Daniel got out of bed. He stumbled out to the bathroom but returned to his bedroom and back to his closet and picked out a set of clothes. He got his socks on and his shoes, brushed his hair and his teeth and shuffled his way out to the kitchen, plopping himself down on his chair to find his breakfast already made. This was unusual—his normal routine entailed sitting down for a good long think about what he would eat: cereal or toast? Upon making that decision he would stumble to the kitchen and toast his bread and/or pour his cereal.

But today, breakfast was made. And that was not the only shock. A man dressed in a military uniform came out of grandpa’s room. He was wearing a military dress suit with a big hat. The hat seemed a little too large for the man. In fact the whole uniform seemed too big and it was only when the man sat down at the chair that his grandfather normally sat in, that Daniel realized that this stranger was actually his grandfather.

“Eat up, Danny. There’s an assembly today. Got the call last night after you went to bed,” grandpa said. “Whole town’s going to be there.”

Daniel just stared at him.

“Yeah, got the old uniform out. Danny, what happened yesterday… it was a big deal. It was… tragic.”

The floor seemed to be moving below Daniel’s feet as he suddenly felt his stomach cramping. What happened yesterday was not a bad dream.

“Seems somebody real important was in that hover-car crash.”

What happened yesterday really did happen.

“They’re probably going to tell us all about it today.”

And what happened was because he made it happen.

“Danny, geez—you look white, son. You didn’t have that much bourbon.”

Daniel just stared.

“Danny, look—don’t worry. Don’t worry. It was a big deal but it has nothing to do with us and we’re going to be okay.”

The Alliance would find him out. They would take him. They might kill—.

“Grandpa, I don’t want to go!” Daniel shouted.

Daniel’s grandpa looked at him.

“Grandpa, let’s just stay here. Okay?”

“Daniel, look—we’ve got to go.”

“But you said you hate the Alliance—!”

“Daniel— quiet, son! Quiet!”

“But grandpa—!”

“No—you hush up now.”

Daniel was quiet but tears started to run down his red cheeks.

“Daniel—it’s okay, son. I know this is a scary time. I know. But you listen up. One—I do not hate the Alliance. Talk like that will do us no good. No good at all. Especially now. That was your grandpa complaining. Just complaining, son. Do you understand? Do you understand, Daniel?”

“Yes—yes sir!”

“Two— there is nothing to be afraid of here. Nothing at all. Something bad happened. But when something bad happens, we have got to face it. We can’t just hide away. A man does not hide.”

“Yes sir—“

“And last, what the hell is wrong with you, Danny? Eat your toast and let’s go.”

Daniel’s grandfather got up and went to get his coffee. Daniel sat still. Maybe they don’t know. Maybe no one knows. How could they know? What did he actually do, anyway?

He took a bite of toast. And then another. Maybe everything was going to be all right.