Chapter 246

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June 16th 2035 marked exactly 400 days until impact. These milestones always made Eve nervous, she feared she would't live to see the next one. On this particular Saturday Eve was working at Wilkins' house. He was meeting with mayor Ford and other council members. They were discussing the July 4th game. Because of tensions between sector guards and other prisoners it was hoped that if they took their frustrations out on each other in baseball or boxing, it might help. Eve remembered how this had helped ease tensions between convicts and civilians on the Pennsylvania Ark. The council was also discussing education. In September schools would re-open. This sector would have its own schools. There would also be a pilot program to allow some collectivist children to attend an outside school. Loyalist and collective children learning together. Children of traitor learning, early enough, to become good citizens. Mason evidently still considered children to be their future.

Julia usually came home late most nights. Eve suspected she might be involved in the black market, but sais nothing. In the final days of the war the first prisoners of this sector began stealing little treasures left behind by those who fled during the plague. Jewelery, DVDs, canned goods, and medicine. Some, particularly a woman named Amanda, were using these things to ensure their own comfort. Amanda and her crew were suspected of stealing from the grocery store for their own inventory. Governor Jenkins had recently allowed some other items brought into the sector. Alcohol, tobacco, even drugs, all designed to pacify the prisoners. But Jenkins couldn't stop them from selling it on the black market, and seemed to have little reason to stop Amanda's crew from stealing. Eve was afraid for her friend, what Julia might've gotten herself into.

Friday June 22nd. 394 days until impact. Eve had the day off, but had a doctor's appointment with Dr Weber. On her way to this appointment Eve heard news reports about a radical group engaged in a stand-off with loyalist soldiers in Trenton. It seemed this group had explosives. Despite president Douglas surrendering, and urging these groups to surrender, this one refused. They had only been allied with the collective. It seemed unlikely that they intended to survive, they'd rather go down fighting. Although she'd surrendered, a part of Eve actually envied this group. At least their pain would soon be over. Dr Weber examined Eve and gave her his medical advice.

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Weber: Have you been taking you pre-natal vitamins?

Eve: Yes.

Weber: Have you quit smoking?

Eve: Mostly. I sometimes have a drag from one of Julia's ciggarettes.

Weber: When I quit I made the motions of smoking without an actual ciggarette.

Eve: I'll try that.

Weber: Despite that, your pregnancy seemes healthy. You'll be giving birth, probably late December.

Eve: Definitely before January 1st?

Weber: Most likely, but I can't promise anything.

Eve: This is scary.

Weber: I was born August 28th 2001. On September 11th my parents realized just how bad their timing sucks.

Eve: So you're used to this? If this baby is born in 2036, what am I going to do?

Weber: Lie. Rumor is Amanda can provide false birth certificates. A child born January 3rd will have its birthday December 30th.

Eve: Would that work?

Weber: That depends how hard they look, how willing they are to turn infants away.

Eve: If I decided, not to have this baby, how much time would I have?

Weber: The clinics perform abortions at any stage during pregnancy. And I can arrange privacy, if you're afraid what your friends might do.

Eve: Thank you. I'm not saying I'll do it, but I should know my options.