Chapter 254
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On July 26th Eve and Julia went to the movies together. There was the standard re-education film, then the actual movie. It was about two soldiers, one loyalist, one collectivist, who fell in love during the war, working together during the Sangala rescue. Eve realized that this "Romeo and Juliet" was designed to soften relations between former enemies. They were all just folks now, at least outside these sectors. During their walk home the two girls talked.
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Eve: Are you doing okay?
Julia: As well as anyone these days. Enough to eat, roof over my head, some entertainment, a best friend. I could be doing worse.
Eve: I just worry about you sometimes. Particularly what comes after this.
Julia: You mean the afterlife. I'd say God has a lot of explaining to do.
Eve: I'm more worried about what he'll say about our actions.
Julia: Is this about me being involved with Amanda and the black market?
Eve: A little.
Julia: I do what I have to do to survive in this world, the only world I know. I work as a secretary, and moolight in the oldest profession, I'm not really good enough at either job to quit the other. Besides, it keeps the sector guards happy.
Eve: Is that true, about prostitution being the olest profession?
Julia: Yeah, dates back to caveman times.
Eve: So prostitution predates money?
Julia: Yes, when the women of the tribe would throw themselves at the gut who caught the biggest fish.
Eve: But then wouldn't the occupation of "fisherman" predate the occupation of "prostitute?"
Julia: Whatever. I just don't need your religious judgement. This life happens to, on occassion, suck beyond the telling of it. But it's all we've got, so I'll fight for it for as long as I can.
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Eve thought about what she'd heard from Wilkins' meetings. A bad as the sector was, it seemed that the outside was even worse in some ways. The economy had collapsed. During the war Mason passed a law which said that all financial debts were forgiven for those who enlisted. That won the war, but destroyed their economy. Some individuals were trying to collect old debts, despite the the law. Now, the economy was barely recovering. The state tried to create jobs to prevent riots. Rumor was they were building a massive stadium in Baltimore and other major cities. In Egypt the government was building a temple on the top of mount Sinai. Here muslims, christians, and jews would all be welcome to come and worship the one god. It would be triangular shaped featuring a synaggouge, church, and mosque at each end, the middle area would feature a museum celebrating the cultural legacies of all three religions. This had been the dream of their late president Anwar Sadat, the first muslim leder to make peace with Israel and was assasinated by fanatics for his efforts. Rome and Greece were rebuilding some of their historical sights. All these workers were paid in food and medicine, very little money. With 360 days until impact there seemed little reason for money.