Agoraphobia

Day 771 (Bridge)

"But I saved them."

"No, Samber and I saved them. You tried to trade them like a commodity."

I felt sick. My breakfast was swirling in my stomach. "Is this really necessary?" I asked.

"Yes." answered Uncle Peter flatly, shooting me a sympathetic glance. "I'm sorry to have you involved in this, Samber. But I need you as my backup; just in case Frank tries something. That's why I checked you were carrying your pepper spray before we left. Go ahead and set the fishing equipment down now. I also suggest you stay behind Frank and out of his reach at all times."

I did as Uncle Peter asked.

Frank cleared his throat. "This is just a joke? Right?" he tittered. "If you really wanted me dead you would have shot me already."

"I didn't want to wake everyone. I intend to take you far from the house - THEN shoot you. Unless you cause me trouble on the way there, in which case I'll shoot you immediately."

"Listen, Peter, if this is about hurt feelings... I want you to know—" 

"It's nothing personal," lied Uncle Peter. "I just want you dead."

"But I'm not the same man I once was." lied Frank. "Living alone gave me a new perspective. I've changed."

"You have not. Even right now, you're in full 'lawyer-mode,' trying to manipulate me. Willing to say anything to get what you want." Uncle Peter continued pushing Frank towards the bridge. "Last year, you pointed a gun at my chest and pulled the trigger four times. What if you'd succeeded in killing me? You'd have released that asshole captain, and then he'd have flown both you and Samber to Washington. What do you think would have happened to the people at Elwood's?! To my wife and daughters!? They would have died. You attempted to murder me, and in doing so, you attempted an act of genocide."

"That's not what 'genocide' means. Genocide is—"

"Frank! Are you really going to argue semantics at a time like this?!" Uncle Peter continued to push his chair. "I made the conditions of your banishment quite clear. I ordered you to head NORTH to Canada. You didn't do that, did you? Over breakfast you admitted that you first headed east, and then circled around back to Scott Air Force Base. Then you tried, and failed, to use the phone on Marine One to contact the president. You treasonous fuck! Afterwards, you went a short distance east and puttered around there until you found the houseboat. I told you, straight out, if I ever saw you again, I'd execute you."

"But you can't kill me. We're family."

Uncle Peter laughed. He almost fell over, he was laughing so hard. "You're SO full of shit, Frank."

"But you're an OPPONENT of the death penalty. We debated the topic on the day we spotted the helicopter. Remember? You said: 'Killing a defenseless person is wrong'. Remember?"

"Yes. And I also remember you saying: 'Executing a criminal ensures he'll never pose a threat.' After careful deliberation, I've decided you were correct."

"Then... Am I not entitled to a trial?"

"A trial?! HAH!!" barked Uncle Peter. "Back at the helicopter, did you give me a trial before you pulled your trigger? Besides, who else can judge you? I'm the only other adult who's not suffering from a crippling mental illness. Under whose laws should you be tried? All the governments have fallen. Anything I'd come up with would just be a drum head, kangaroo-court, show trial. And I don't have time to waste on bullshit like that... I just want you dead."

"Without a trial, killing someone is just murder."

Uncle Peter blew air through his lips. "What's good for the goose..."