And they walked. Like sheeps heading to the slaughter, they walked. Some covered in blood, some afraid, some accepting their fate, some believing more strongly in their cause than others (those went without any fear). I couldn't believe how dumb those people were. As if dying would change anything. "It won't bring anyone back" I kept thinking.
I made it to the house of the Guilty Remnants where only the two Garvey women remained. Daughter and mother.
I couldn't believe the girl joined them.
This was so ridiculous.
"You don't see that Patti mislead you all? SHE killed Gladys, not long before killing herself in front of your husband. Even though she begged for her to stop, Patti kept throwing stones at her!"
Laurie just gave me that fake smile they all shared, lighting up a cigarette and looking at her daughter.
"No wonder God made your baby disappear, Laurie!"
I was yelling now. I was frustrated. This whole situation was frustrating. Trying to save people that didn't want to listen to reason was frustrating.
Laurie's head whipped around towards me, her eyes narrowing angrily.
I had touched a nerve.
Her daughter looked at me and then at her mother.
"What's she talking about, mom?"
Laurie put a finger against her lips to shush her. Her daughter was wearing white, which meant she wasn't suppose to talk anymore.
I snickered. My tone was cruel, trying to get some reaction from them. Trying to make them snap out of it.
"Yeah, that's right, I know about the baby you were thinking about getting rid of. No wonder your husband was cheating on you that day. Who wouldn't? You're the worst person in the world. You don't deserve to have a family!"
This time, she snapped. She literally bounced towards me and slammed me against the wall, then tried to hit me but I brought my arms up to protect myself just in time.
"That's it, Laurie. Let it out! They lied to you here! You're not one of them. You're part of those who lost someone! Deal with it! That baby was taken from you!"
I kept on yelling behind my arms. She was clawing at them, making them bleed, but I didn't care.
Laurie was screaming now. She was screaming and crying.
Her daughter pulled her back, wrapping her arms around her mother, trying to calm her down.
When Laurie finally joined her daughter, she was still sobbing, breathless, sniffling.
"It's okay mom. It's okay. Don't let her get to you..."
After a long silence during which Laurie kept her eyes on me, she spoke.
"It's okay, honey. She's right... I wasted too much time trying to fit in somewhere I was never meant to be in the first place. I wasted too much time pushing my family away."
She looked at her daughter and stroked her cheek.
"Call your father. Send him to the church. Tell him about the mass suicide. We have to change things..."