Chapter 251
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Eve got up early Wednesday morning. Councilman Wilkins allowed her to have the morning off without asking why. Eve hated this, but felt it was best for everyone, even the baby. With only 375 days until impact, the alternative would've been freezing or starving to death in a year. Given her work as sidewalk counselor, Eve felt like a hypocrite, or at least morally weak. Eve wondered if this was how Karen or Zoey Allen felt when they had their respective abortions. Loving their baby, while ending it's life. Eve couldn't know how they felt then, only how she felt right now. Scared and full of despair. Eve arrived at the clinic shortly before 7am. Weber brought her in quietly. He said he had another patient, but he'd be done soon. Eve figured she shouldn't pry about this other patient, their business was private. But when Eve hear a certain noise, her curiousity got the better of her. Eve was frightened, sad, heard her own crying. Then she heard someone else crying, even screaming. As bad as this place was, she at least thought they were all here voluntarily. But some young girl was screaming to leave. Eve couldn't help but look to where she heard the screams. Dr Weber was talking to a 14 yead old girl named Teri, and Teri's mother. It seemed that Teri's mom wanted to euthanize her child, but Teri didn't want to die. Dr Weber was uncertain what to do. Euthanasia was allegedly voluntary. But rumor was the loyalists expected the clinics to look the other way and do their job in moments like this. Teri tried to run, almost knocked Eve down. In the heat of the moment Eve joined Teri and they ran away together.
Eve and Teri fled the mercy clinic together. Eve wondered where they could go. Parents did sometimes murder their children like this, sector guards usually looked the other way. At her mosque there were rumors of people hiding kids like Teri. Maybe they could help, but these days there was always the risk of informants. If they were caught, Teri would likely be killed. And what would happen to Eve? She might be punished. Woud they force her to have an abortion? Eve thought that was what she wanted, but then she'd gotten caught up in the moment. And now, Eve had the instinct to protect her baby. Teri said she knew a place that might be able to protect them. Whatever this was, seemed like their best chance for now.
Teri brought Eve to a church. This church was beautiful once, but had become run down even before 2/4. They were met by reverand Jenkins. This preacher was the brother ofgovernor Jenkins. They couldn't pass for twins, but Eve saw a physical resemblance. Reverand Jenkins brought the girls to the basement. There were others here, including those who were physically and/or mentally handi-capped. They all feared being euthanized against their will. Reverand Jenkins was hiding them, vowed to protect them from the clinics as best he could. Eve counted more than a dozen refugees here, plus Teri. Reverand Jenkins assured Eve that she could stay here if she needed to. Eve was uncertain if she should hide here, or leave and take her chances in the sector.