It had been three weeks since the announcement that Jim Jones was building the encampment he had now dubbed Jonestown. Alfred got a kick out of that, he said that it means he was born to be there. Matthew just laughed at his brother's antics but agreed it was funny, albeit a little weird to name the town after Jim Jones himself.

They had learned that he had been planning this for three years, secretly working on it in the background, and the hard workers were donating their free time and putting their lives on hold to finish the project as soon as possible. They gave weekly updates and sent pictures that they posted in their weekly newsletter. They saw the apartments they built for the higher ministry and the vast fields of food they were beginning to grow. They said that they had running water and electricity in each of the almost fifty cottages.

In the weeks leading up to the big move, Jim was absent with a guest pastor in the meantime. They went over the basics of their Utopia, the different job roles that were available, and the housing they had built. They were humble little cottages but they were assured there was enough for everybody to plan on coming, which happened to be around one thousand people. They were told all of the food they'd be growing was enough to sustain itself for a long time. They'd be growing various fruits, vegetables, and rice in the agriculture department, it was a big diet change, especially for Alfred who lived on fast food and hamburgers. Matthew did not envy those in the agriculture department, it was laborious, back-breaking work.

After long deliberation, both Matthew and Alfred would be going. They didn't have anything left for them in San Francisco. They were dirt poor, struggling to make enough for rent and food, what would they really be leaving behind? It really hit home when they came home one night after service and their electricity was cut because of late payment of the bills. Alfred even found mouse droppings in their cabinets a week before they left. The boys were convinced it was a sign, they were ready to get the hell out. They would have no bills to pay or food to buy. To Matthew, it sounded nice to just eat off the land and grow their own food. They made a pro and con list that they posted on the wall. Amongst the cons were the heat, the wilderness, and whatever insects come with it. On the pros, however, there was a loving community on top of a long list. Then it was decided. The second Jonestown was ready, they sold most of their belongings and said goodbye to their old life.

Matthew reminisced about the old times and the life they were leaving behind. He already felt a pang of homesickness as he watched out the plane window over Venezuela. Alfred was fast asleep, drool leaking from his mouth and onto his American Flag neck pillow. With a chuckle, Matthew brought his gaze back to the mountains below. They were close to the compound, about an hour or two, and his stomach was in knots. They were to join the rest of the congregation and begin their life. Once they arrive, they will be shown around their little town and the sleeping barracks, and the main courtyard before they are assigned jobs. It was explained to them that there were many opportunities at the compound; agriculture, teaching, construction, maintenance, and healthcare. Of all the jobs Alfred was pushing to get into construction, he loved to create with his hands and he was used to the work, being a blue-collar worker back in the States. Matthew thought hard about a job he can find himself doing. He finally settled on teaching. It was something he never tried and he loved working with children.

Satisfied with his decision, he eagerly awaited landing in Guyana. They soon landed on this barren airstrip with nothing but humidity and jungle. Out the window Matt could see a group of men next to a Jeep stapped with heavy guns, waiting to take them deep in the jungle to their paradise. Matthew gulped at the sight of the heavy-duty firearms. He explained it away with the fact that they had to be protected from wildlife. He swallowed the lump of nervousness and stepped his first step toward his future. Alfred was practically vibrating from excitement, it shined in his eyes. Nothing could dampen this cheery mood, not even the muggy heat. They were with a group of others as they crammed into the back of the Jeep.

"This is great, it's going to be one giant family," Alfred whispered in Matthew's ear before turning to the man next to him and making friends. Matthew turned his head to the wind, feeling it whip past him as they drove full speed into the jungle. Light came through the trees, creating dark and green shadows that painted the muddy ground. It wasn't the prettiest in the world but it was theirs now and he was determined to live out their lives there.

Once there was a break in the trees, the sun flooded their senses. Waiting for his eyes to adjust, the compound slowly came into view. It was about a couple of miles between the airstrip and Jonestown and he really felt secluded.

"Glad we don't have to rough it in the jungle if we try to escape," Alfred said jokingly, earning a few chuckles from the other people in the Jeep. When the car stopped and dropped them off, they sped away to get the rest of their party from the airstrip, leaving nebulous clouds of dust and mud in their wake. There were small groups working away and socializing with each other, seemingly untouched by the heat, Matthew observed as the Jeep came to a stop and they hopped off the back.

"Everyone gather under the pavilion to welcome our newcomers," a crackly voice came over the loudspeakers that seemed to come from everywhere. Upon further examination, Matthew could see a lot of speakers throughout the entire complex and he was impressed.

Everyone did as they were instructed and gathered in the shade under the pavilion. Basic wooden chairs sat in rows, much like the old church, facing the stage with a podium facing back to them. Inspirational signs were posted around the area. One sign said simply, "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Once everyone gathered, there was a happy hum of chatter that filled the area until Jim Jones made his way to the stage, shaking hands as he walked.

"Welcome to Jonestown," He boomed, it seemed like the pavilion was also rigged with many speakers to hear his every word crystal clear.

He then went into a long explanation about the different amenities of the town and explained they would get a full tour after the meeting. He explained all the jobs that were available and how each contributed to the smooth mechanisms that the town ran on. Newcomers will be assigned the jobs that they find the most suitable for each person and then assigned a hut that holds four to six people each. They were going to be in really tight quarters, which made Matt slightly nervous but it was a loving and caring community, he expected no problems. He just hoped they wouldn't separate him from his brother. Family was important to him, Alfred was all he had left in the world. The whole church was considered a giant family and while everyone was kind to him, he was invisible, blending in with the crowd. He was hoping to make more friends while they were there.

Once their tour started, Matthew became puzzled. Everything looked half-built and incomplete. There were around nine hundred people and he could count how many huts there were on two hands. They were big huts but the math wasn't adding up and a seed of worry was planted deep within Matthew. He would ask about it later.

They then came by what was known as the school. It was one lean-to with a shanty roof and very little furniture besides two chairs. Hanging from the ceiling were colorful, handcrafted garlands. They draped over the beams that held the place up like weeping willows. There was also a sun painted on the tin walls in a wave of oranges and yellows, smiling down at the children who gathered around their teacher. This brought a smile to his face, seeing the children's curiosity and hunger to learn, it pumped him up for the future of his new teaching career.

There were wooden paths to every building and dirt roads for everything else, mixed with mud and lush greens. Everything was lively, there was laughter in the sultry air, bugs buzzing past their ears. The flies, which were as large as Texas, Alfred pointed out, kept landing all over their bodies and any exposed skin they could find. Matthew was starting to go insane with the amount he had to swat them away.

Their tour continued and circled back to the main pavilion where they were instructed to sit and Jim himself wanted to speak with them and give them a proper welcome. They hadn't seen Jim in a couple of months so he was a sight for sore eyes.

"Brothers and sisters, welcome to the People's Temple Agricultural Project. This is your home now, and we can build the life we want without the thumb of the government!" Jim welcomed and continued about the more minute details of the project. He filled them in on what they were growing in the fields to sustain the community. He also learned that the huts were built to fit nine people which astounded Matthew. He saw the huts with his own eyes, he couldn't imagine nine people living anywhere close to comfortable in there. He tried to give Alfred an eye to see what he thought but he was so locked in on Jim Jones, Matthew's eyes were never met. A twinge of anxiety tainted his body, he wondered why no one else looked concerned. He began to think he was just being crazy. To live in paradise, you have to make sacrifices.

They were soon excused to make a lineup to claim their new jobs and their assigned hut. He finally took a moment to grab Alfred's shirt.

"Nine people per hut?" He whispered, his face tweaked in a fake smile.

"Shouldn't be too bad, we've lived in small spaces before," He shrugged it off. Matthew was not content with this answer and continued to bite his lip in worry. The line moved forward and Alfred was first.

Before the lady could address Alfred he started talking excitedly.

"Hey, I was interested in construction please ma'am!"

"Perfect, you look fit enough this should be no problem for you," she commented kindly, taking his information for the signup sheet. He soon stepped aside with a beaming smile for Matthew to have his turn.

"Hi! What job did you have in mind?" the nice kind lady asked, her pen paused in the air.

"Child care, please!" he asked with a shy smile and was surprised when the lady paused.

"Oh," she said, flipping through some papers while with her other hand swatted away persistent flies.

"I'm afraid I don't have any openings for child care at the moment, besides, the ladies got it handled," she said with a wink and an obviously fake smile. Matthew found her response very odd because during their orientation they said that they had openings in childcare.

"Oh, um, are you sure?" he pressed, maybe she just made a mistake.

"Don't worry, there are better jobs fitted for you!" she began, her smile dripping with insidious intention. He knew she was lying.

"We have a perfect spot for you in the agricultural department! Just let me get your information and we will have that squared away for you."

"Oh, um sure," he said, getting swept away by her whirlwind and before he knew it Alfred was looking at him with worry and he was out of line.

"Hey bro, what'd you get?" he asked.

"Agriculture," he said simply, full of disappointment.

"Oh, I thought you wanted to teach the kids," Alfred asked, leading them away from the line to get their housing assignment.

"I- I did, but there were no available spots," he stuttered, still in a state of shock. He did not expect this from their new utopia.

"Do you know anything about farming?" his brother inquired, also confused by the situation.

"Um, not really, but I can go where I'm needed," he said hopefully, trying to shake off the situation.

"You don't want a girly job anyway," Alfred said offhandedly.

"Guys can be teachers too!" Matthew argued in his defense. They were in a place that was against misogyny, he thought. Alfred just shrugged and the line moved forward and Matthew could only hope that one thing will go right and he and his brother would be put in the same hut.

Thankfully, they were placed in the same housing pod with seven other people. The man signing them up made it a point to say they would never separate families. They brought what little of their belongings they had to hut 616 and to meet the other people they'd be living with for the foreseeable future.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you, my name is Roderich and this is my husband Gilbert," a nice german sounding man said and pointed to his peculiar-looking spouse trying to carry all of their bags at once. Meeting these two gay men excited Matthew, it was a breath of fresh air to see people that could truly be themselves here. Back in the states, they would have never been able to be together as husbands.

The rest of the group was strangers to each other. They learned the rest of their group's names: Yao, a nice Chinese man, Kiko a quiet Japanese man, Ludwig a scary German guy, Antonio a very friendly Spanish man with a heavy accent, and a really grumpy teenager named Lovino who Matthew guessed was Italian. It was a colorful cast of characters, most of these people were from other factions of the church that Jim Jones had in multiple states. It was an amazing thing to see how wide of an umbrella Jim Jones had over parts of the nation, and they were all gathered here in Guyana.

Matthew held onto those thoughts when he lay on his cot that night, listening to Alfred snoring on the top bunk above Lovino. His paper-thin blanket was useless in the humidity and the constant buzz and tickle of flies crawling on every inch of his body. He prayed to God, hoping to find peace in this new environment. This was the righteous way to spend their lives and they were in good hands. He prayed.