I love this next chapter's name! It's so ominous! But dang! This chapter was hard to write! Everything was written so precisely. I couldn't have a single word out of place, or it would have ruined the entire effect of the chapter. Also, because of the intense precision, it turned out to be by far my longest chapter.

Chapter 28: Confession Confusion

As soon as Mary had left the room, Jack broke down crying. Carter felt sorry for Jack. He had such a rough life. Alienation was a tough road to walk and for Jack to be forced so quickly back into a position of caring for people must have caused a great inner conflict. Jack was a good person, Carter knew it. He was ashamed for having ever even considered that Jack could have been the murderer.

There Jack laid, cried on Carter's shoulder. He hadn't seen anyone this miserable since Doug's wife died. Carter comforted him, doing his best to reassure him. Through his crying Jack managed to ask one sobbing question, "I'm a horrible person, aren't I?"

Carter was shocked. Could Jack actually be having his breakthrough? Never once before had Jack even considered his rages to be wrong. It was always the townsfolk who were the horrible people to Jack. Carter thought back to Mary and Jack holding hands. Could Mary's kindness have reached deep into Jack's soul and reawakened his inner goodness?

Carter took a corner of the bed sheet and dabbed it around Jack's eyes, drying up his tears, "My boy, my sweet little child, you are not a horrible person at all. You are one of the most wonderful people I know. Sometimes you do things rashly, but that does not make you a bad person. To be able to ask that question alone shows that you value the light in your heart. A horrible person wouldn't have even given a second thought to the bad things they may have done. But you are doing a good thing, a great thing. You are the town's guardian, you are trying to protect the one's you love."

"But I've failed... I've failed miserably... I watched as a grieving Rick took his own life. I could have stopped him. I know I could have. But I didn't. Everyone, it's all my fault. It's my fault you are hurt. It's my fault. Won, Manna, Harris, Popuri, Kai, Lillia, Rick, it's my fault they died. I've failed everyone, and I will continue to fail them."

Carter gasped at the rapidly growing list of the dead, but now was not the time ponder them. He put them out of his mind and did his best to focus on Jack, "I know it may hurt right now, but you are doing what is right for the town. You have to continue to stand up for what is right. Stand as a beacon of hope to those who are afraid. You are the town's savior."

"I am no savior. I'm responsible for their deaths. Their blood is on my hands, and there is nothing I can do about it."

Carter sighed, and pulled Jack close to him, embracing him. Jack needed more than anything to feel the warmth of love right now, "But it's not your fault, it's Zack's fault. You carry the weight of the world was on your shoulders. It is hard to go on sometimes, I know. But you having given us something special. You have given the townsfolk a chance. You may yet save them. You are a true hero. I know that you will bring Zack to justice. It will be all right. Soon everything will be all over."

Jack wrestled out of Carter's grasp and sat back away from him. With tears in his eyes, he pulled his scythe off of his back, "But it won't be all right. Do you know why I'm a horrible person? It would be one thing if I just did my job, but I can't," Jack stared down at the shining blade in his hands, "I want to cause pain. I want to cut. It's not right. I should just do my duty, but I can't. It's wrong to have to kill, but necessity sometimes dictates it. Necessity is the one justification for killing... But how can I be justified it if I take joy out of the revenge?"

Carter was genuinely disturbed. How could Jack feel this way about Zack? Then again, so many of his friends had been killed. It was understandable he supposed. But understandable or not, it still wasn't healthy, "Jack, you must try to take your personal feelings out of this. Revenge is never the answer. Zack must atone for his sins, but that is not your duty. If you must..." Carter shivered at the thought of what he was getting ready to say, "you may do what you have to do to stop this evil, and you will be forgiven. Just please, if you do, do that, keep your personal feelings out of it. No life should be lost without just cause and no life should ever be taken in anger."

Jack strapped the scythe back to his back, "So, it's okay if I have to kill. If there is no other choice. As long as I don't do so in anger or for revenge," Carter nodded weakly, seemingly against his own will, "But the past, what I have done so far---"

"---It is all forgiven. Jack, bad thoughts will enter into a person's head. It's how you act upon them that shows a person's true character. All will be forgiven, if you let your body and mind walk in the light. The Harvest Goddess has forgiven you."

A big smile broke out across Jack's face, "Thank you Carter. I don't know how to thank you. I feel like a huge weight is off of my chest. Thank you!" He shook Carter's hands so heartily, he thought they would fall off, "You are the most wonderful priest ever."

Carter blushed, "Jack, please. Now, you have a duty to perform. Go on savior. Walk in the light and be free!" Jack nodded and leapt up to leave. Carter called to him just as he was going through the door, "Jack, one quick question," Jack looked back, "You and Mary... Um, is Grey gone?"

"Yes, most definitely!"

Carter smiled warmly, "Then go on! There is nothing wrong with it! Go to her with an easy heart. If you love each other, then there isn't anything to be ashamed of!"

Jack, overjoyed, smiled back, "Thank you Carter. I promise I'll make it up to you. Thank you again and again!"

Carter chuckled to himself as he lay in his bed. Already today he had done such great good deeds. He had made those two so happy. Maybe life wouldn't be so bad. He hoped that their hearts were now set completely at ease.