Andrew gasped, feeling as if the ground had opened up and swallowed him to his neck. He hadn't meant to give away so much, or insinuate what he had. He'd sentenced them all to death but couldn't bring himself to feel sorry, exactly. They called themselves men of God and turned around and spat on whatever commandments they claimed to follow. But Andrew didn't want to face them again. He shook his head hard, breathing hard until he could calm the tremor that would have shaken his voice otherwise. "N-no, no, please don' go back... They'll get w... whatever's coming to them, I just don't want to think about them anymore..."

He doubled over, staring at the ground between his legs and picking up a small beetle that had been crawling there. He didn't kill it, though---he set it on his shaking hand, steadying himself as it found its way across his skin. Something---anything---to distract from his admission and subsequent pleading for Joey to keep away from his tormentors.