[ WP ] One day , everyone in a small , isolated town wakes up and finds an ax resting beside their bed with a note that reads , `` Do what you must . ''

The note read, “ Do what you must. ” 
 
 Phillip picked up the woodcutter ’ s ax and admired its craftsmanship. The blade was so sharp that it could practically cut through anything. Phillip questioned the note ’ s command for a brief moment but quickly wielded the ax with resolution. He knew what he had to do. 
 
 Before he stepped out of his house, he peered out of his window and saw what could only be described as a bloody free-for-all. Everyone in town brandished an ax of identical quality to Phillip ’ s. The once peaceful town of Pinegreen was a battlefield of ax-wielding murderers. Everyone from sweetest, old ladies to the burly miners were hacking away at each other. Mindless violence was rampant, and Phillip knew that he had to partake. With another moment of hesitation, he remembered the note. “ Do what you must. ” He saw his town ruin itself for too long. Chuck cheating in the weekly bingo games by bribing the caller, the teens getting addicted to sniffing motor oil, and, the worst of the offenders, the girl scouts price-gouging. No longer would Phillip pay six dollars for a box of Thin Mints. 
 
 He marched into town with a mission. 
 
 *Let ’ s get rid of that cheater, Chuck, first. * 
 
 Just as Chuck ripped his ax out of a police officer ’ s back, Phillip swung and chopped Chuck ’ s head cleanly off. 
 
 “ Bingo! ” Phillip yelled with glee. 
 
 His bloodlust began, and the town had a new menace on the streets. Among the chaos and confusion, Phillip took down every person he saw with abandon. Heads rolled, and skulls cracked. Phillip had no reservations. He resented or hated everyone who lived in that town, and, evidently, everyone hated everyone else too. Wives hacked at husbands, and brothers massacred sisters. Soon, however, the destruction suddenly stopped. Phillip was the only one left. He collected his thoughts and reflected on his actions. Now, he was filled with regret and guilt. He dropped to his knees. The adrenaline finally left his system, but it was replaced by shame. Tears began to flow down his sweat covered face and down his scruffy beard. 
 
 Suddenly, Phillip heard the sound of machines and vehicles approaching town. A sliver of hope and a wave of anxiety rose inside him. He stood his ground and watched the tall pine trees that spanned for miles fall before him. A path was cleared for a black SUV to emerge. A bald man in a suit exited the vehicle with two bodyguards. 
 
 “ What are you doing here? ” Phillip said as he raised his ax. 
 
 “ Are you fucking serious? ” the bald man replied. 
 
 Phillip was taken aback by how desensitized the stranger was to the bloody mess of the town. 
 
 “ I left you all an ax and you murder each other? ” the bald man said. “ You were supposed to cut down the trees and make a path to the highway! Corporate isn ’ t gon na like this. ” 
 
 “ What? You left the note that said ‘ Do what you must? ’ ” asked Phillip. 
 
 “ Yes, of course that was me. ‘ Do what you must ’ as in cut the trees down. Did none of you watch the broadcast that told you to do that? ” the man said. 
 
 “ Um, well, no. There ’ s only one television in town and it ’ s been broken for two weeks, ” replied Phillip. 
 
 “ Goddammit. ” 

