Tenant Nine

The merge, and the old gods, are judge, jury, and executioners.

Your sins will be known to all.

There is no escape.

The old woman's sins have been compiled into a list, just as everyone else's have. She waits in the crowd expectantly, hopefully. Will her sins be enough this time? Will she be chosen?

"Murder of twenty dogs digging in her garden. Destruction of a town when they refused to sell her land. Attempted murder of a man asking for a cup of sugar. Theft of gold from the king," a man reads from the paper before him. He finishes and looks over at the Luminary where he sits on his throne. The Luminary leans forward in thought, his eyes searching out the old woman in the crowd who looks on with hopeful eyes. After a moment, he shakes his head, and she deflates.

Not today. Someone else's sins outnumber her own. It's not her time.

But soon, her sins will be enough.

She decides to commit more, just in case.

Just in case.