Monsters of Men

That’s the voice I’ve been hearing. The one voice. They’re him and he’s them and that’s how they survive, that’s how they learn and grow and exist

“I can be that for the people here, Todd. I can be their voice. And you can help me. You can help me be better. You can help me be good.”

And then I hear it–
I hear the sound that turns the entire world upside down

She ain’t moved from the ramp. Lee’s come thru the crowd to her and they’re all watching me let myself get dragged away by the Mayor, both of us wearing the same uniform–

“Just the words Quiet, please,” Bradley whispers. “Right in the middle of my head. And I swear my Noise is quieter, too.”

If he can do that to a thousand people at once–

When you saved me, Todd, that’s when everything changed. When everything fell into place.

“All I wanted was to bring this planet under my thumb and, failing that, to destroy it completely. If I couldn’t have it, then no one else could either

With your goodness, with everything about you that feels and hurts and regrets and refuses to fall no matter what you’ve done, Todd, if we combined that with how I can lead men, how I can control them–

Like the leader of the Spackle has over his own people,