Chapter 235
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When Eve got to the infirmary she quietly looked around for Miranda. When she found her Eve quietly went up to her and said what she learned. Tara and officer Chase were trying to steal drugs from the infirmary and sell them on the black market. Eve suspected the two male prisoners of black market activities but lacked proof. Miranda asked Eve to wait in another room while she got some files. Miranda returned with pictures, as well as juice and doughnuts for Eve. Eve was asked to look at the pictures, they were of male prisoners suspected of black market activities. Eve identified the two she recognized from the poker game. Miranda thanked Eve for her help. This operation had needed an inside person. Because of Eve's help the black marketeers would be busted. Many rule-following prisoners would survive because of this. Eve felt proud of her actions.
Eve worked her normal shift at the infirmary on Saturday. She still had much gruesome work, and she was told she might have to stay longer today because Miranda was busy with colonel Sadler on official council business. Nevertheless Eve had helped save lives by stopping Chase's drug-ring. Saving lives seemed to be a rare treat these days, it helped Eve get through the day. After her shift finally ended Eve returned to the barracks Tara was conspiculously absent. Most likely she was now in solitary confinement. Eve realized that she didn't want the other prisoners to know she was a rat. To avoid suspicion Eve asked another prisoner about Tara. She was told that Tara had been arrested for illegal drug-trafficing. She'd likely be executed in the morning.
When Eve heard the news, that her friend would soon be executed, she stormed out and went to Miranda's office. Noone seemed to find this suspicious. They knew that Eve and Tara were friends, they didn't know that Eve was partly responsible for Tara's predicament.
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Eve: Is it true? Are you executing Tara and the others?
Miranda: Examples had to be made. The three prisoners will be executed tomorrow morning. Colonel Sadler claims that officer Chase was undercover for him. I'll pretend to believe that, and Sadler promises to crack down on the guards' stealing.
Eve: I don't get it. You ran against lynchings like this.
Miranda: A special military tribunal found them guilty, due process. But executions are neccessary at times. In the old days prisons could simply incarcerate dangerous inmates. This made executions unneccessary, but were used by the vengeful. But with so few resources, what else could be done? We couldn't trust these individuals not to steal again. It would be impractical to waste more resources on them, starving them to death would be cruel. I'll let you see Tara before her execution. And, unless you want your friends to know that you're an informant, I suggest you keep helping us.
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Eve was allowed to see Tara in her holding cell. Tara was more scared than almost anyone Eve had ever seen, and that was saying a lot given the last two years.
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Eve: I'm sorry. I really didn't think they'd lynch you.
Tara: I'm scared. They're going to hang me in a few hours. Can you help me?
Eve: I've tried speaking to the council. They're not reversing their decision.
Tara: I know. I just wanted to make sure I stayed alive, but that's not going to happen. I was hoping you could help me get into Heaven.
Eve: I can try. I'm not exactly an expert on this stuff.
Tara: How exactly do I become a muslim?
Eve: It requires the profession of the faith. You say "There is no god but God, and Mohammed was the messanger of God."
Tara: That's it?
Eve: There are two conditions. Another muslim must witness it. And it must be sincere, of your own free will.
Tara: If I do this, am I good with Allah?
Eve: It's not a once and for all, you're ultimately saved thing. You must make amends for your past sins.
Tara: I want to, but how? I die at sunrise.
Eve: I don't know. But we can try and think of something.
Tara: There's something you should know. When they questioned me, I told them about the other prisoners, how we stole food together. I also told them what you said, about wanting to murder president Mason.
Eve: I see. Thank you for being honest. Maybe that'll help you soon.
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Despite what had happenned between them Tara was grateful that Eve was here to comfort her. Eve stayed with her friend all night. Tara converted to islam this night. When the time finally came Tara was in tears. She needed Eve's help to walk to the gallows, fell down once along the way. When they put the noose around Tara's neck she spoke to the crowd of prisoners who were watching. She tried to warn them not to follow her example. This was where it led to. Although Tara could barely speak, she wanted to warn others against stealing food or medicine. Eve was proud of her friend's good deed. She hoped this would earn Allah's forgiveness. But it did not earn colonel Sadler's. The executioner still pulled the lever, and Tara was hung.