after a season, they wither and die. It’s important that we remember this and live accordingly. We should make our choices with purpose knowing that life is short.”
The boys didn’t know how to respond to Jedidiah’s puzzling words and waited for him to continue. “So what is your decision, my friends?” he asked, without looking up.
Adam cleared his throat and paused before answering. “We think they need to be stopped, but we’re not comfortable shooting them and think they should be hung.”
Still taking in the beauty of the flower, Jedidiah offered no response. Giving the boys ample time to communicate their thoughts, he gently caressed the tiny petals with his callused thumb, careful not to damage the fragile little life.
“And, well, Mr. Jedidiah,” John added, “we’re going to need your help.”
Without hesitation, Jedidiah looked up and said quietly, “Of course, I will help you. Have you two ever seen a man hanged?”
They both shook their heads, indicating they had not.
“It’s an ugly thing,” he said with caring eyes and a low voice. “It’s important for you two to understand that if a man is not hung properly, his death can be very slow. He’ll die of suffocation rather than a broken neck. If you want them hung, I’ll help. But it may actually be more humane to shoot them.”
The boys looked at each other with conflicting emotions.
“Mr. Jedidiah,” John finally said, “to be honest with you, the main reason we chose hanging is because we didn’t feel right about shooting them. It just feels… well, more like murder.”
With approving eyes, Jedidiah looked from one to the other. “I understand how you would think that. But if it’s done correctly, I think you might feel differently. If you would allow me the responsibility to prepare and execute them, I think you’ll have peace with it. However, if you want them hung, I will do the best I can to ensure they die quickly.”
He had said exactly what they needed to hear. He knew they didn’t want to be the ones to pull the trigger, nor did Jedidiah want them to. These boys, he knew, had experienced enough loss and tragedy for several lifetimes. He didn’t want them to live with the emotional scars that come with taking another person’s life. They would probably experience it sooner or later, but Jedidiah wanted to protect them from it if he could, at least for now.
“You boys take some more time to consider what I’ve said, if you need it. There’s no need to rush this and you want to have peace with your decision.”
The brothers looked at each other with relief.
Adam spoke after only a few seconds. “I think that would be fine, Mr. Jedidiah. If you would take charge of the execution for us, we would be fine with them being shot.”
As soon as Adam finishing speaking, Jedidiah glanced over at John for his approval.
“Yes sir, Mr. Jedidiah,” John added. “I think that would be fine.”
“I think you two have chosen wisely,” Jedidiah responded as he put his hands on their shoulders. “I will begin to make the preparations. But before I do, I think we should address the bandits.”
This was something Adam and John had not considered, and they both expressed looks of anxiety.
Jedidiah squeezed their shoulders. “I can do that for you as well if you’d like.”
“I think we’d like that, Mr. Jedidiah,” John replied.
“Very well, then,” Jedidiah said walking toward the barn. “Let’s go speak to them.”
As they rounded the corner back to the inside of the barn, Jedidiah began to speak to the raiders as they still laid face down, hog tied, and gagged.
“You all have been in this same position now for nearly thirty-six hours. I would like to put you in a more comfortable position, allow you to drink, and relieve yourselves. I encourage you to follow my instructions and not attempt escape. If you do, I will kill you.”
He said this with a calm and sure voice. They knew not to test him. He had taken initial control of them with such violence of action that first early morning that they could not doubt his resolve. Plus, they thought, maybe there was hope for their survival after all. They had assumed they would be killed, but now maybe they would be released. Why else would they begin to receive better treatment?
Jedidiah first approached the man that John had beaten with the rifle. With the man’s head and face covered in dried blood, Jedidiah pulled his knife and cut loose the cords that bound him. The man groaned with pain as his joints moved and better circulation began to flow through his limbs. Jedidiah tore both sleeves from the man’s shirt and dressed his head wound. The man was given all the water he could drink, offered to be allowed to relieve himself, and then securely retied with hands behind his back and ankles bound. His gag was put back in place, but he was not hogtied, allowing for a more comfortable sitting position, given the circumstances.
So Jedidiah continued, looking to the raiders without any outward expression of anger, or any other emotion for that matter. And, as Adam and John watched, they began to understand what they were about to do and found peace in it. Through Jedidiah’s actions, they could see the execution was not rooted in hate and vengeance, but out of necessity to protect the innocent. These men and women were a threat and they had to be stopped.
***
It took the rest of the afternoon to finish tending to the captive raiders. More than once they would try to speak to Jedidiah, pleading for mercy or attempting to explain why they had no choice but to participate in the crimes. The boys watched him continue to look after them without uttering so much as a word in response. And, after he finished retying the last man, he stood up, dusted himself off, and began to speak.
“It has been decided that you are all to be executed.”
Some of the raiders squirmed while trying to yell through their gags, some began to cry, and one or two just hung their heads.
“This isn’t a decision that has been made lightly, nor is it something we’re looking to enjoy. You’re deeds have been evil. It is your own actions that have caused this end. You have forced our hand in this. You will be shot to death on the morrow.”
At that, Jedidiah turned and walked out of the barn, passing Adam and John who were standing just inside listening to his words. He paused just long enough to give the boys a somber nod. They looked over to the group of men and women who were bound, some of them begging with their eyes for mercy. Adam and John stayed only seconds before turning to leave the barn. Even knowing what the raiders had done to their family, the boys could not help but feel some pity for them. It stirred them, and they didn’t want the killers to see it.
The boys came back out into the open, and seeing Jedidiah waiting in the stand of trees near the back side of the barn, they began to make their way over to him. As they walked, John leaned over and jokingly whispered, “Are we going to get a lesson now on how we’re like trees, you think?”
Adam answered with half a grin. But as they came along side Jedidiah, the joking stopped. Jedidiah was looking down at the ground where he found Helen. And, though they could not know this, they could see the blood stains on the ground.
“What happened here?” Adam’s voice cracked at the thought.
“This is where I found your sister.”
As he spoke, he dropped to one knee and gently touched the blood-stained grass. Both boys stood without saying a word, trying to fight back their tears. Jedidiah stood up and left them to their thoughts. His actions had purpose. They needed a gentle reminder of what the raiders had done. He hoped this would help strengthen their resolve for the execution.
***
The sun was touching the western horizon when Jedidiah returned to the homestead. The boys were working on supper over the fire and talking in