Free The Days and Months We Were First Born- the Unraveling by Christopher Hunter

then we stood face to face. He and I were the same height, and he had to have doubled me in age. But he had a husky build, and he was very imposing up close.
    “What’s your name, son?” he asked.
    “My name is Martin. Martin Jacob, sir.”
    “Well, Martin,” a very brief smile curled and vanished on the left side of his thin lips, “can you do me a favor, young man?” I raised an eyebrow, eager to hear what he had to say.
    “Can you shut the fuck up and let the leader make the decisions?!”
    Whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t that.
    Before I could form an expression of surprise, I was yoked by my T-shirt. And Wu had the grip of a gorilla! He was staring into my face. His small nose was flared, his thick eyebrows formed a canyon, and his slightly brown teeth were clenched. He was the absolute look of insanity.
    “Listen to me, you piece of shit! You don’t come to me doubting my orders! If I say we’re going to that school to burn it down, then we’re going to that school to burn it down, and we’ll ask questions later!”
    He let me go . And as I stumbled, he su cker punched me in the left jaw!
    I fell to the ground as if I were thrown. A few people were still around to see this, including David. Some felt I had it coming and laughed at me, others gasped in surprise , watching with pity. Wu motioned for one of his lieutenants to hand him the loudspeaker. I looked at the man in complete bewilderment. My jaw was throbbing with pain. Once the loudspeaker was in Wu’s hand, he used it.
    “Everyone, could you come here for a moment. I need you all to come back for one moment.” he said. “I want you all to meet my friend, Martin. Martin Jacob.”
    The crowd doubled back. They appeared from the side of the building, dozens at a time, curious as to what their leader could possibly want—especially regarding some guy named Martin Jacob. I was on the ground still, taking in the scene, and feeling like a circus animal on display. Once Wu was satisfied with his audience, he lifted his loudspeaker and began.
    “ Mar-tin says we should leave the scientists at the academy alone.”
    I was booed. They fucking booed me! I could feel the contempt, the utter disgust from over a hundred people. I wanted to disappear. Wu quieted the crowd after a while.
    “If we had listened to cowards like him, we never would’ve formed a militia to begin with!”
    I was hurt. Devastated . This man, a man who I respected, had called me a coward. In front of everyone. My heart was racing.
    “Martin doesn’t understand the pain we’re all suffering! Martin doesn’t understand that when those who are responsible for the death of billions, when they are right in your backyard, you have to do something about it!” The crowd cheered him on. “Now, I don’t know Martin’s background. I don’t know if he lost his family, or if he even cares that they are gone. But regardless of his story, I cannot have a man in this militia…a man who refuses to understand the importance of what we have to do. I cannot have a man by my side that’s not willing to bring justice… justice to the destroyers of so many lives!” The crowd was electric at this point. “Now, what we’re going to do after this day is over…we’ll worry about that when we get there. But today, we’re going to march!” Loud cheers. “Today, we’re going to go to that academy and we’re going to tear it down!” He was showered with whistles and hoots. “They might have taken our loved ones. They might have taken our way of life. But our deliverance-will-be-at-hand! And they will have hell to pay! Let’s go! Come on! Come on!”
    And with that, Wu led his fired up crowd to the back of the building. He didn’t even bother to look to his embarrassed subject. The crowd had left me as well. Only David remained. He stuck around until it was just the two of us. And only then did he approach the new pariah.
    He helped me to my feet.
    “Marty. What in the hell were you