NARRATOR: Twelve men sit in a burned down ballroom. Their backs are straight with dead silence hanging about. The man’s eyes darted to one another fearful for what’s to happen. A couple of them shaking slightly, though they try to hide it. Others are sweating, letting the droplets hit their eyes terrified for what would happen if they wiped their foreheads.
NARRATOR: Charred doors were kicked open by freshly shined steel toed boots. Grand commander Shire stood in the doorway, looking at the men with piercing anger.
SHIRE: [in a calm tone] I’ll ask once. Who?… Who? Shot the woman?
NARRATOR: Silence stood in the room. Shire covered his face in shame.
SHIRE: Okay that’s fine.
NARRATOR: He walked up to Squire Dans. Making sure to have his steel toe boots hit the iron nails in the floorboards. The reverb of the boots made the men flinch in every hit.
SHIRE: You! Dans, do you know who shot the woman?
DANS: No, Sir!
SHIRE: [whisper to Dans] Alright, that’s fine. Do you know who knows Dans?
DANS: No, sir!
SHIRE: THEN WHY ARE YOU STANDING HERE?!
NARRATOR: Dans cowarded before straightening out once more.
DANS: I-I don’t know sir.
NARRATOR: Shire raised his hand in surprise before spinning around to Dans.
SHIRE: I have a question for you, Dans.
DANS: Yes sir.
SHIRE: Who am I to shoot?
DANS: [shocked] What?
SHIRE: [mockingly] What..what?
NARRATOR: Now Shire was so close to Dan’s face he could see the sweat on his face.
DANS: What did you mean by your request sir?
NARRATOR: Shire backed away from Dans, making sure to keep eye contact.
SHIRE: What did you think I mean?
DANS: I truly don’t know sir, I just wish to understand to fulfill my o-
SHIRE: WHAT DO YOU THINK I MEAN SQUIRE?
DANS: Sorry sir, I-I I think you mean you want to shoot someone.
SHIRE: And?
DANS: And that you wanted me to choose that person, sir.
SHIRE: Good, really good. Now do you have someone for me to shoot?
DANS: Sir, may I ask why you want me to choose?
SHIRE: No you may not, Dans. It should be clear one of you shot a woman. Now you don’t know who it was, yes?
DANS: Yes sir.
SHIRE: Then logically we must assume one of your fellow squires, that you do not know; did shoot a woman, yes?
DANS: [less assured] Yes sir.
SHIRE: Then if we do not know who did, and as it seems you and your squad decided to all take the fall for it, I am simply letting you have that wish. Now I want a name.
DANS: [without hesitation] Dans Sir Dans Harken.
NARRATOR: Shire looked him up and down before giving a quick laugh.
SHIRE: No..!, I’m afraid it can’t be you. Let’s make it more interesting. If you don’t tell me a name; I’ll make sure your family gets put back into level eight.
DANS: [lightly gasps]
SHIRE: Your sister will be taken from her wonderful husband and put in the pleasure house, father goes to the mines, mom gets married off to some dried up bureaucrat. And just for fun, how about you get to be on uranium duty? Now THAT can happen or you can give me a name of someone for myself to shoot?
NARRATOR: Dans took a second to think.
DANS: Sir, is there any other discipline we could absorb as a group? I don’t wish to question you, but I don’t wish to have one of my own be killed.
SHIRE: No I’m afraid not Dans, While I respect your willingness to your own I can’t help but feel bouts of disrespect from the question.
DANS: Sorry sir, I hope my loyalness is still apparent to you. I just wish for a moment to choose.
SHIRE: Of course Dans take all the time you need.
DANS: Thank you sir.
NARRATOR: The room was robbed of words. Some of the men tried to show their willingness to take the punishment by looking at Dans. They soften their eyes to make the choice easier. The rest of the men averted their eyes from Dans. Some even silently weeping to silently beg for their lives.
NARRATOR: Dans wasn’t looking at any of the squad, instead he kept making eye contact with Grand Commander Shire. His face showed only a despair, a despair he wished for Grand Commander Shire to remember.
DANS: [whispered] Niles.
SHIRE: What was that?
DANS: [slightly louder] I said Niles sir.
SHIRE: I ask Squire Dans that you raise your voice a bit more for the rest of the squad to hear.
DANS: I SAID SQUIRE NILES, SIR
NARRATOR: Niles toughened his face.
SHIRE: GOOD, now I just ask that you watch.
NARRATOR: Dans nodded, he turned his head to Niles. If he was to cause his death Dans was to watch to give him that little honor.
NARRATOR: Shire took his time getting to Niles, making sure to look at each and every squad member.
NARRATOR: Bang… Bang… Bang… The hollow room made sure everyone heard his impending doom. Niles held a strong face still not letting his true fear show.
NARRATOR: Shire stopped in his footsteps when heard a mumble.
WINSLOW: I-it was me sir, I shot the woman.
NARRATOR: Shire stopped at Niles before turning to Winslow.
SHIRE: Good, I hope explaining to Squire Nile’s parents why he’s dead will help you not do it again.
NARRATOR: BAM! Niles dropped to the ground in a slump. The squad looked in horror, the men that were crying began to sob.
SHIRE: Now Squire Winslow. I ask that you bury the late Squires Niles. And then in detail too. Tell his parents why and I do mean exactly why Niles had to die. If I feel your promptly made report isn’t perfect I will ask you to explain AGAIN why their son had to die. THEN and only then I will believe punishment is made. Now If you will let me go I have a very busy day.
NARRATOR: Shire walked to the doorway before stopping.
SHIRE: I forgot, Dans don’t feel too bad about this fact. Personally I’m not going too. But I thought you might want to know that Niles’ wife learned this morning that she is to have a son. We allocated money for her to have a party. I will have to put that money back in the party fund since she won’t be needing it. That is all.
NARRATOR: Shire’s boots sounded off before there was once again silence.