judgment

Once upon a time, our modest English hamlet, Stoniton, was graced by the quintessential carpenter, Adam Bede. The rhythm of his hammer and the smell of the wood were as pivotal to the community as the church bells that rang every Sunday morning. Adam, a man of sincerity and sweat, after shouldering the day's labor, used to rest under the shade of an old elm tree by his shed. On one such day, an unusual rustling in the bushes drew him from his evening nap.

In the small southern town of Jefferson, Mississippi, lived a man named Joe Christmas. After years of wandering, hounded by his racial ambiguity, Joe found a kind of uncomfortable peace within Jefferson's rigid societal boundaries. His past was a profound mystery, even to himself, but life in Yoknapatawpha County offered a measure of stability, albeit a sharply defined one. He worked for Mr. McEachern, a stern, God-fearing man, and lived alongside the townsfolk who so often judged him without truly knowing him. Joe was a man of few words, his expressions hidden behind the complex tapestry of his past, yet he was an integral part of the raw, vibrant life that coursed through the town vein. His heart yearned for acceptance, but he had long since learned to build walls around himself, keeping his vulnerability tightly locked within.

In the quiet town of Trumble, a secret meeting was convened, hidden from the watchful eyes of law enforcement. This was no ordinary gathering; the attendees were three former judges: Joe, Finn, and Theo, known among few trusted associates as The Brethren. They were planning to restart their old money extortion scheme. However, the objective was not solely financial gain this time, but also an unspoken yearning to escape the monotony of their lives.