The Covenant's Burden
👉 Previous Decision: You chose to attempt to negotiate a truce with Jonah’s militia lieutenants.
The eviction writ slid under my door. I knew I couldn’t stay in the cottage, but the thought of confrontation sent a chill down my spine. Perhaps, I thought, I could reason with Jonah’s men. They were just following orders, weren’t they?
I gathered the most critical documents—Mother Abigail’s will, the 2005 charter—and cautiously opened the door. The two men in fatigues stood sentry, their rifles held loosely but pointedly.
“I am Grace Kincaid,” I said, trying to project a calmness I didn’t feel. “I have documents that prove my rightful ownership of this sanctuary. I wish to discuss this peacefully.”
The larger of the two men, his face impassive, stepped forward. “We have our orders, ma’am. Mr. Cross has instructed us to secure all Order assets. That includes any documents pertaining to property ownership.”
“These are my personal copies,” I insisted, holding them out. “They prove that Mr. Cross’s claims are entirely fraudulent.”
The man made a quick, grabbing motion. Before I could react, he snatched the papers from my hand. He flipped through them, his expression unchanging, then handed them to his partner.
“These documents are now Order property,” he stated. “To be cataloged and held until the dispute is settled by the council.”
My stomach dropped. They had just disarmed me. My only evidence, gone. “You can’t do that!” I protested, my voice rising. “This is illegal! These are my proofs!”
“Mr. Cross anticipated this,” the second man said, his voice flat. He pulled another document from his vest. “This is a temporary restraining order, ma’am, and a declaration of mental instability, citing a history of erratic behavior and a propensity for delusion.”
My mind reeled. They were framing me. Jonah had spun a web of lies so tight, he could make me out to be a madwoman, confined to my own home.
“You are hereby placed under house arrest,” the first man continued. “For your own safety, and the safety of the Order’s assets. A medical evaluation will be scheduled. Your mental state is now officially in question.”
He stepped aside, gesturing back into the cottage. “Return inside, ma’am. Do not attempt to leave. Any further defiance will be met with necessary force.”
I stood frozen, stripped of my arguments, my evidence, and now, my freedom. The doors to my cottage closed behind me, the sound of the bolt clicking into place echoing in the sudden, suffocating silence. Jonah’s militia, his physical presence, had proven far more effective than any legal paperwork. I was trapped, declared unstable, and utterly defeated.
⚠️ BAD ENDING / GAME OVER
Your documents were seized, and you were placed under illegal house arrest. 👈 Click to return to CHAPTER 4A to choose a different path
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