Chapter Five

The boys got up and dressed within five minutes, while the girls ate cereal and made pop-tarts for them to eat on the way. "Thank you sweetie." Jimmy said, taking the pop tart from Cindy handed him.

"You're welcome. I'm going to go see if Officer Miller needs anything."

"You do that." Jimmy said, still not able to comprehend why on earth they were helping the GPO guy. "I'll just be waiting on Sheen with Libby." Jimmy replied as Cindy left the room. As soon as Sheen's pop tart was warmed up Libby made him play 'catch-me-if-you-can' in order to get it. After he finally got the pop tart from Libby, the kids left, telling Jackie to keep checking on Officer Miller.

When they got to the Higher Education building they were very surprised at all of the changes that had taken place. What was left of the teachers and staff was there, but those who either died or disappeared were replaced with the GPO force. The group of teens was told to turn in their old schedules and report to the sign in table according to their last names.

Cindy and Jimmy hugged each other tightly and set up a meeting place as Libby and Sheen did the same. Alexa, Hanna, and Bethany headed to the back of the string of tables to the 'S' table as the rest all broke up into separate areas. After standing in line behind fifty or so other people who's last name began with 'N' as well it was finally Jimmy's turn. "Name?"

"James Neutron." Jimmy answered handing the tall, stout, man on the other side of the table his old schedule.

The man took the schedule, placed it in a pile of other old schedules and thumbed through a lot of other papers before coming to Jimmy's. "Ok kid, here's the deal. Take a pencil, fill out this form and turn it back into me… then take this schedule and report to your assigned basic instruction room."

Jimmy took the papers and found a spot at the other end of the table to start the 'survey.' Number of family members in your house before the disappearances, Jimmy read to himself. That's easy… five. How many people in your house since the disappearances and earthquake? I don't know! Do I even have a house? Let's see… assuming we are staying at the shelter at Cindy's house there's Officer Miller, Jackie, Sheen, Cindy, Libby, Alexa, Bethany, and Hanna… that's…. 8. Jimmy thought rationally, and decided that eight sounded like good enough of an answer to him. Describe Natas. Now what do they want there? I'll just ask… what can it hurt. "Um… Sir… I have a question about number three."

Without glancing at his copy of the survey the officer answered, "I think it's pretty clear."

"But I…"

"How hard is it to tell what you think of someone?"

"Not hard, I was just wondering what it meant." Ok then… he's um… nice and a great man who has really pushed the world in a positive direction. Jimmy thought writing that down. Are we in the middle of WWIII? Well… the news says we are… Natas says no… so… um… no. Jimmy was very confused over the format of the survey. Are they looking for correct answers... and if they are what would happen if you answer incorrectly? The rest of the survey was mainly what classes you were enrolled in before and what you've learned from them. At the very end there were a few spots where you wrote down the name of each person in your household prior to the vanishings that was no longer there and several in depth analysis' of if they died or disappeared, their blood type, personality, and other key factors they thought might have played a role in rather they were left behind or not. After finishing the last question some thirty or so minutes later Jim headed to his assigned 'basic instruction' room.

The room had been re-decorated to be completely Global-Society-oriented. The maps had been replaced with maps that showed the ten separate tracks of land and instead of the 'fundicational' posters there were various signs showing the Top Ten Rules To Peace; most of which focused on the no religion topic. On the blackboard was written the instructor's name. However, instead of regular class where they would call their teacher: Mr. Mrs. or Ms., the teachers were referred to as Officer and then their last name.

Each class, now called 'instruction groups' was either all boys or all girls. The rows of desks were arranged alphabetically, having the first person be whose last name came first in the alphabet, then behind them was the person with the last name in the alphabet, behind them was the person with the second letter in the alphabet, and so on and so forth until everyone was seated. After quickly going around the room introducing everyone, Officer Edtrick passed out copies of what he called the 'Global Society Code.' The packet was at least a hounded pages long, with three or for points per page. Everyone was told to read through the first fifty points by tomorrow, and there would be a test. The freshmen and those that had graduated within the last two years groaned.

"But… why are we here? I graduated last year! I shouldn't have to come back to high school!" A kid on the other side of the room from Jimmy asked.

"You should talk! I'm in my sophomore year of college!" the man sitting next to Jimmy exclaimed.

"This is a temporary educational de-briefing," Officer Edtrick said before the next one had a chance to speak up. "You will come to this class every day for the next two weeks. After you know all of the laws for the new Global Society, and pass a huge test, we will hand you back either your modified old schedule and classes will resume or a card saying you've completed the course and are too old for school."

The boy who had said the last comment raised his hand again. "And the college kids are here because…"

"After this course is complete adults ages 21-41 will take it at the elementary schools. And the remaining part of the population will take it in the middle schools. Now, get started on reading and finish these worksheets to help prepare for the quiz tomorrow." Officer Edtrick said, handing out yet another packet, this one anywhere from 200 to 300 pages.

Cindy's day was not much different. After finishing the survey she reported to Officers Gratson's room. Introductions took a while since most of the girls wanted to talk about their losses with the others. One girl brought up the question 'what caused it?' Gratson quickly informed her that those details were not only not allowed but also not important. Cindy mentioned the earthquake that was so fresh in people's heads, hoping to see if anyone else was on her side. "How did we have a world-wide earthquake? I thought you taught us it was impossible?" Cindy was speaking directly to the instructor. Officer Gratson, known to Cindy as Mrs. Gratson, was Cindy's geology teacher last semester and they had spent a good month on earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains.

"Scientist are trying to prove that rather than one big earthquake, as rumor has it, it was lot of smaller earthquakes, and therefore did not cover the entire earth. But, as much as I love talking… we have to move on." Officer Gratson passed out the packets and explained the whole procedure, telling the kids that they were free to either go home, if they have one, or stay there to read it. Cindy got up, put the backpack on her right shoulder and took the packets before leaving the room. Cindy sat down on a bench outside of the office by the soda machine where she and Jimmy were supposed to meet and opened to the first page of the packet. 1) Absolutely no talk about God, the vanishings, or any supernatural event that may occur in a way that suggest that God is real. The paragraph or so beneath the law was about ten or so sentences or so and was basically brainwashing whoever read it to believe religion, and a higher power of any kind, did nothing but cause problems. What are they going to do after teaching the world this junk and then Reficul becomes a god to them?

Jimmy's class was the next to allow them to leave, followed by Sheen's, Libby's, Alexa's, Hanna's, and Bethany's. Jimmy met Cindy by the pop machines as promised and after exchanging stories they read the packet together waiting for the others. "Law number two; there will be no discrimination on anyone due to color of skin, age, or social class." Jimmy read aloud. Cindy read the paragraph beneath that and closed the packet when they saw the others rounding the corner.

"So… how were your guys' classes?" Libby asked.

"Interesting… can't wait for regular school to get back." Jimmy said.

"I felt like they were brainwashing me!" Alexa said. They kept repeating over and over again the first five rules. Do not talk about anything relating to there being a God; do not discriminate, do not cheat, steal, or kill... however, these crimes will have no severe punishment. I mean… honestly... what's the point in having laws if they aren't punishable."

"Did you read the part where it said any religious activity, unless sponsored by the Global Society, is punishable by death?" Hanna asked.

"Yea… I read it… can't say it'll have any effect though." Libby said shrugging it off. "Ready to head back to the house?"

The teens nodded in agreement and left the 'higher education' premises. After returning home they all ate lunch and Libby fed Officer Miller his soup. The kids finished filling out the packets together and then the Tribulation Saints had a Bible study while Sheen and Jimmy watched the news. Jackie peeked in on the Bible study several times, and then went back to caring for Officer Miller. After the Bible study, and a lengthy coverage of news they had Mac N' Cheese for dinner and fixed up the house a little bit more before heading to bed.

The next day didn't go any differently except they took the first test and came home on time rather than early. Officer Miller was stating to heal enough that he could walk around, and therefore while the kids were away to higher education, he and Jackie would do little things to help with the repairs. Each day was not much different than the one before and each one had it's own little surprise. Officer Gratson had called in sick on the third day and the substitute really liked Cindy right off the bat. After the group finished their meeting Cindy stayed after and talked to her.

Her name was Officer Palmer and she had two children, seven and fifteen, that both had disappeared in the vanishings. She had been a nurse at the local pregnancy center and lived about three doors down from Cindy. Cindy had known her fifteen-year-old son and knew that he was never at any of the parties. She then found out that Officer Palmer was on their side. Shortly after the rapture, she found some of Joshua's old church notes and read through them. She became a believer just before the earthquake.

Cindy was thrilled to have met a fellow adult believer and told Officer Palmer her whole story. "How long has it been since you seen a doctor?"

Cindy shrugged, "couple of weeks."

"Well, come by my house next week and we'll get you all checked up!"

The next week came and Kristy Palmer took Cindy up to the Pregnancy Center as promised. Cindy was ecstatic to find out that the baby was healthy and developing a little quicker than it should have been, but Kristy assured her that the development rate was not important and that the baby was fine.

Kristy took Cindy back home and stayed around for the Tribulation Saints' daily Bible study. Kristy started coming over at least once a day and with her added help the hose was fixed u completely exactly two weeks after the earthquake had hit.

Officer Miller decided to stick around the church/home due to the fear of going back to his home and finding everything he cherished destroyed. He and Jackie spent a lot of time together doing unnecessary things like painting the meeting area, the former living room, white and then using splatter paint to liven it up. For once since the vanishings, life seemed ok.