Chapter 314
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On Sunday March 30th the man Eve had called "Mr Silver" called a meeting. Including Eve and Jamal, there were fifty people at this meeting. Some here had already been chosen for the Arks. Others hoped to be chosen in two days. Despite what reverand Barnes was saying about the dangerous, secular Arks, they still wanted to take their chances away from here. Zoey had contacted mr Silver. She'd set up an extraction point, only a few miles from Brooklyn. A bus would come at 3am, April 2nd. It would take the chosen to a nearby Ark. At this meeting, the people agreed to help each other. Those who weren't chosen agreed to help the chosen escape. They were on their honor, it was possible someone could inform on them. But Eve knew it was the best chance for any of them to survive.
Monday March 31st marked only 111 days until impact. Everyone was nervous. Sector police were expected to be prepared, panic increased every lottery drawing. Even members of the theocratic council seemed nervous, made accussations about each other. Reverand Jenkins was accussed of his brother, this was allegedly how he rescued his wife Anne, by promising to help contain the people in the sector. Many feared that the christians, jews, and muslims would turn on each other, destroying what little calm remained. Which of these groups might eventually stand triumphant was anyone's guess. For now the sector police were suppossed to work together, regardless of theological differences, and try to keep things calm. They knew that tonight could mean their survival. But, for the many who weren't chosen, it was anyone's guess how they'd react.
It was shortly before midnight. In a few minutes Eve and Jamal would look up if one or more of their family had been chosen. The sector police had been cracking down o outside computers lately. But these two had their cellphone, they could log on to the official website. Eve smoked her last ciggarettes this night. If chosen, she likely wouldn't be allowed to smoke on her Ark. If she wasn't, then she needed this. Jamal kept trying to access the site every five minutes. The results wouldn't be up until midnight, but checking was better than doing nothing right now. Eve feared what would happen if some but not all were selected. If Hope were chosen, and she wasn't, she could give Hope to the authorities to protect. If Jamal were the only one selected, Eve couldn't blame him if he left them. But if Eve was selected, and Hope wasn't, what then? She'd heard stories of young mothers chosen, murdering their own children rather than let them freeze or starve to death later. Even in the sector, some women were actually grateful when their children were born dead. Finally, it was after midnight. He checked and smiled. Eve tried not to get her hopes up. He just said "We made it." Eve looked, there the names were. Under both Eve and Hope Thompson it said "Selected." Jamal said he'd already checked for his name, he was going to the Arks too. Eve kissed Jamal, they'd made it indeed. With only 110 days until impact, it seemed they were going to live after all.