Chapter 427
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Eve thought about the pre-2/4 world. After some research it became clear that this hadn't been the land of milk and honey. Eve had lived in fear of school shootings. The first school shooting in America was in 1764. There had been a fairly large number of accidental shootings in the 19th century. This decreased when they stopped allowing children to bring pistols to school. Eve had seen footage of the genocide in Sangala, but there had been genocide long before Febuary 4th. Even Adolf Hitler couldn't claim to have invented genocide, it was invented centuries before his birth. People acted selfishly long before Eve was born. In her first months of highschool she'd heard seniors bragging about breaking into people's homes, hanging onto moving subway cars. Movies that revered human life did not accurately reflect society. But they had presented ideals to aspire to. Just as the Bible, the Koran, the American constitution, and the universal declaration of human rights gave humanity ideals. Humanity, much of it, failed to truley live up to these ideals. But the ideals helped people, gave them hope. Aspiring to these ideals made society better. Whatever new governments, or religions emerged, Eve hoped their ideals viewed human life as sacred. And maybe, just maybe, they would do a better job living up to these ideals than their predeccessors.
During their conversations with the Arks Adam and Eve were sent movies. Although they would never get into the Arks, they wanted to learn about them. So far the Arks were mostly making educational films. This seemed to be a good way to teach the children about the fuctions they'd eventually perform. There were a few entertainment films. One was set during the lawlesness after World War III. It involved a collectivist veteran wandering around with his adopted daughter, a loyalist's orphan. They righted wrongs and protected innocents together. Another movie was a love story between a born-again christian, and someone who'd taken the legendary mark of the Beast. Their love was somehow enough to protect them from God's wrath. The point of both films seemed to be about old enemies coming together. That was an important message given that the Arks actually had former enemies having to work together to prevent extinction.
By mid-November the Arks were becoming real communities. There were even elections scheduled in a few weeks. The original leaders would step down if voted out. Already American Arks were developing different dialects. Eve wondered what life Hope would have on the Ark. Maybe a doctor like her dad. Everyone was expected to contribute in one way or another. Some feared that those too old or sick might be murdered. So far that hadn't happenned, a least not that they knew of. Although the Arks were largely socialist, some remenants of capitalism remained. A few of the more well to do people gave their own children extra ration points as a sort of allowance. There were reports of veterans, and high-ranking officers, marrying kids as young as thirteen. They provided extra food and fire-wood to the families who consented. Eve feared this would still be going on when Hope was of marrying age. Or she might give herself to protect dr Weber when he was too old to perform surgery. But there was some optimism. Thursday November 27th was Thanksgiving. The Arks were continuing this tradition. This time they would celebrate loyalists and collectivists coming together. Adam and Eve planned to celebrate in private.