Chapter 263
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The re-building of Ebbets Field was almost complete. During the summer there were sporadic baseball games there. Now, with games between different sectors, sports seemed the best way for some to eventually be free from this place. On September 30th they began using it play football games here. This day the sector's women's football team was playing against another sector's team. Julia had suggested Eve try out. Apparently being pregnant didn't disqualify Eve from playing. The stadium double booked it with a baseball game, but they eventually sorted it out for different times. A part of Eve was dissapointed, it would've been cool to see the two games played simultaneously. Councilman Wilkins was among those who attended these games, bringing his grand-children. Eve was still cleaning his house when he returned. She sometimes wondered about these stadiums. They were used partly to create jobs, prevent starvation and riots. Once complete, it was unclear what they might be used for. Baseball, football, singing competitions like "American Idol." One rumor, probably untrue, said they were planning an actual "Hunger Games." Anything to keep people entertained, and out of mischief.
On Wednesday October 3rd Eve went to the mercy clinic with some other protestors. Her imam had asked her to do this once a week. She couldn't do more in her condition, and hoped her presence helped. She couldn't find the words to tell a recently pregnant woman why she should have a baby who wouldn't be selected for the Arks. There was a sick joke that these were the best times to have kids. By the time the kid was old enough to ask you the tough questions, you'd be dead. As for what would happen to the kid, didn't much matter, they'd be dead soon enough too. After everything it was hard for Eve to get close to others, knowing how close ELE was. The only one from her mosque who's name Eve could remember was Jamal. The crowd seemed angrier than usual. This sometimes happenned, some of these people felt that the religious people were judging them, they didn't like it. Some were here in support of the patients, on opposite sides of sidewalk counselors. The sector police were usually here to prevent violence. With summer over the guards were absent. That seemed to have been premature. Eve ever sw who threw the first punch. But once this fight started, it became impossible to stop. Both sides were hitting, punching, tearing each other apart. The sector police would eventually come, but right now Eve had to get away quickly.
With Jamal's help Eve got away from the fight without harm to herself or her baby. They quickly found a sector guard and informed him what was happenning. He radioed his fellow guards who could provide back-up. Jamal and Eve were then instructed to find a safe place to hide. They'd be questioned later, right now the priority was to stay safe. Before she got home, Eve heard the gunshots.
Wednesday evening two sector guards came to Eve's apartment. They questioned her about the incident. Eve told them what she'd seen. Both sides had attacked the other. Pro-lifers hurt pro-choicers, pro-choicers hurt pro-lifers. Eve hadn't seen which side threw the first punch. After this interview they left, didn't bother with their usual stealing. Over the next two weeks there was increased anger between these groups. Sector guards were always present at the mercy clinics during business hours. They kept the two groups seperate, made sure neither interfered with the patients. Eve tried to avoid this clinic for fear of violence. But on October 17th she went, partly out of curiosity. Eve couldn't help but notice that some pro-choicers were still here, even those she'd seen hurting her side. The pro-lifers from that day, some were missing. She'd heard rumors from her mosque about these dissapearances. There seemed some truth to these rumors.