Chapter 244
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Sunday May 6th was Eve's 17th birthday, and she barely remembered this fact. There seemed little reason to celebrate being older, closer to impact. She was grateful to have been assigned Julia as a roommate. After everything that had happenned they both needed a friend. Eve ajusted to her new routine over the next few weeks. It wasn't so bad, cleaning Wilkins' home five days a week. He kept his house clean so it was fairly easy. Every week Eve's ration card was renewed for more food. She got a few extra points because she was pregnant, but had to use the extra points for healthy food. This food sustained her, but wasn't always tasty. Her apartment was kept fairly cool for May. Both their television and the sector's movie theatre were free, allowing Eve and Julia some entertainment. There were no new tv shows anymore, save for news programs, so Eve mostly watched re-runs of "Buffy" and one of the four incarnations of the "Twilight zone." There were still new movies, even if they always had brief re-educational films. Eve found a new mosque in the sector and went to prayer services every Friday. On Fridays Eve was also examined by Dr Weber. The pregnancy was progressing nicely, although the fate of any child born after July 20th of next year was uncertain.
As his maid Eve sometimes saw meetings between Wilkins and other council members, even mayor Ford. She never saw governor Jenkins, their superior outside the sector, but heard his name mentioned. It seemed clear that all of the council's decisions could be over-ridden by Jenkins. Eve said nothing about this to Julia of her other friends. Maybe it was important to let them still have the illusion of democracy, at any rate Wilkins expected discretion. Getting to know the other council members was interesting. Wilkins had been an elementary school teacher, rumor was he first ran for the state legislture to teach his students about the electoral process. Mayor Ford was also in his mid-sixties, like councilman Wilkins. Ford had been a cop, fighting drug-dealers, pimps, and other violent criminals. He later bought a bar with his husband and ran for city council. Eve wasn't exactly sure how either of them got involved with the CSA. She heard arguments between them even from their closed door meetings.
May 28th was suppossed to be memorial day. Councilman Wilkins hosted a barbeque at his home. Eve was glad to work that day, and also to enjoy the party a little bit. The problem was that people were discouraged from honoring fallen collective soldiers. People still sang collectivist songs today, but this increased tensions with the guards. At Wilkins' barbeque sector guards and loyalist soldiers talked. Considering that the war had been over for less than one month there would naturally still be tension. They got along okay, but both groups were dis-liked and mis-trusted by most of the people in the sector. Eve held her tongue, she couldn't afford to make waves right now, not with a baby on the way. She was pleasant to the guests, they looked the other way when she stole food and brought it home. With 419 days until impact, Eve knew her situation could get much worse. There was no point in saying "There's nowhere to go but up." The truth is, there was always more down. After her memorial day shift Eve brought some leftover food home for her and Julia. They talked about much these days. Tonight they talked about their chances of getting into an Ark.
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Julia: I think you've got a better chance than me, considering your baby.
Eve: It seems wrong to think of this baby as more lottery chances. I'm not saying I won't take that opportunity.
Julia: Rumor is Mason's trying to bring more families, even collectivists, into the Arks.
Eve: I've seen Mason's "generosity." But Wilkins says that presidents usually become more generous that way after wars. After Hiroshima and Nagasaki Truman even commuted the death sentance of the man who tried to kill him.
Julia: There you go. I'm just worried he won't take any collective soldiers, or prostitutes.
Eve: Prostitutes?
Julia: Yeah. My mother used to take me to army bases, I had sex with soldiers from both sides to feed the two of us.
Eve: I'm sorry.
Julia: It's okay, world's oldest profession and all. Maybe that's why I became a communist, thought we could end that kind of exploitation. Anyway, as I was saying, Mason might take some with technical and/or medical skills. And possibly young mothers and newborns like you and your baby. But me, people with no real skills. I'm scared.
Eve: I'm scared too. But you helped build an Ark. You probably have a better chance than recent immigrants.
Julia: I know. And I feel bad for them. Until then, I'm really glad that I have you to share this with.
Eve: I'm glad to have you too.