My Town Exiles One Family Every Year To Stay “Perfect.” My Father Just Got A Promotion, And Now We Are Standing At The Border With Nothing. But Someone Is Waiting For Us In The Dark.

The Law Arrives

A few days later, Agent Sebastian Donovan visited the exile town to meet with key witnesses. Eli brought me to the community center where the agent was interviewing people. Sebastian was probably in his 40s with gray hair and a serious expression. He shook my hand and thanked me for agreeing to talk with him.

We sat down in a private room, and he explained exactly how the federal case worked. He said they were pursuing charges of fraud, theft, racketeering, and manslaughter against the founding families. He showed me documents and evidence they’d collected over 3 years.

My testimony about noticing the founding family pattern was important because it proved the systematic nature of the corruption. For the first time, I understood this was really happening. The founding families would actually face consequences for what they’d done.

Sebastian was professional and kind, explaining everything in detail. He said the case would take time, but they had strong evidence. When the interview ended, I felt something like hope starting to grow.

Justice vs. Revenge

That evening, I overheard my father talking with Wallace Holt on the porch of our mobile home. I stood inside near the door listening. Wallace was talking about rage and helplessness and wanting revenge. My father’s voice sounded raw, admitting he fantasized about hurting the people who destroyed us.

Wallace said he understood that feeling completely, but then he said revenge wasn’t the goal. Justice was the goal, and it was more powerful because it was real and lasting. Revenge would just make us like them. Justice would actually hold them accountable.

My father started crying, and it was the first time I’d heard him cry since our exile. Wallace didn’t try to comfort him or tell him to stop. He just sat there in silence—two men processing trauma together in the only way they knew how.

Real Connections

Thea and I started spending more time together over the next few weeks. We’d walk around the exile town or sit at the community center talking. One afternoon she asked about my girlfriend from the old town, the one who wouldn’t look at me during our exile. I admitted it still hurt that someone I loved could turn away so easily.

Thea said her boyfriend did the same thing when her family got exiled. He told her he loved her but then acted like she didn’t exist once the exile happened. We bonded over the betrayal of people who claimed to care about us but only stuck around when it was easy and convenient.

Thea reached over and took my hand. She said we were better off without people like that—people who only cared when there was no cost to caring. I looked at her and realized she was right. The exile had stripped away all the fake relationships and left only the real ones. The people here in the exile town actually helped each other because they understood what it meant to lose everything. That was worth more than all the shallow friendships back in the old town.