….“So if you’re not trying to ignite fear in this community, what is it you are trying to do?” Herbert huffs through fiercely clenched lips.

“W-Well obviously not what has taken place that’s for sure!” Lee quips with a nervous smile dressed across the lower half of his face, while the room sits in perplexed silence awaiting the answer that does not come.

Finally Herbert clears his throat loudly and slaps an open hand down upon the tabletop before him. “The time for jokes has passed Mister Jones, all I require from you now is the truth, regardless of fact or fiction. We have scared people here, people who rely upon the community to survive, and without that, they will wither and die. Is that what you want? Do you want people to die?”

“N-N-No, o-of course I d….”

“THEN WHY DO YOU CONTINUE WITH YOUR CHOSEN PATH!” he bellows as he slaps the table once again, interrupting Lee mid sentence.

“I-I, I don’t know w-why, o-okay. I DON’T KNOW WHY!” he spits while cradling his head in his hands as tears cascade down cheeks.

The room falls in another bout of uncomfortable silence as each individual comes to their own silent decision….