" Dewey exclaimed, starting forwards. Jason grabbed him roughly, tugging him backwards. "What? Are you gonna kill me?"

"Let this be a warning to anyone who even thinks about using violence on anyone in this town," Allie continued firmly. The room began to fall quiet again. "We will respond. Eye for an eye."

"This is not a court!" Dewey shouted, his voice straining to be heard. "You are fucking crazy. You hear me? You got no right!" He yelled. Luke and Jason wrapped their hands around his arms, dragging him away. "I'm gonna fucking kill you, bitch. I'm gonna kill you. Then you'll be dead just like your sister!" He continued to yell, until he was almost out the church. "Fucking crazy bitch!"

Rosa watched as Allie's hard exterior begin to crumble, tears gently falling against her cheeks. A sickening feeling settled in her stomach, as she began to realise the extent to what they were about to do. But the truth was, they really didn't have much of a choice.

"That's not who we are." Sasha had reminded them last night.

Rosa remembered how she couldn't meet Sasha's eyes when she responded. "Maybe it's who we need to be."

And that was what Rosa told herself for the rest of the day, repeating it over and over in her mind. Hoping that, eventually, she'd start truly believing it. That they weren't bad people, they were just doing what was necessary – what was necessary for their survival.

It was what Rosa continued to tell herself as she stood in the middle of the woods, staring at the back of Greg Dewey's head. The boy was bound tightly to a chair, his eyes covered by a blindfold.

They could hear every word that was tumbling from his mouth. Every threat, every warning, but also every desperate plead for his life.

"Two of them are loaded with blanks," Gordie informed the group as Grizz, Jason and Luke all carefully examined the guns in their hands.

"What are you guys doing?" Dewey panicked, distracting Rosa's attention for a moment. Her stomach dropped, almost feeling sympathy for the boy for about half a second, but then she reminded herself of what he did, what he said about the rest of the women in town. This was necessary.

"One of them is loaded with the real thing," Gordie continued.

"Take this blindfold off," Dewey demanded. "I wanna see!"

"That way, none of us know who actually killed him," Gordie finished. "Make sure the safety's off."

"Hey, come on!" Dewey shouted. "You can't kill me!"

"Where's the– Where's the safety?" Grizz stumbled over his words. Rosa looked up at her best friend, feeling her heart tug at the expectations placed on him, knowing he was going to be one of the people pulling the trigger, and knowing he was going to think about that decision for the rest of his life.

"No, no," Helena tried to direct him, pointing towards the area on gun.

Rosa placed her hand atop of his, directing him towards the safety. "I got it," he assured her, and Rosa's hand fell back to her side again.

"Hello?" Dewey called out upon receiving no response from them. "What are you doing? Hey. Hey! What are you guys doing back there?" He straightened up suddenly as Helena placed a hand on his shoulder, squirming as much as the restraints allowed him to. "Please! Please Please don't kill me," he whimpered. "Shit!"

"It's okay," Helena said softly. "It's okay. I'm just gonna pray with you." She took a deep breath. "Our Heavenly Father, we have sinned against you in thought, and word, and deed–"

Rosa closed her eyes as Dewey began to sob, his entire body trembling in fear. She wished she could be anywhere but there.

"Please don't do this."

"And in what we have left undone–"

"Please don't do this!"

"We repent all of our sins."

"I'm sorry," Dewey cried out desperately. "I'm really sorry. I'm sorry!"

Helena lowered her head. "Amen."

The Guard began to take their places, standing in a line behind Dewey.

"No, please don't do this," Dewey pleaded. "Please don't do this. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"You can still change your mind, you know," Helena reminded.

Allie said nothing as she took a step forwards, glancing towards the Guard.

"Grizz, buddy, please," Dewey begged. "Please don't let 'em do it. I'm so sorry."

Rosa watched as the colour started to drain from Grizz's face. He quickly leaned out of the way, vomiting on the ground.

"Are we seriously doing this, man?" Grizz turned to Luke, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Please don't do it! Please untie me!"

"Let's just do it, all right?" Luke responded, clearly still unsure himself. He straightened up as he glanced over at their leader. "Allie."

"I won't do it again, I promise!" Dewey continued to plead between sobs. "Please!"

"On the count of three," Allie stated.

The boys stepped forwards. Their posture straightened, shoulders rolling back as they aimed their guns at the back of Dewey's head.

"Please, no, no, no. Wait. Wait, wait!" Dewey cried. "Don't do this, please!"

"One," Allie began.

"Please! No, no, no!"

"Two."

"Please don't do this!"

"Three."

"No!"

The gunshot cracked powerfully around them, the noise reverberating through Rosa's entire body. Despite knowing it was coming, she still flinched, her eyes snapping shut, until she heard a panicked voice frantically ring out through the air.

"What? What the fuck? Fuck!" Dewey screamed.

Rosa breathed out shakily, realising the bullet hadn't reached him.

"I think we missed," Jason stated, running a hand through his hair.

"Oh, shit."

"We have to do it again," Allie pushed, whirling around to face Gordie. "Can we do it again?"

"The chambers are full," Gordie answered.

"Fuck, let's go! Let's go," Luke tried to prompt the others, but Grizz shook his head firmly.

"Are you fucking serious?"

"Yes, man. Come on," Jason encouraged. "Let's get it over with."

"On my count," Allie stated, lowering her firm gaze back at Dewey.

"Please, don't do it!"

"Come on," Luke muttered to Grizz.

Rosa noticed her best friend standing rigidly, unable to move.

"I'm so sorry! Please!"

"One," Allie began again, her expression hardening.

"I can't fucking do this, man," Grizz decided, shaking his head. He dropped the gun to the ground in defeat.

"You can, Grizz," Luke tried to prompt him. "Come on."

Grizz glanced up at him through tearful eyes, his voice growing thick with emotion. "I'm sorry, guys. I'm really sorry, guys. I can't do it. I'm sorry."

He broke the line and made his over to Rosa, who wrapped her arms around him. Grizz's eyes watered as he met her gaze, lowering his head to rest on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he mumbled against her shift.

"It's okay," she whispered, gently rubbing his back.

Rosa's heart ached at the effect it was having on all of them. They would carry this for the rest of their lives.

"Hey, hey, hey," Will spoke up, catching Rosa's attention. She turned her head towards him, watching Allie begin to move towards the Guard. Will grabbed her arm to stop her. "I'll do it."

Allie turned back to face Will with a heavy stare. "Let go of me."

Reluctantly, he released his grip on her jacket. Allie made her way towards Jason and Luke, standing where Grizz had been previously. She crouched down, picking up the gun.

"Please, please, please," Dewey started to beg again. "Please let me go. I won't do it again! I swear I won't do it again "

Rosa tightened her grip on Grizz, her own eyes beginning to fill with tears as she watched Allie aim the gun at Dewey.

"Call the play, Luke," Jason told him.

Rosa watched Luke take a breath, his shoulders rolling back as he positioned his weapon again. "One..."

Grizz tightened his grip on her.

"Two..."

"No!" Dewey cried desperately.

Rosa closed her eyes shut, a few tears beginning to tumble down her cheeks.

"Three."

"No, plea–"

The gunshot broke the air. Rosa's entire body jolted at the sound. Grizz clutched hold of her, his eyes averted from the scene.

Rosa's ears rang, the sound of the gunshot echoing around her for a while, before silence finally began to return – a thick and heavier silence than before, as if everything around them was collectively holding it's breath.

This time, Rosa didn't have to look to know that Dewey was dead.

A/N

Rip Dewey, you won't be missed.