Chapter 286
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Since fighting had ended between Israel and Saudi Arabia the Saudi government was taking in muslim refugees from other nations. Eve remembered trying to sign up for this back in Texas. They probably didn't know that she'd recently become christian, they might actually take her and Hope. Eve wondered if perhaps she would take a spot based on these false pretenses. She had heard bad things about the new Saudi government, even when she was a muslim. Rumors said their Arks were especially bad for women. Only female doctors could treat female patients, yet they greatly limited educational opportunities for women. Women were required to be completely covered at all times when in public. It was considered acceptable for husbands to beat their wives. Some felt they were only bothering to take women at all to make more men. Most games were forbidden, even baseball, the only books allowed were the Koran, and some educational textbooks, all music was forbidden. Eve wouldn't accept a spot on these Arks unless Hope was also allowed. Even then, she'd probably have to lie about being christian. She and Hope would have very hard lives there. But if this was her only chance to save Hope's life, Eve knew she might take it, and hope that God would understand.
On Friday January 18th a movie theatre in the sector was bombed. It was done by two suicide bombers, a young man and woman, but they had only one explosive vest between them. The rumor was he had been selected for the Ark, but stayed behind for his girlfriend. It had seemed romantic, at first. But he had come to regret his choice, and she blamed herself for his predicament. Despair, fear, guilt, overwhelmed these two. They decided to end it all. They died, along with four others. One survivor said the vest didn't go off right away, he helped her detonate the vest. This was the first suicide bombing in the sector. Eve feared it wouldn't be the last.
Monday Januaary 21st marked exactly 181 days until impact. Most people within the sector realixed they had little or no chance of getting into the Arks. Many people from Eve's church, and from her former mosque, spent much of their energy trying to prostelatyze. With so little time left they wanted to help bring as many to Heaven with them as possible. Eve visited Jamal in the hospital every day, prayed he would wake up. She was suprised to learn that Dr Weber visited the psychics regularly. He viewed this as merely science that couldn't be explained yet. He knew many were frauds, but a few had him convinced they were legitimate. Dr Weber compared this to Jonas Salk, the doctor who created the polio vaccine. Before Salk did this there were many frauds who sold desperate people cures for polio. Despite this the science for creating the polio vaccination was possible, the just hadn't figured it out yet, until Salk. Eve feared for Benjamin Weber's soul. After all he'd done for her, and all the bad things she'd done, it would be a shame if she got into Heaven, and he didn't.