Tenant One

Man is a moral creature. You can convince human beings anything is moral.

Aman is tied up in front of another man. He does not know this man. He does not know his name, or his age, or his history. He only knows he's dirty, and there's blood dripping down his chin, and his knuckles appear as if he's been fighting. His hair hangs around his shoulders in greasy tendrils.

His eyes are the purest blue he's ever seen.

"His crimes outnumber your own," the Luminary says. "Killing him saves millions."

The man picks up a stone with the others around him. He holds it aloft. He tells himself that throwing the stone saves lives, that it'll save his life one day, that this man is dangerous.

It's only as the man before him lies bleeding and unmoving that he sees the children screaming for their father behind him. It's only after he's dead that you see the Luminary smile.

"Now your crimes outnumber his," the Luminary sneers. "Step forward and face your choices. . ."