Chapter 259
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With September 4th approaching there was talk that the pilot program would be suspended. Sharon Mason still remained an advocate of home-schooling. Now she was even attending Walker's sermons. Walker was even more critical of former collective soldiers, called them a nation of criminals. He and others used some very nasty language against recent immigrants who'd fought for the collective, but praised those who fought with the loyalists. President Mason remained publicly committed to his idea. He said education was the best hope for the next generation to become productive citizens. Mason said that as Americans they had a duty to help children who'd escaped genocide, particularly Sangalan. Many feared that ELE would render that point moot. Without hope for the future, the world was still slouching towards Bethlehem.
There were numerous self-proclaimed fortune tellers and psychics in the Brooklyn sector. One running joke was how one psychic, as a teenager, had gotten into trouble with the law and been forced to do community service. While volunteering at a senior home this "psychic" had provided comfort to the elderly by assuring them that their loved ones were in a better place, or telling the sick that they'd be re-joining their loved ones soon. The judge allowed this, so long as this psychic never asked for or accepted any money from these people. The judge was very clear on this point. In the Brooklyn sector some psychics mightve started off with noble intentions, others were greatly exploiting these scared people. With ELE coming, people wanted some kind of assurances that they would get into Heaven. Despite her religion's prohibition against this Eve occassionally went to psychics. They just told her what she wanted to hear, and Eve appreciated this. Some psychics made people sell their outside property to get these constant reassurances. But then that could also be said about some of the preachers and imams within the sector. Eve also found herself attending some of reverand Jenkins' church services. At this point, Eve was mostly trying to figure out the best chance of getting into Heaven.
Monday September 3rd, just 321 days until impact. It was also labor day. That didn't seem important, except that it was possibly the last labor day ever. Schools would open tomorrow. Most sector kids would be attending school right here. Thirty would be attending school outside. The pilot program was on schedule. Eve went to the movies on this labor day. Before the movie they showed a newsreel. This was made from Zoey Allen's footage. At first it showed the beginnings of organized sporting events. Each sector had its own baseball team and football team. They sometines traveled to different sectors, under close supervision, and played the other teams for the public's amusement. Then the narrator talked about reconstruction efforts within the various sectors. It praised the priests and imams for their efforts at peace. The footage then showed Zoey after being shot. The narrator denounced the various radicals and their efforts to derail the peace process. The final images were of the pilot educational program. The narrator concluded by saying that education was the best hope for reconciliation. Eve had to admit, if ELE was stopped, she hoped that her child was educated like this. At least then her baby could have a better life than its mother.