Chapter 8

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Liz tried to rob a bank and ended up murdering Roberta on April 27th, at which point her smartphone was now down to just single digits. Liz pled guilty to murder. The judge was required to ask Liz certain questions before he could accept her guilty plea. Questions like "Have you had a chance to consult with an attorney?" "Have you had any alcoholic beverages in the last few days?" "Have you had any illegal drugs in the last few days?" Bobby, the teenage son of the woman Liz had murdered, gave a testimony. He said how Liz had taken her away from him and his siblings. Bobby knew he was the now the primary breadwinner for his two younger sblings, and would likely have to drop out of highschool to support them. Liz genuinely felt bad about what she had done to this family. She hadn't gone in there planning to shoot anyone, but she was morally and legally responsible for her death. Perhaps she could give him some of her money in her will. Would he accept it, knowing who it was from? Was he desperate enough to take her money? She would never know. It was now April 28th, Liz was officially sentenced to be executed on May 6th. But, as per her plea agreement, she was flown home to live out her last days with her family.

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Liz tried to enjoy her last days as best she could. She wasn't the only person scheduled to die on this day. The Mercy Clinics were operating, some made appointments to be euthanized, they wanted to die and the state seemed pretty okay with a large number of people committing suicide. But they had the option to back out, Liz did not. She had thrown away her final chance to appeal her original decision. There was nothing for her to do but await the inevitable and enjoy these last days as best she could. Liz tried to hang out with her old friends, have a few last days at the mall with them. She also enjoyed her mother's home cooked meals. Months of little other than fast food made her miss these meals more than she thought she would. She had to get used to this ankle monitor, and the guard who stayed mostly silent, just made sure she didn't make a run for it. Liz had arranged to give her remaining $10,000 to Bobby and his siblings, Allie said she didn't want any more of this money, knowing the price her daughter had paid for it. Maybe at least Bobby wouldn't be as desperate as Liz had been a year ago.

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Finally, May 6th arrived. Liz was scheduled to be euthanized at 9pm. By now some of the 1% had come to town for the transplant. But until then Liz had some freedom. She had one last lunch with her friends. They wished her well, hoped they'd see her in the next life. Liz feared that, if there was life after death, God would judge her harshly for her sins. She'd soon find out. Liz had a final dinner with her mother and siblings. It was the last meal they would ever eat together. At 8pm, the guard reminded them they had to go. Allie had tried to prepare herself for this moment, but it wasn't easy. She hugged her daughter one last time. And then, Liz left with the guard.

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Liz listened to music on the ride to Lifecorps. She tried to take her mind off what was coming, music could only do so much. As they escorted her in Liz saw someone, she soon realized it was one of the recipients of her organs. To her shock, it was sheriff Howard Perkins, the same sheriff who'd arrested her. This was awkward for both of them. For privacy's sake the organ "donors" and the recipients were not suppossed to know each other's identities. But Lifecorps was after all made up of humans, capable of mistakes. Sheriff Perkins tried to say "I didn't know." Liz had thought it was only the ruling class that received these organs. Then she thought about it, Lifecorps needed the cooperation of local law enforcement, and at his age Perkins likely needed a new kidney or something. And it would be in the corporation's best interest to have Perkins alive and working for them for a few more years. Maybe he didn't know who his donor was, but he had incentive to cooperate with Lifecorps. Liz just walked away to her execution without relying to him.

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It was 8:46 pm, dr Conway was here for the procedure. Liz tried to have some gallows humor about this, it helped when sweating out her final minutes. They strapped Liz down and stuck the needles into her. She flinched.

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Liz: Sorry, I just don't like needles.

Conway: Most people don't. But the hard part is over.

Liz: Yeah, I guess all I have to do is now is relax here and wait. So, how long does it take?

Conway: At exactly 9pm they read the statement that you have been sentenced to death, and allow you the chance to make a final statement. After that we release the chemicals to make you go to sleep. You can try to count to ten at this point, and you'll be asleep before you make it to ten. Once we're certain your unconsciouss, we release the chemicals to euthanize you. All that should take less than 15 minutes.

Liz: So 30 minutes from now, I'll be dead.

Conway: Yes. There's time to call for a chaplain if you'd like.

Liz: No, if there is a God I doubt a priest saying a few words will buy my ticket to Heaven. I can only hope he'll forgive my sins.

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At 9pm they read the statement.

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Guard: Elizabet Allison Parker, you have been convicted of murder in the first degree and sentenced to death. Have you anything to say before the sentence is carried out.

Liz: I am sorry for murdering that woman, and the pain I caused her family. I pray that God will forgive my sins.

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They then administered the chemicals, and Liz immediately tried to count to ten. She barely got out "Four" and fell asleep trying to say "Five." Just as she had done many times before, dr Conway then administered the lethal chemicals. By 9:15pm Elizabeth Allison Parker was officially dead. Conway and others then removed her vital organs and gave them to the recipients, including giving one of her kidney's to sheriff Perkins. By midnight Liz's organs were in eight different people. They'd have to stay here for a few days, some for a week, to recover. Allie and her other children would ofcourse mourn for Liz, but few others did. Some like Benson who supported the consistent life ethic and opposed this would protest, but there was little about Liz's case to stand out. She was not the first to panic like she did, Liz never even knew if "John Brown" was really part of the Underground or simply a grifter who would take money from a woman with a death sentence hanging over her head. Liz Parker was dead at the age of 19, and the universe didn't even seemed to notice.

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"Impossible" you say? "Could never happen." Improbable, yes, but let us hesitate before we say impossible. For if one believes that a person should have absolute control over their own bodies, that freedom from the state is more important than human life, if we accept as a matter of course that some humans are expendable, how then can one say that such a future is impossible. We offer it only as a presumption. Food for thought, in the Twilight Zone.