~/*\~ Nate ~/*\~
Once the overwhelming crush of the welcoming party had settled, things had been organized faster than any military operation. Nate still had no idea who was in charge, but the new crowd had been broken up into small groups for orientation.
Nate was no longer surprised to learn that his group included Alvin and Paige; though there were four or five others. Such ‘coincidences’ had been happening since That Day. Idly, he found himself praying about such things more and more. Father, is this what life is like under Your rule? Just… things working out without fanfare, everything lining up to make the day a little more comfortable?
Janna had apparently returned from her post at the perimeter and was giving them a tour. The crowded space meant that some of it had to be done at a distance, or by showing them on a map; but they got the complete picture.
“Almost all our services are done in shifts. We’ve got way too many people here for a normal schedule.” Janna explained. “Laundry, meals, cleaning, meetings… None of the supplies are running out, but the facilities aren’t meant to handle these numbers. We handle that by having things done in shifts. The Meeting Halls are constantly turning over for announcements and talks. One audience goes in, another comes out. Same with the meals. The pots of food aren’t running out, and neither are the coffee urns, water taps… Everyone here takes turns washing dishes or trays, and by the time you dry one off, there’s another person in line for a meal. The kitchen staff, the dishwashers; also in shifts. It keeps going the full 24 hours a day.” She gestured off into the distance. “Almost everyone is being sent out on tasks. The first priority is to expand our facilities to match the need. Basically, we’re going out to the old Town and collecting things. Plates, cups, clothing, bedding… Anyone who can drive a truck is needed. Check the notice board to get your tasks for the day.”
“I’m amazed the Branch is still here at all.” Nate observed. “I would have thought the Coalition would have firebombed the whole place. They did with every other religion.”
Janna gave him a winning smile. “The other religious facilities were all in violation of the FRA. Icons, images… Lootable stuff. The Branch was an office building and dormitory. It was in excellent condition, and when the ‘Secure In Peace’ campaign began, our people were told to quick-build more dorm space. By the time the Coalition got around to seizing our properties, those dorms were finished. Eco-Friendly, mostly off-grid. The Powers That Be decided it was a good place to seize for their own use, once our people were marched out. Since our people didn’t resist, there was no violence. One Day Later, it was all still here, ready for us to move back in.” She tilted her head towards the tent city, which had started out as a parking lot. “Their vehicles were even left intact for us.”
Nate burst out laughing.
~/*\~
Demetri and Kenton were given a larger truck and assigned a longer task. It took them a full day to reach their destination. The shipping port was small, compared to some others in the world, but there were two docked cargo ships.
It was dark by the time they got there, so they stretched out in their sleeping bags until dawn. When Kenton awoke, Demetri already had some hot tea boiling over a camp stove. “Coffee ran out days ago. We ran out of the stuff before we even got to Paradise. The tea leaves are… holding on. I’ve brewed them a dozen times. Might be a bit weak, but it’s hot.”
Kenton took the cup with a grateful smile. “Feels weird, being back in town again. On the highway, it was a journey, but back here… Feels haunted. Like we’re going to get in trouble for breaking in.”
Demetri chuckled. “Yeah, I know what you mean. It was full of people just a few weeks ago.”
“Maybe longer. During the Troubles, I heard that all shipping had been shut down.” Kenton commented. “Think these were the last ships in, or the ones that never managed to get out?”
The docks were at the far end of the complex from the main gates, but the ships were large enough to be easily visible, each several stories tall. “Given the way they’re pointed, probably the last ones in.”
Kenton fetched his tools from the truck and started breaking the locks open. “First thing we should find is a manifest. Last I heard, everyone had walked out when the economy tanked. Their last ‘stocktake’ should be valid.”
Once they got past the fence, Demetri went looking for the main office, while Kenton began checking the large vehicles. The shipyards had heavy cranes, towing vehicles, and refueling stations. He checked the tanks on all of them. “They’ve all been drained.” He called to Demetri as the two reunited. “I guess when the staff walked out, they took what they could.”
“Food shipments rarely came to this port.” Demetri agreed, flipping pages on a clipboard. “Everything listed here is ‘low priority’.” He turned the clipboard to show Kenton. “Household items. Knick-knacks, homewares, office supplies… Mass produced internationally, and shipped over here.”
Kenton scowled. “No food, no fuel.”
“Were you expecting there to be any?” Demetri offered. “We haven’t had a shipment of either since That Day, but we’ve never run low.” He flipped the pages again. “Though I’ll admit, I’m disappointed too.”
“Why?” Kenton said, unconcerned. “We’ve got what we need right here. Our people were being trained for this long before That Day.”
“Trained for renovation and maintenance, not for actual home building.” Demetri countered. “I wouldn’t know anything about it, and if the rumors are right and we have to abandon the cities entirely for a while…”
“You don’t agree with that?”
“The ratio of survivors to infrastructure… We don’t have enough people to populate one properly. Whether we move back to our old homes or not, the roads and buildings are going to be overgrown and broken up by nature soon enough. We don’t have the people who know how to manage City Works.”
“We’ll learn.” Kenton was wholly unconcerned with that.
“I hope so, but until we do, we’re living in tents and sleeping bags.” Demetri quipped. “And don’t get me wrong. I haven’t had a camping trip since I was young enough to sleep on the ground. It’s just like old times, for me. But when we got sent out to the docks, I thought we were being sent to get what we needed. We don’t need knick-knacks, we need housing.” He tossed the clipboard aside, annoyed. “There isn’t even a toolbox left in the maintenance shed. They picked the place clean of anything useful.”
Kenton laughed. “My brother, we’ve got all the housing we need right here. The hard part’s going to be getting it back to the others.”
“Where?” Demetri was mystified by his certainty. “I’ve shown you the manifest. There’s nothing in any of these…” He blinked. “The containers?”
“Hundreds of them.” Kenton picked up the clipboard again and made a quick estimate. “Maybe thousands. Each one is big enough for a family to live in, once we ‘renovate’ them.”
~/*\~
By themselves, the containers would never have been enough. Without heating or insulation, (two components that were hard to manufacture), life would have been wildly uncomfortable. But the weather was a constant, comfortable temperature, from the middle of the day to the middle of the night. All that was left to outfit and furnish them for living.
Most of the containers were large enough to fit a regular family. Nobody stayed in them all day. There was simply too much to do. Once confirming that the miracle of ‘enough fuel’ expanded to all their vehicles, the newcomers were put to work. The roadmaps had been organized into sections, and everyone was given an assignment for salvage.
On the second week of the New World, Paige found herself driving through a suburb in a moving truck, collecting furniture from every house in the street. “Again, not what I expected to do in Paradise.” She admitted.
“Me either.” Janna admitted. “But just between us, this is all practice.”
Paige looked over. “Practice?”
“We don’t know the overall plan yet.” Janna explained. “We haven’t reestablished communications with the rest of the world, beyond the odd postman. When that starts coming in, we get a much clearer sense of the world. Some of us thought we’d abandon the cities, some of us thought we’d stay in them from the start… There’s just no way to know until we all compare notes.”
Paige blinked. “Then why are we doing this?”
“Those containers work as dwellings, but we need beds, blankets, chairs, and other stuff. We’re collecting it all.” Janna offered. “Cities aren’t built randomly. They’re put in places close to resources, or good locations for trade and transit. Odds are, we’ll be moving back into at least some of those cities once we figure out how to run them.”
“I have no idea how to run a city properly.” Paige offered.
“Me neither, but I bet God does.” Janna grinned. “If it takes another hundred years to move back into these cities, we’ll have to start by tearing it all down, right down to the sewer pipes and subways.”
Paige swiftly understood. “Stage one, empty all the buildings out?”
Janna nodded. “It’s something we can do on our own, anyway. I get the feeling that the Elders are waiting until we can restore contact with the rest of the world.”
Paige groaned automatically. “This a ridiculously huge job, isn’t it?”
“Kenton says he studied all this for a career before he became a Witness. He mentioned that the entire industrial age took less than two hundred years.” Janna pointed out. “We have a thousand. And we don’t have to worry about age, or illness, or retirement, or politics, or money, or any of the things that got in the way of building a world before.”
Paige blinked, surprised that she hadn’t thought about it that way. “It’s crazy how little thought I had put into living in this world. Ever since I began studying with the Witnesses, the ultimate goal has been to be here. Now I’m here, and I’m only just realizing I had no idea what to do with it.”
“Yeah, a lot of people are having that problem.” Janna agreed. “But I expect we’ll figure it out. We’ve got time.”
~/*\~
Neither of them knew it, but lots of people were asking similar questions. Enough that it was a topic for the nightly meeting. One thing the Branch could offer that the road couldn’t, was a fully functional PA system that allowed the entire Tent City and surrounding areas to hear the same speaker.
“Our brothers are a pretty decent cross section of humanity. In our ranks already are people who know how most things work. Certainly enough to learn. But running a modern city is about far more than keeping the lights on.” The Speaker declared to everyone. “Haven’t we been saying it all along? The problem with the world isn’t its resources, or the technology… It's the management. The only thing the world has been lacking is leadership. That is the true reason why That Day was necessary. We’ve been telling it to anyone who would listen, that mankind cannot lead themselves.”
There was no auditorium, no seats. Those that listened were spread out to wherever they could find somewhere to sit, but a rumble of agreement went through them.
“The Kingdom has been in place for more than a century. On Earth, it has had only a small group of citizens. Right now, we have inherited the world. Our task is to make it a place that brings glory and honor to our God and our King. This is a task that the world before has not prepared us for. But our new leadership will. Steps have already been taken. How many of you were taking part in maintenance of your own Halls? How many of you were part of the Building work?”
Nate looked around and saw a surprising number of hands going up.
“And those of you who are used to construction? Have you noticed a change?” The Speaker pressed. “That’s not a rhetorical question. Speak up, if you’ve noticed something.”
One hand went up. It was Kenton. “I’ve been on several construction sites in my life. Converting shipping containers into homes was actually how I worked by way through my higher education. For a lot of families, it was the only way to afford a house.” He licked his lips. “We’ve got volunteers here who have never worked a power tool before… But the number of mistakes being made is sharply lower than it used to be. ‘Measure twice, cut once’ is always the rule, but most people mess up more than they succeed, at least when they’re beginners. I’ve noticed a lot of things seem to be going smoothly. The parts being made, the interiors being fashioned… everything just… works.”
There was a rumble of agreement and a spontaneous round of applause.
“For all that we know about building and maintaining, in truth we know little about running a civilization. And we don’t have to. Not yet. Already we are building homes that are off-grid. Rainwater tanks are providing water, and God decides when the sun shines and the rain falls. He won’t leave us short of either. But everyone remember that this is the most transitory of first steps. When Israel left Egypt, they spent the journey living in tents. But when they reached the Promised Land, they put their tents away.” He gestured around. “Let the time in these container homes show you just how little we need to be content.”
There was a louder rumble at that. Almost everyone with a vehicle had returned to their homes for a few personal effects before they began their migration. Some of them were surprised by what they’d easily left behind.
“Every time we’ve seen imagined artworks of what Paradise would be like, we showed you the established, finished product. With unusual, but beautiful homes built, in idyllic nature scenes, a few wild animals as tame, loving pets.” The Speaker paused. “And every single scene seemed to have someone playing an acoustic guitar. Ever notice that?”
A laugh went around the crowd.
“We’ve been hearing it all week: ‘This isn’t what we expected’. Well, that’s true. But all the people through history who built their dream home? None of them daydreamed of piles of bricks and digging basements. You dream of the finished product. So we remind you now: Do not let the temporary be the enemy of the eternal. We have a thousand years just to get back to where we were meant to be on Page One of the Bible; and that’s when Paradise really starts. There’s plenty of vital work to do in the meantime, and all of it is training for the day when it’s your turn. And when we’re all centuries older, and settled into our idyllic homes? When we’re still young and healthy, surrounded by loved ones? When we’re living our dreams, barely an instant of eternal life will have gone by. God promises that we’ll have our pet tigers and guitar solo’s soon enough.”
Another laugh went up, followed by a round of applause.
~/*\~ Alvin ~/*\~
Six months after A-Day, things changed. Alvin wasn’t the first one to hear the news, but he was the first one asked about it. The Mail from other regions had been coming in fairly regularly. Communication Towers were being set up here and there, but in their region, it was still hand delivered mail.
As he lined up for breakfast, everyone came crowding around to see if the rumors were true. He hadn’t even heard the rumors yet. Warnings about gossip had protected the Congregation from false stories six months before, but now the same warnings were needed to manage people’s expectations of joyful news. Some people were getting caught up in their expectations of what further blessings Paradise offered, and rumors were spreading fast as a result.
But enough people asked that he had to skip breakfast, and hurry to a hastily prepared Elder’s meeting. “The whole town is jumping with a rumor that-”
“We heard it too.” Russel waved him over. “The latest mail came in, and there was an official communique for us to announce, but other people are getting mail too, and they weren’t waiting for an Elder’s meeting to read theirs…”
“So it’s true?” Alvin pounced eagerly.
~/*\~
Daryll read the letter from Headquarters while everyone was having breakfast. The energy in the camp was barely restrained. The news had spread faster than the wind.
“Brothers and Sisters, we know you’ve all heard the rumors. While we’d rather you not gossip about what might be happening, we can’t help but be excited with you.” Daryll announced. “We have heard from Headquarters: It’s true. The Resurrections have begun.”
There was a scream of excitement that rose from the crowd, and kept getting louder until it rang off the walls, and made Daryll’s ears hurt. He didn’t try to shush them, letting the excitement work itself out.
It took a long time before he could speak again, and everyone forced themselves to listen. “First, here’s what we know: The Returns have been few, so far. Everyone expects the rate to accelerate. Secondly, the people returning were all our brothers and sisters, and recently deceased. The idea at the moment is that they will take the least amount of time to acclimate to the new world, since they were expecting it. But that’s not an absolute. Some of the people who have been returned apparently are those with skills that are of use. These ones are expected to take a leadership position in their local areas as we rebuild the world into a Paradise.”
His words set off a quick murmur of conversation as people started conferring with family members, wondering what this meant for them.
Daryll raised his hands and began to speak over them. “Everyone, remember that Jehovah doesn’t do things at random. Everything involving His Purpose has an order to it, even if it’s one we don’t understand yet. While we’re all thrilled at the idea of seeing loved ones again, we’ll have to be patient for a while yet. The Returning is a very localized thing at the moment. The belief is that the areas that have had people Returned, are able to accommodate more people than they currently have.” He couldn’t help the grin. “After all, we haven’t had a single death in six months. Probably nowhere in the world, in fact. Population growth is something we’re behind the curve on; at least in our Region.”
~/*\~
His words had the desired effect. The local towns had been torn down, block by block, and were now being built back up, house by house. Paige was digging out an old pipeline, when she noticed a large truck pull up, with bags of concrete piled high in the back. She hoisted herself out of the trench, and went over to greet the driver. “Nate!” She called. “Welcome back.”
It had only been a few weeks, but they’d been busy on assignments, and hugged tightly. By the time they’d said hello, half his cargo had been collected by busy workers, and someone else was asking to use the truck. “Look at you.” He grinned at Paige as the truck pulled away. “You got buff.”
“Got a new tan, too.” She scoffed. “Six months of decent food, lots of work to do… It’s strange, being on the job in Paradise. One day I’m salvaging furniture, the next I’m digging out old water pipes, then I’m planting trees that will grow for a century. I feel like I should be sucked dry, but I’m always back to work the next day…”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” He agreed. “Every night I feel like I spent the day having a good workout.” He glanced around at the industrious scene and lowered his voice. “How are you sleeping?”
“Better.” She admitted. “Nightmares have faded. The hard work helps.” She checked the sun in the sky. “Have you eaten?”
~/*\~
The two of them got a snack and found a place to sit while they caught each other up on their assignments, and the things they had seen.
“There are no official lunch breaks anymore, but there don’t have to be.” She told him. “Everyone works until they need a break, then they sit and rest for a while, then they get back to it. The food is prepared constantly, and it never seems to get stale or go cold, though that might just be the appetite of the workers. There’s always someone working, always someone eating, and they just change places at regular intervals. They keep going until sunset. I’ve never been anywhere where people are so eager to work.”
“Not to work. To get a job done.” He told her. “It’s happening everywhere around here, ever since the Resurrection announcements. The work was always going smoothly. No injuries, no critical delays or setbacks… But now it’s shifting into a whole other gear.”
“It’s temporary accommodation, but that’s true of all of us.” Paige commented to Nate. “I guess everyone feels like the faster they build homes, the faster they see their loved ones again.”
“Probably, though there doesn’t seem to be that much… predictability to it, from what I’m hearing.”
“Mm.” She ate the last of her snack. “Well. We should get back to it.”
He stopped her. “Say what you want to say.” Nate told her quietly. “We’re alone. You can say it to me.”
Paige winced. “You know me too well.” She sighed. “I’d be happy for everyone here to get their joyful reunion with anyone they’ve lost.” She said sincerely. “But it does give me a pang when I remember that the person I miss the most is the one person I know won’t be back.”
Nate nodded slowly. “In an odd way, the Old Days prepared us to live with this. We lived long enough in a world where you had to accept death as a fact. The Witnesses got through it by remembering it was temporary.” He took a breath. “Ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Are we very sure that the people who come back will accept the Truth?”
“There were some articles about that.” Paige nodded. “Mostly about the end of the Thousand Years… I don’t know what happens in the middle.”
“Me neither. Not for sure. I’m guessing we’ll find out soon.”
Paige shook her head. “I know a few people who will have to eat their words when they come back, but I know that if they can live in Paradise and still reject the Truth, then it’ll be hard for me to feel any sympathy for them.” She saw his face. “Whatever thought just went through your head, say it out loud.”
He rolled his eyes. “Seems you know me too well.” He confessed. “I wonder if that’s how God or the Angels feel about Red and my brother? They got all the same evidence we got, and went the other way.”
She froze. “Interesting idea.” She said finally.
There was a sudden gentle twang of music, and they both turned to find a young Boy, tuning his guitar. He spoke to Paige without looking up from his task. “For a long time, I walked around the world with an instrument that was a wrecked piece of junk. I could still make it play, but it was ugly to look at.” He looked up at her. “My father told me that Music said things we can’t always put into words. That’s why there’s singing in Heaven.”
Paige nodded to him. “We haven’t met. I’m Paige, this is my friend Nate.”
The Boy nodded to them both, but didn’t give his name in return. “People go the way they go.” He said plainly. “Someone born into a righteous family can rebel against them and ruin their lives. Someone raised by outright criminals can decide they want better and become honest.” He started testing the strings. “Jesus described who was welcome at his table in a parable, where a master with a feast invited ‘the poor and the crippled and the blind and the lame’. God makes the broken strings play beautiful music. That’s the whole point.” He looked up at Paige. “And you know this. So why do you feel guilty?”
“It’s not guilt. It’s grief.”
“It was grief when you lost loved ones, but that was months ago.” The Boy said. “You see the world getting better every day. The only way something gets worse now is if you keep feeding it. The world won’t feed it for you anymore.”
Nate looked over, surprised. “You don’t talk like a child.” He observed. “And I don’t recognize you, so I’m guessing your folks aren’t part of the Congregation.”
“You could put it that way.” The Boy was noncommittal. “I’m older than I look.”
“Well… nobody your age who survived what we did could rightly be considered a ‘child’ anymore.” Nate conceded, turning back to Paige. “And he’s right. The kids who were too young to be judged have lost a hundred times more than either of us, Paige. If they’re recovering, and you’re not… What do you feel so guilty for?”
She stared at her feet for a while. “Y’know, back in the Old System, I didn’t have a lot of time. I was scraping for every penny. Any time I needed new clothes I had to scour every thrift shop and dollar store looking for whatever was cheapest… I dreaded the idea that I wasn’t…”
“‘Doing Enough’?” The Boy finished for her. “Yeah. That’s a term I’ve heard creeping back into conversations the last week or so. When people found out other Regions had made enough rooms for ‘Returnees’, there was a whole push to ‘do more’.”
“I was barely scraping by as a Witness back in OS.” Paige admitted. “I wanted to do more, but… Things were tight. I haven’t seen money in six months, and I’m starting to forget how vital it was back then. Of all the reasons why I didn’t spend longer, trying to convince Red… ‘Needing the money’ seems like the most moronic thing I could say.”
“You know what?” The Boy said plainly. “You’re right. What you did wasn’t much.”
She jerked like he’d slapped her.
But the Boy wasn’t finished. “It was also a million times more than anything the world did back then. Compared to what Jesus did, or what the Pioneers were doing, your contribution was a drop in the bucket. But your local Elders never asked how many conversations you had in the service, or how many times you prayed, or how often you said something kind to a brother in need.”
“He’s right, you know. That goes for both of us.” Nate put in. “The Society never put us under any quotas.”
“God noticed all of these things.” The Boy added approvingly. “Whatever else you were, you were part of the number. Part of the Great Crowd. Jesus described it once in a parable, where the Master said: ‘Because you were faithful in a small way, you will be rewarded in a large way’.”
“You’ve already got some pretty amazing rewards.” Nate added, enjoying this. “The New World is still barely begun.”
“And now here you are, in a world where you don’t need money at all; and have a Thousand Years to speak to hundreds and hundreds of people who need to learn all about the world around them.” The Boy summed up. “Not just what will happen in the future, but what’s happening already. God answered that Prayer, didn’t He? The opportunity to bring more friends and loved ones into the Truth?” As if to illustrate the point, his Guitar was finally tuned correctly, and he began to play the sweetest, happiest music that they’d ever heard, since the day the Angelic Choir had sounded joyfully in the skies. The Boy rose, and turned to walk away. “Imagine the tune I could get when I have a perfect instrument to play. In the meantime, throw all this guilt onto Jehovah. If anyone knows what it’s like to see loved ones turn away despite having the proof, it’s Him.”
And the Boy walked off, slinging his guitar over his shoulder.
Paige let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Okay.” She nodded finally. “One last bit of irrational fear? What if I do everything possible, for a full time evangelist, to convince a friend or family member to accept what their own eyes are telling them… and then they reject the Truth anyway?” She looked genuinely scared. “I know Satan and the Demons are gone. This is coming from me. There’s a little voice in me that says not to try too hard, because the only thing worse than feeling like I have for the last six months? Would be to feel that way over and over.”
“Well… The kid wasn’t wrong: Jehovah knows that feeling too.” Nate didn’t know how to make that fear any easier, so he gave her a wan smile. “And you’ll still have me to kick around.”
She smiled back, her expression almost identical. “Well. That could be a fun way to spend eternity, I guess.”
~/*\~ Paige ~/*\~
Paige was surprised at how fast things had gotten organized, but she knew she shouldn’t be. The ‘supply’ miracles continued, until they could get infrastructure back up. The tent cities had grown into proper communities, though the container homes were a bit eclectic in how they were designed. Most people who had a particular style in mind made swaps with each other, and things sorted themselves out organically. Most people knew their current dwellings were temporary.
Some congregations moved into small townships, or country dwellings. Most of them were self-sufficient already, with their own water tanks and power sources. Stores from the cities were being brought in, which gave them all supplies to live off until the rest could be figured out. The Postmen reported that communications were going back up, communications towers spreading out across the world in their thousands.
Paige noted how fast the organization had come about, and knew some plans had been made well in advance of The Day. The brothers had not been caught unawares of any of it.
“You think it’s happening fast now, wait until we get the whole world back in touch.” Nate had told her one night when everyone met for an evening meal. “We’ve heard stories about how different JW construction sites were compared to the secular ones. Now we’ve got a workforce where everyone alive in the world is on the same page, and nobody has to worry about injury, illness, old age, or infirmity. We’re going to be unstoppable.”
Paige had been absently scribbling a floorplan for her own home. Almost everyone had, though nobody knew how the land would be apportioned out, given they were expecting a Resurrection of billions. Her designs were pretty basic. She’d never wanted a huge mansion, just a place where she and her family-
She felt a spike again, and scribbled out the whole design angrily. She didn’t have a family anymore.
The weekly arrival of the post was a major event, as people found each other. It just made Paige feel more isolated. She had nobody to find. The only Witnesses she knew were all here. Her extended family was gone, never to return.
“One from Del.” Nate offered.
Paige twitched at the name. Those that had survived The Day together were bound by a special kind of friendship; but Del’s letters were always addressed to the whole group, as he’d been the only one to leave soon after. “What’s new in his life?”
“He made it home. His family is safe.” Nate read to her. “His wife sends her love, and her thanks for looking after him while they were apart.”
Paige grinned a little. “Wonder how much he told her about what he went through?”
“His home region all turned themselves in before Stage Three happened. Trust me, his wife will have some stories of miracles to top anything we went through.” Nate agreed, returning to the letter. “Looks like the rumors are true about Communications being restored. The High-IQ survivors have all been called to the same place for a big conference to figure things out, and they’re starting with global communications as a priority.”
All things she had heard before, during the nightly meetings. It was another reminder that she didn’t have anyone to call…
And then Alvin made his way over to them. “Paige, they were calling your name for twenty minutes.”
Paige frowned, surprised by that. “Who was?”
“Our postman.” Alvin said, holding out a letter. “It’s for you.”
She took it automatically. “Who could be sending me letters? I don’t know anyone outside the Congregation except Del, and-” Her voice fell faint instantly as her mouth went dry.
The envelope was Gold.
~/*\~
Paige wasn’t the first in their area to get a Gold Letter, but she was the first one she knew who would have to greet a total stranger. She spent a day preparing, rehearsing what she would say in her head. There was no instruction on how to greet people yet, though everyone expected that would come. The Preaching Work was over, but the Education work had just begun, catching people up on the new century.
“Mirah.” Paige read the name again. “It’s… an Israelite-style name. I’ve heard that we’re getting people returned in something close to chronological order, going backwards through the centuries. She’s early.”
“There have been exceptions.” Alvin nodded, unconcerned. “I daresay it’s not a clerical error, given the Source.”
Paige couldn’t help the wild burst of laughter that gripped her for a second. “Nate?” She asked, sounding scared.
“We’ll all get them before this is over, sister.” Nate offered encouragingly. “I guess He decided you were ready now.”
“Well... He might have, but I’m less sure.” Paige admitted. “Guys, I still get teared up over A-Day. I never had a Bible Study, or even a Return Visit. Why do I have to start with a Returnee?”
Alvin squeezed her hand. “Paige, it’s okay.” He promised her. “Remember, all the people here already are Witnesses. You were always going to start with a Returnee, because there was no other option. Once the Believers are all Resurrected, then the real education starts. And whoever Mirah is, if she ever gets a letter of her own; that person will be a Returnee too.”
Paige blinked, then nodded, conceding the point.
Alvin looked over the page again. “It’s not a ‘current’ name. When someone comes back out of sequence, it’s because they’re needed. Our best thinking so far is that the people who come back are filling a need. Maybe this lady has some vital skills for us to learn, or need you specifically to be the one who greets her. We won’t know until we meet her.”
Paige looked over her basket. Food, drink; and two Bibles. “You sure this is a good idea? A picnic?”
“Almost every culture considers offerings of food and drink to be signs of friendship. It’s also a common social convention when welcoming a weary traveler, or consoling someone over a loss. Considering the variables, it seems the safest option.” Alvin offered. “Remember, nobody outside ‘the congregation’ has been Returned yet. Most of them were from the modern era, but they all knew this world was coming.”
(Author’s Note: In the literature, there is speculation on the order that people might be Resurrected in. But there’s nothing in scripture to make it clear. I’ve made an effort to keep the ‘Between the Verses’ series and the ‘New Earth’ Series in the same continuity, which has a chronological Returning of believers, from Modern Day back to Bible Times, and then everyone else.
Even so, I left room for there to be exceptions. Mirah being returned so soon is a way to bridge the two time periods. What would a Returnee from Pre-Christian Bible Times and a modern woman who had just entered Paradise have in common? This is not to make a statement about the Resurrection itself, but to tell this part of that story.)
“Either Mirah has a very old fashioned name, or she’s earlier than most of her Generation.” Paige took a shaky breath. “I’m nervous.”
“Whoever Mirah is, she’s a follower of Jehovah. She may need an update, but she’s made the most important leap of faith already. And remember: you won’t be doing this alone.” Nate promised her, not for the first time. “Not all of it, anyway.”
~/*\~
Jehovah God, I know they mean well. Paige prayed as she waited for her ‘appointment’. I agree with all the words they’re saying, in principle. Logically, I know they’re right. But I can’t help but think… Father, I couldn’t even convince my own husband to be here! What hope is there for this stranger? Please… don’t let my own failings as a teacher be the-
She had lost track of the time, and felt something change. Just out of her sight, there was a sudden sound like the air was breathing in and out at the same time. She turned and found a beautiful woman with dark hair and eyes, laying back on the grass, slowly sitting upright.
“Mirah?” Paige said as calmly as she could. “My name is Paige. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Where am I?” Mirah asked, sounding like she was in a dream. She looked up at the trees like she’d never seen anything like them before. “A-and who are you?”
“That’s going to take some explanation.” Paige nodded. “For now, just know that you are safe, and among friends.” She set her basket down. “I was about to have a meal. Would you care to join me?” I was too nervous to eat before I met you, so it’s not even an exaggeration.
Mirah nodded, guardedly, and Paige spread the blanket, both of them sitting down. They didn’t speak much as she set out the food, though she watched the reactions carefully. She didn’t react too strongly to the rolls, though she blinked rapidly at the sandwiches. She was flummoxed by the glass and plastic containers for the food. When Paige gave thanks over their lunch, and prayed to Jehovah by name, she saw Mirah relax a great deal. When she closed the prayer in Jesus’ name, she saw the confusion come back.
What is someone from your time doing here already? Paige asked herself silently.
“I’m not familiar with that one.” Mirah said carefully, as she picked through the fruits in the basket. Some of them she recognized. Most of them she didn’t.
“Those are called ‘cherries’, and the larger one is-”
“No, not the fruit. The god you mentioned.” Mirah explained. “I admit I don’t know all the foreign gods, but I’ve never heard of this ‘Jesus’...”
Paige nodded slowly. “So, I’m guessing you can’t read my language, and this book is probably something you’ve never seen either. You’d be used to scrolls, right?” She picked up the Bible. “This…” She faltered. I’ve never had to describe a Bible to someone before. “This is our Holy Book. For all servants of Jehovah from all over the earth. It’s a record of all God’s dealings with humanity. Starting with Adam and Eve, through the Laws of Moses, the words of every prophet, and how the name of Jehovah came to be known in other lands.”
Mirah’s jaw dropped. “There are servants of Jehovah in other lands? They have their own prophets?” She reached out and took the book, turning the pages reverently. “So many words!” She looked up at Paige. “I have so many questions.”
Paige started answering them as fast as she could, but noticed that Mirah’s hand kept returning to her flat stomach. The gesture was unconscious, and left Paige cold inside.
~/*\~
Hours later, she reported to her friends. “I know I was meant to bring her along, but there wasn’t a chance. Everything I explained to her gave her another hundred questions.” Paige yawned. “You told me not to try and fit ‘Genesis to Revelations’ in one conversation, but she Just. Kept. Asking.”
Nate laughed. “And you were worried you wouldn’t have anything to talk about.”
“She knew nothing of Paradise. She knew of promises of a future home, future freedom… She knew the story of Abraham and Issac, so being ‘raised from the dead’ wasn’t a totally crazy concept to her. She accepted the idea of it being thousands of years later once she saw the cars driving past.” Paige reported to Alvin. “She’s having the most trouble with the idea that she’s been returned so soon, and before so many people she knew. And to be honest, I don’t know what to say to her.”
“What did you say to her?”
“That we have no say in when and how people return. We just meet people when they do.” Paige licked her lips. “There’s at least one question she hasn’t asked. Something… personal. Whatever it is, it’s weighing heavily on her. But I haven’t pushed. She has no idea who Moses is, let alone Christ, let alone anything else that’s going on in the world. We’ve got time to let things play out.”
“Probably wise.” Alvin admitted. “She’s sleeping now?”
Paige nodded. “Very… natural sleep cycle. When it’s dark, she sleeps. When it’s light out, she’ll wake up. Maybe even before dawn. She’s lived her whole life doing hard labor in a desert land.” She waved a hand around. “The idea that we are in another country now was even easier. She’s never lived outside Egypt. Seeing the trees and grass was enough for that.”
“She was one of the slaves in Egypt? Well. It’s going to be an interesting journey for her.” Alvin said dryly.
Why, oh why was I assigned as a guide? Paige asked herself nervously.
~/*\~
Mirah was staying in Paige’s temporary residence. The outfitted container home was nothing like what she’d had in Goshen, but still bigger and more plush. When Paige woke up the next morning, Mirah already had bread dough kneaded and rising on the counter.
“I wasn’t sure where to bake it. Really, I should have let it rise overnight…” She admitted as Paige came in. “I saw the bonfire last night in the middle of the community, but I can’t figure out where your own ovens are.” She gestured around the kitchenette. “The water is amazing. So clean! So convenient! Just turn a handle and…” She shook her head. “I have a million more questions.”
Paige was still yawning. “Good morning to you, too.” She went over to the stovetop. “Lemme show you how it works, and then we’ll head on to the Meeting.”
~/*\~
Paige had never had a student of her own come to a meeting, and couldn’t help but focus on Mirah during the talk. The Returned woman was looking around, curious about the rest of the extended congregation. She was flatly awed by the music being played over a sound system, though she still couldn’t read the words of the song.
Word spread as fast among Witnesses as it ever did, and Paige knew her new guest was getting some attention. Mirah had been fully supplied with everything she needed for the meeting, though she couldn’t read the material yet. Paige showed her the quoted scripture anyway, letting her know the Speaker was quoting the holy writings, instead of making them up.
“The name ‘Jehovah’ means, ‘He Causes To Become’.” The Speaker said. “In the Last Days, when our national leaders competed with each other for our approval, they appealed to our needs. Our need to fight, our need to work, our need to improve ourselves. They offered themselves as the solution to our problems. Every single person here knows that they weren’t the solution to anything. In many ways, they were the problem.”
Mirah glanced around. She’d never lived in a world where a leader was chosen by anyone. Pharaoh was King by birthright. The Hebrews were Jehovah’s chosen people by their own inheritance.
“As humans strained to act like they could be what was required, we now have Jehovah, who has already become what was needed for the world. In the short time since That Day arrived, He has been a warrior to protect, a judge to dispense justice, a teacher to give wisdom, a healer to provide health, and a Miracle Worker to feed the many from nothing, to say nothing of raising the dead.” The Speaker declared.
The audience burst into applause. They’d been seeing such miracles every day, and it was hard to reign in the joy when hearing them listed and celebrated. Mirah felt people glancing at her. She was one such miracle, just by being alive again. Paige squeezed her hand without looking.
“Any ruler who could achieve half this kind of blessing would be within his rights to expect loyalty and devotion. But of all the titles that Jehovah has a fair claim to; the one He chooses to be called the most in the Bible? Father. Jesus himself knew better than we ever could the awesome sovereignty of Jehovah God, but in the Gospel, he only ever spoke of Jehovah as ‘Father’, to himself, and to all of us. It’s a title that denotes a very personal, loving, patient form of authority. We’re not even specks on the scale, but Jehovah appoints Himself as a father over us all. And in thousands of years, He has never once been an absent Father. In years to come, we’ll see so many ways that The Father can demonstrate His love and generosity to His children. We’ll see the attention that Jehovah gives, never too busy to make time for us, or to listen when we have something we want to talk about with Him.”
Paige’s hand dropped away from Mirah, who looked to see her host was tearing up. Paige wasn’t listening anymore, grappling with something else.
~/*\~
“I’ll have to practice those songs.” Mirah said as they walked back to their shared quarters after the meeting. “And I suppose I shall have to learn how to read your language. My father taught me some reading and writing, but a slave doesn’t really need an education, and the languages are all different now anyway…”
“You’ll find it’s a useful skill.” Paige agreed. “I can teach you that too.”
Mirah looked sideways at her. “Um, it’s not exactly my business, but I noticed you seemed uncomfortable during the lesson.”
Paige winced. “Noticed that, did you?” She sighed. “It’s all the ‘father’ talk. I’ll never see mine again.” She looked down. “People who died on A-Day are not expected to get a Resurrection. And I was the only one in the family to… accept.”
Mirah blinked. “I… I came from a world where your relationship with Jehovah was almost entirely chosen by your bloodline. Having a family member who wasn’t part of ‘God’s People’ was…” She hesitated, lowering her voice considerably. “Well, it happened, of course, but we didn’t speak of it.”
“One of the principal parts of the ‘Last Days’ was that the invitation went out, like Noah with his Ark. Everyone was approached, no matter their background. And most laughed or turned us down. They kept laughing, right up to the moment Jehovah did what He promised to do.”
“Mm.” Mirah considered that. “I was a slave in a nation that had their own gods. Ours wasn’t of much interest to Egyptians.”
“Apathetic community? Yeah. I can relate to that.” Paige admitted. “I just wish I could have convinced one person from my own family.” The sting of the loss had faded after six months, and become a numbness that still consumed her at the oddest moments. “I’ll never see any of them again. My parents, my husband…”
“And I can relate to that.” Mirah returned with sympathy. “At least a little. In my entire life, the one thing we couldn’t be was content. A content slave wasn’t really what the Masters had in mind. Every now and then, they’d execute someone, just to remind us they could.” She saw the look on Paige’s face. “I know it’s not the same thing.” She said quickly. “But I do know what it’s like to lose someone you love without warning, for the most senseless of reasons.”
Reasons like ‘because we needed the money’. Paige thought. “I guess you do.” She said slowly. “How can you be so… calm about it?”
“What’s the alternative?” Mirah asked flatly. “Anyone who argued or talked back died too.”
Paige tried to offer the right answer automatically. “You know you’ll see your family again, right?”
“I know. And I’m grateful to Jehovah every day, even before I arrived here.” Mirah said. She may not have noticed it, but she was resting a hand over her stomach again. Paige noticed, but didn’t mention it. After a moment, Mirah spoke again. “The people being Returned? That includes the Masters, doesn’t it?”
Her voice was flat and worried, and Paige felt a sudden heartache for her. “I don’t know for sure.” She said quietly, unwilling to say anything, even the truth, that might add to Mirah’s fear. Not yet, anyway. “But you might want to prepare yourself for it, yes.”
There was a long silence while they both thought about what was said. Mirah spoke next. “Paige…” She quavered. “I could never be anything but what I was born as… If you were… I mean, if you chose to accept God, when your family did not? I think that makes you extraordinary.”
Coming from Mirah, who could never choose anything, because of the family she’d been born to, this was quite a comment. Despite herself, Paige smiled a little. “Thank you.”
~/*\~ Nate ~/*\~
Mirah was staying with Paige, but she’d been adopted by the whole community. The Returning was a new thing, still in its early stages. The majority of people to come back were all recently lost, which made Mirah something of a mystery.
She’d been awed by the technology, limited though it was. Her first car ride was more exhilarating to her than anything she’d ever experienced. Alvin had a quick interview with her, and quickly defined her place in the timeline. Mirah had lived her whole life while Moses was in exile, before the Ten Plagues even happened. Something Paige had surmised, but it was good to have it confirmed.
Paige had almost nothing in common with Mirah, but found they got on well. Whatever their background, they had both come into a whole new world with almost nothing familiar to hold onto. They were both feeling lost and overwhelmed, knowing that the future would be bright, but not having a clue where to start, both still grieving whatever they’d lost to get here.
~/*\~
Mirah was learning how to read the modern language. She was intelligent enough, but education had never been part of her life. She’d been taught by her community, but it had been the education of a slavegirl. Paige was more patient than she thought she could be, walking her through letters and sounds.
Mirah studied her worksheet as she slowly wrote some practice words. “I remember hearing the Masters talk about their domestics. Some of them seemed convinced that we could learn like Egyptians, to make us more effective workers. But it was forbidden, on the understanding that a slave didn’t have the capacity to learn. That would imply we were ‘real’ people.”
“Nothing wrong with your brain, Mirah.” Paige remarked. “You want proof? Most people from my generation read fine, but trip on some of the Biblical names. You get them easily, and trip on the shorter words; because you haven’t learned them yet. Learning isn’t limited to school. You learn from life experience.” She checked the worksheet. “And you’re learning fast. Remember, once you master this skill, you have what you need to learn all the others, even without my help.”
“Still, this can’t be what you wanted to do with Paradise.” Mirah said, feeling a little embarrassed at the attention; especially since she wasn’t skilled yet.
“Most of human history had ‘official’ education limited only to wealthy people.” Paige told her. “I’ll have to teach a lot of people new things. I’m glad my first student was a servant of Jehovah already.”
Mirah nodded, eyes glued to the paper as she carefully scratched out her name. The kids were getting similar lessons. “When the rest of my people start coming back, will you teach them too?”
“By then, maybe you’ll be the one teaching.” Paige grinned. “We have eternity, sister. Little kids figure this out in a few years. What will you do with a thousand?”
Mirah suppressed a shiver. “In my old life, you died once you couldn’t work anymore. Some of the Elders were spared, because someone had to look after the littlest while the healthy worked. But that was… you worked, you ate. You didn’t work, they used you for target practice, if they wanted.”
Paige squeezed her shoulder in support. “We’ll all be working hard for a long time yet, sister. But leisure time is coming, I promise. An eternity of it, even.”
Mirah pulled her head in with a small smile. “I already get to ‘sleep in’ most days. I didn’t know that was something a person could even do. Even the Princes of Egypt couldn’t ignore the sun once it rose.”
~/*\~
Paige was always surprised by what Mirah focused on. She wasn’t overly impressed with cars and trucks, but the glass in the windows and car windshields were endlessly fascinating to her. Even the Pharaoh's palace didn’t have glass windows. She figured out cameras and recordings relatively quickly, but a regular ballpoint pen was miraculous, with no hammer and chisel, or charcoal, or carefully hoarded inkwells and brushes required to make it work on almost any surface.
Paige had given her a box of multi-colored pens and a notebook of her own. Mirah thanked her repeatedly and started writing. Paige couldn’t read Hebrew script any more than Mirah could read English, the miracle of translation only extending to speech, and not writing.
“Even if I could find a ‘English to Hebrew’ dictionary in some library somewhere, it’d be four thousand years outside her vocabulary anyway.” Paige commented to Nate. “I admit, I don’t know how to help.”
“You don’t have to fill in the four thousand year difference.” Nate offered. “You have to teach her about this world. Given that we’re all still learning the rules, it’s not that big a jump. Everything you could have told her about day-to-day life in our century suddenly upended eight months ago anyway.”
“Maybe that’s why she was Returned early. To help bridge that gap for people from her kind of life. Give her time to get acclimated before they start arriving in larger numbers.” Paige suggested. “What I can’t figure out is why I was assigned to meet her. Why not a historian, or someone from the translation or writing committees? Someone who could at least relate to her from history books?”
Nate shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe someone who knows her ways isn’t what’s needed.”
Paige was about to answer when the PA sounded, announcing the time of the next meeting had been changed. It was now going to happen during the day, directly after lunch.
“That’s new.” Paige observed, noticing everyone around seemed to have the same thought. “Something that can’t wait for tonight?”
“Sounds that way.” Nate nodded. “It’s kind of funny, but… after eight months like this, it kind of feels like the Branch is the only group around, you know? I mean, Del went home, and we get Postmen in fairly often. I know, mentally, that the whole world still has brothers in it, but on a day-to-day level…”
“I know what you mean.” She nodded. “I think people just accept what’s in front of them. When Red quit smoking, he said that two or three weeks is enough to set a whole new routine.” Her face twitched, as it always did when her late husband came to mind, even briefly, but the shadow passed quickly. “We’ve been like this for months, taking care of our own, figuring things out for ourselves.”
Nate nodded. “Here’s hoping we haven’t been making a complete mess of it.”
~/*\~
“As you’ve probably heard through your own correspondence, there is a network of relay towers being built to reach the entire inhabited earth.” Alvin reported. “This is Brother Mose, from the Conference itself. He’s been tasked with reporting to this area. Brother Mose? If you’d care to bring us up to speed?”
Brother Mose stepped up to the podium, visible to everyone in the Meeting Hall, audible to everyone in the Branch and surrounding area, thanks to the Public Address System, piping the program out to everyone in range.
“Years ago, there was a Kingdom Hall construction project in the nation of Micronesia.” He began speaking. “It’s a nation made of many small island territories. The only way to get sand for concrete construction was to go to the local leaders, and ask permission. Our brothers were getting close to the time in the work where sand was needed. The local leaders all refused to sell to our brothers; each for their various reasons. Some leaders were in the middle of bitter legal feuds over which of them had control of the local beaches. Our brothers made it a matter of prayer. Not long after, a typhoon approached the island. The construction site was untouched, as the storm swung away before it hit the island directly. The very next morning, the local village leaders called our brothers, and said that the storm surge had covered the main road leading to their villages with sand. Our brothers were asked to come and take it all away. It was enough to complete the rest of the project.”
The audience laughed warmly at the experience.
(Author’s Note: This is a true story, taken directly from a video on the website called ‘Seeing Jehovah’s Hand When Building Kingdom Halls’.)
“Who here has heard a story like that before?” Mose asked with a smile. Sure enough, almost every hand went up. “We’ve seen, many times, that if a job has Jehovah’s blessing, nothing can stand against it. In fact, it was the rule that our Brothers used to decide if something was the right choice or not. If things became overly difficult or progress was deadlocked, it was considered a sign that Jehovah did not want us to continue that way.” He took a breath. “Now, for the first time in history, we have a world where nothing at all even attempts to slow down the work. And this work isn’t about building a Hall, or preaching a message. The work now is to turn this world into a Paradise, with homes and purpose for everyone!”
A fierce round of applause rang out. It was the Dream. The dream that had kept everyone going through a lifetime of trials, and even through the collapse of the old world. After months of improvising towards the goal, they were finally facing the prospect of being put ‘in the picture’ with the rest of the world.
“By now, I’m sure it’s starting to sink in that this is going to be a bigger job than anything we ever expected.” Mose said brightly. “As with everything Jehovah does, it’s organized. To that end, a Convention is being arranged, to be attended by the whole world. It will be held on the first Anniversary of The Day. By that time, everyone will be connected to the network, able to hear every word.” He held up a thick pamphlet. “I have the program to the Convention, which your local brothers are duplicating now, so that everyone will have one. And, in my time here, we’ll show you how to build and connect the relay towers, not just for the Convention, but permanently. You’ll be able to send messages to your brothers all over the world. Believe me, they’ve been waiting to talk to you too.”
Another roar of delight went up, seeming to echo off the walls of the Hall. From outside, it kept going, as everyone cheered, feeding on each other’s emotion. Paige noticed that Mirah seemed a little lost. For her, organization had always come from someone holding a whip. Celebrating the work ahead was an alien concept to her.
Paige squeezed her hand, and Mirah relaxed a little, knowing someone understood.
~/*\~
Mirah was still trying to find common ground with others. Since Paige had adopted her, she’d become part of her group of friends. So when Nate had been assigned to collect some supplies for the Comm Tower, the whole group had gone with him, including Mirah.
The collection mission was the first time Mirah would be in a modern city. Paige and Nate had been salvaging fairly often, but had found what they were looking for in the dockyards and the small townships, away from the old city they’d lived in.
“Alright, for this run, we have to find the components needed to set up a signal relay.” Alvin told his crew. “Mose and Kenton will assemble the parts; but we have to find them all.”
“We can’t just rewire a normal cell-tower?”
“It’s a high-priority item. A lot of them have been taken down already. Most of them were on top of the highest towers. To get them down we’d have to dismantle them first, and then assemble; to say nothing of carrying them up and down a skyscraper. A lot faster just to assemble our own new one.” He checked his street directory. “Also, the Coalition forces trashed some of the communications grid during the FRA, covering up their actions.”
Nate looked over at Mirah. “How much of this are you following?”
“In Egypt they had signal flags to tell us when to start and stop.” Mirah told him. “They had foremen measuring where the stone should go from a distance, and our people had to follow directions down to the finger-span. Other signals to alert the Palace about weather, or when the Harvest was in…” She gestured at the skyline. “I’ve been looking through your ‘binocklors’ for an hour or two. The things that look like this are all on tops of towers, so they can see each other.” She gestured at the blueprint with a shrug. “I don’t pretend to know how this one works, but a signal tower is built for one reason only, and you place them accordingly.”
Nate couldn’t help the grin. “Well, you’re not wrong. Line of Sight gives the clearest signal.” He looked at Mirah. “You’ve never seen a modern city before. Sure you’re ready for this?”
Paige rolled her eyes. “Nate, this is like the fiftieth thing she’s never seen before. The question is: are we ready for this?”
~/*\~
As they drove through the empty streets, Mirah pointed at things in turn. “What’s that called?”
“A ‘billboard’. Used to advertise things happening in the world from week to week.”
She nodded briskly. “Friezes used to proclaim great victories of Kings. I carried the paints and inks for the artisans myself.” She pointed at the towers. “What about those?”
“Skyscrapers.” Alvin supplied. “That one there was for an investment bank that did business all over the world.”
“Temples of wealth.” Mirah translated.
Alvin couldn’t help the nod. “Not temples exactly, though enough people worshiped money. Different companies, different trading partners…” He trailed off. “Yeah, temples to wealth.”
“My husband hauled the marble every day of his life for whenever a new High Priest was ordained.” Mirah nodded. “They’re taller, and narrower, to say nothing of being packed in so close to each other; but it’s still just another temple.” She looked around the empty streets. “More people, more ‘factions’, more Temples.”
Her reaction was not at all what Nate expected. “I want to apologize for my comments before. You’re taking it better than we are.” He observed. “I grew up around here. Seeing it empty and broken down like this is… jarring.”
Mirah smiled a bit. “I saw pictures of the Pyramids in your books. They say the Pyramids may be gone now, since they were offerings to False Gods. Even the pictures I saw… I remember when they shone pure white in the sun, with caps of gold on top. Time has weathered away everything but the stone foundations, but…” She shivered. “We built a city meant to remind everyone who saw it that Egypt was where gods lived.”
(Author’s Note: I have left the Pyramids out of my writings where Egypt is concerned. Egypt as an empire lasted for many centuries. As a nation, it lasted all the way to the Chrisitan era. When, precisely, the Pyramids were first built is a matter of some debate among historians. Maybe the Hebrew slaves were instrumental in building them, maybe they went up after the Exodus. Because it’s uncertain, I’ve left it unsaid. This reference is not plot-relevant, as it’s my own addition to Mirah’s character.)
Alvin nodded, as though that made total sense. “In our time, people exalted themselves. Look at these towers. For every person who lived at the top of them, there were a million more who wanted to take their place, or build a bigger one of their own.” He let out a breath. “Either way, it was a life designed to make you not even think of Jehovah.”
~/*\~
The city had parks, all of which had been growing, unattended, since That Day. The grass was wild, the trees reaching out over the roads. The tree-lined streets were all breaking up, as the roots began to push the concrete from underneath.
“Is this normal?” Paige called. “I wouldn’t think the roots would spread this far in just a year.”
“On their own, probably not.” Alvin returned. “But it’s not the trees, it’s the seeds.” He gestured around. “The streets aren’t being swept or used. The wind blows a bit of dirt, the seeds find a place to start digging in. Grass, trees, weeds. Anything that can find a crack in the concrete. The rain falls and the crack funnels it straight to the roots. No maintenance, no repairs.”
“And that’s not even counting what might happen if there was a miracle happening here.” Mirah offered, head turning in every direction. She was clinging on to her seatbelt tightly, but her eyes were glued to the windows, taking in the modern city. “You still use bricks?” She said, sounding a little fearful. “Who makes them?”
~/*\~
They had a list of components to find, and started on the edge of the city. The power had been out for almost a year, and there was a horrible sense of decay on everything. Some of the doors were open, hanging off their hinges. They could see the mold and rot growing inside as they passed.
“I guess we should stop salvaging furniture and such.” Alvin said dryly as they drove past.
“We’ve got warehouses full of that stuff by now.” Paige returned. “I’m all for not wasting resources, but we were never going to be able to store everything until we needed it.”
“Nothing left here for us anyway.” Nate reported, reading the manifest. “The batteries were all vulnerable to water damage, and the solar panels were all needed at the Branch. We’re going to have to go into the city for decent transmitters. A lot of the cell towers in our area were torched during Tribulation.”
Mirah didn’t know what half those words meant, but as they got closer to the city, she saw the telltale signs of long-cold violence. The closer they got to the city, the more pronounced it was. Burned out cars and shopfronts. Barricaded windows and doors. Bullet-holes, and dried bloodstains, overturned cars and police vans. She didn’t know what a lot of things were, but she could see the way everyone traded glances, and spoke in hushed voices. Alvin was driving slower the closer they got to the middle of town, and the streets became harder to navigate, while the buildings grew taller.
Finally, Mirah broke the silence herself. “I saw this sort of thing after an attempted uprising.” She said finally. “They left the debris and the bodies all around Goshen. Left it for us to look at. Any mess in the Egyptian City was removed immediately, but any bodies in Goshen were left there for days. It was part of our punishment.”
“There’s no punishment here, Mirah.” Alvin said, with a tone of great sadness. “Not for us.”
Mirah nodded silently. It was clear there had been a battle fought, and that nobody had won. As everyone stepped down from the truck to move the barricades aside, she helped. Nobody spoke, but she could tell they were all praying quietly, and did the same. Jehovah God, Mirah prayed. Was their world a totally different place, or just like the one I lived in? If five thousand years of time does not make humanity fundamentally different as a people, then what will? And if it doesn’t… Is this what you meant us to be, or just what the Serpent put upon us?
They drove through the empty streets, past more scenes of destruction. “The more burned out buildings we pass, the less hopeful I am.” Nate said flatly.
“Me too.” Alvin admitted. “But this is our sector to clear, so we might as well…” They came around the corner and he trailed off. “Is that it?”
“That’s it.” Nate sighed, pulling the vehicle to a halt. The electronics warehouse, full of components and appliances that people could buy, had been trashed. “I’m not that worried. They put things like TV’s in the window, and the looters hit here first. What we’re looking for is electronic components. Things that looters wouldn’t bother with, since they’re only used in assembly. They wouldn’t steal what they didn’t need.”
~/*\~
“So of course they just torched it instead.” Nate said flatly.
They had all climbed out of the car, and made their way past the broken glass, looking inside. The shelves had been stripped, and anything that wasn’t taken had been burned.
Paige sent a glance to Mirah, wondering what she thought of all this. In a strange way, she was ashamed of her hometown, putting on such a bad showing for the first time visitor. “Without those components, what do we do?”
“Well… The towers are still there, but they’ll be hard to get to.” Alvin explained. “The way Kenton described it to me, all the components were being used for regular communications, in a similar way. This is a redesign of existing technology, to work without some of the limitations of the old world.”
“I thought the Last Days were far more advanced.” Mirah blinked. “You can outsmart them so quickly?”
“A lot of different Technology was… deliberately handicapped by several other factors.” Alvin explained. “Keeping innovations secret from competitors, strengthening security to prevent misuse, using cheaper components to increase profit… all sorts of things that aren’t a factor in this world.” He shook his head. “But that’s another topic. If the warehouses are smashed and torched, where else do we go to get what we need for a Comm-Tower?”
Paige pointed up.
Alvin’s head tilted. “I’ve never prayed for a delivery of electronic parts before.”
Paige burst out laughing. “No, not-” She laughed again. “I meant up there.” Everyone followed her pointing finger, to the top of one of the buildings, where a cell tower was parked on a rooftop. “Alvin said it’s not ideal, because the thing will be hard to dismantle while it’s installed on a rooftop, but that one’s lower than a skyscraper.”
“Still a trick to get up and down that building without power.” Nate thought aloud. “But you’re right about it being in easier reach… Maybe we can just take the whole thing back with us in one piece. There’s another salvage team six blocks away. If they can find a crane and get it working for us; the job’s half done.”
~/*\~
It took a few hours to do so, but eventually the large crane came rumbling down the street. Whoever was driving it apparently knew how it worked, because the arm reached up, higher and higher, until it reached their target. Demetri was in the passenger seat, and he immediately volunteered to climb the tower’s steps; and help free it from the building. He still looked old and grey, but he was enjoying the vitality of Paradise, so Nate rolled his eyes and went along. “Can’t have you making me look too weak and pathetic in front of the ladies.”
Demetri cackled and outright sprinted into the building, a few tools under his arm.
Paige and Mirah waited at street level. “I can’t imagine what Nate is feeling. His father lived near here.”
Mirah took that in and looked back out over the city. She had seen marketplaces before, as well as Temples and Palaces, but rarely had such extravagance been part of people’s homes. “I guess if we went back to Goshen, my own place wouldn’t be there anymore.”
“Probably paved over for more places like this.” Paige nodded. “Now that I think of it, I wonder which is worse. Seeing nothing at all that you recognize, or seeing something so familiar be changed to ruin like this.”
“I guess that depends on the person. And there were a million more, yes?” Mirah said in return. At Paige’s questioning look, she explained. “Brother Alvin said ‘For every person who lived at the top of these towers, there were a million more who wanted to take their place, or build a bigger one of their own’.”
Paige nodded.
“What about the people who built them? Every Pyramid and Temple in Egypt had at least a few hundred of my people squashed between the stones.” She gestured at the skyline. “So many towers. I wondered how many slaves your people must have…” She pointed at the Crane as it lowered the Cell Tower down. “But now I get it. You don’t have them, because you don’t need them anymore.”
And Paige’s first instinct was to laugh hysterically. “I worked two jobs at a time since I was a kid, to support my family. The cost of living was such that you never took a day off, no matter how sick you were. There was no chance of affording medical care anyway. There was no chance of getting a vacation. The food was the cheapest I could get, the house was always on the verge of falling apart; and we still had it better than most…” Her voice dropped. “The world changed players. It never changed the rules. For one person to have everything, many people must be left with almost nothing.”
Mirah blinked slowly. “But… but all of this… Everything you built, everything you know…”
“And all of it was just a way to turn up the heat and the pressure on people even further.” Paige told her. “God finally said ‘Let My People Go’. It was for the last time, but for the same reason. Because everything amazing that we built was done by exploitation and greed.”
They hadn’t noticed, but Nate had come back out of the building. “Well, that’ll have to change.” He said brightly. “Look around. We’re breaking down the civilization we grew up with, we have the perspective of someone who built one of the original world civilizations for her whole life.” An amazing grin spread across his face. “And we’ve got a mandate from Jehovah God, telling us to build a whole new world to house and teach almost everyone who has ever lived.”
Paige blinked. “He’s right.” She said, as though this had just occurred to her. “We’re about to build a global civilization without enslaving or exploiting a single person.”
“Something that’s never been done in human history.” Nate summed up. “I gotta say, I’m really excited to see what it looks like. The whole point of Paradise is that Jehovah is a better ruler for the world than anything the human race could do on its own. Without cruelty, without greed, without prejudice… God’s going to make something more amazing than anything we’ve put forward. And we get to be His builders.”
The crane started up again, and Mirah yelped, startled by the loud engine sounds, but a few minutes later, the Cell Tower was on its way down to them.
~/*\~
Mirah was silent for the entire drive back. They’d managed to find a vehicle that could carry the whole load, and made their way back to Kenton and Mose, who were conferring on plans and survey maps, looking for the best places to build their permanent new home.
An empire that doesn’t have slaves. She thought. A whole world that is built to be… good. Not intimidating, not aggrandizing for any man. No temples to wealth or power. A world where hunger isn’t the only reason to work. Just a world that is fair, welcoming, and honest for everyone. Filled with people from all nations, and centuries, and none of them victims of any other…
“It’s never been done before?” She said aloud, almost without realizing it. “Not once, in thousands of years?”
Paige, sitting beside her, squeezed her hand; knowing exactly what she was talking about. “No, it hasn’t. Hasn’t even been attempted. In fact, it still hasn’t. The New World is less than a year old. We’ve barely begun sorting ourselves out, let alone the planet.” She wiped away an errant tear. “And we get to see the whole thing play out, from the first day, to the finished product… And then we get to live in the world that we’ve built, forever and ever.”
~/*\~
Mirah watched as Mose and Kenton went to work. She had seen experts working on their tasks in her old life in Egypt, and this was something similar. The two brothers barely had to look at the device to know exactly what they had to do, taking apart and putting it back together differently, adding parts here and there, tossing other components aside. They barely had to discuss it, barely had to think, hands working with swift certainty.
While they worked, Alvin was brought some maps, and he went to work examining them. “We need a place where we can receive signals from the rest of the network, and broadcast to anyone in our community.” He studied the map. “The city isn’t… reliable, anymore; and we aren’t really using it anyway. We need to cover our community, and the surrounding areas… We don’t really have a mountain range nearby, but the highest hill…”
Kenton came over. “Um, I wouldn’t recommend it.” He said quickly. “Your location is good for transmitting to our community, but it’s a relay to other communities. You need to put the relay somewhere it can get a stronger signal to the rest of the network, not just us.”
Mose agreed. “He’s not wrong.” He gestured over his shoulder. “Your relay is ready to go. We’ll have to assemble the solar panels once we get in position.”
~/*\~
Kenton didn’t come along. He was quickly summoned back to the farms, for a discussion about how to plant complementary crops. Mose rode in the front of the truck with Alvin. Mirah and Paige followed along in their own car, with Nate in the backseat. It was more people than they needed, but Mirah knew the group was tightly-knit. She was the newest member, connected to Paige alone, at least so far. But then, wasn’t I the same way, back in Egypt, with my circle? The danger drives friends together tightly.
Alvin was right that there wasn’t a proper mountain range nearby, but the hills were tall enough. When they pulled up to a stop, her jaw had dropped open at the view. “I’ve never been on a mountain before.” She gazed at their community and surrounding farmlands, laid out below them. “I never went anywhere. From Goshen, to the River, to Memphis.”
Paige gave her a sideways hug with one arm. “I never left home either. I wanted to, though. I saw all the travel shows. I had pictures of other lands in books.”
“You never went?” Mirah waved at the car. “You could travel so far, so fast. You never went anywhere you wanted to?”
“Couldn’t spare the time. Needed the extra work.” Paige said absently. “Guys? How’s the signal? This is the first site, right?”
Mose answered, staring at some device nobody could recognize. “I’ve got a signal, but…” He showed Alvin whatever he was detecting. “I think your friend is right.”
Alvin nodded. “He usually is. Kenton is fairly recent to the congregation, but whatever he was doing before he became a Brother, he really knows his stuff.”
Mirah tapped Paige’s arm. “Animals.”
Paige followed her gaze. There were indeed a number of animals making their way around the hillside. Various dog breeds had formed into a large pack. They weren’t running, or scurrying from one corner to another, just making their way towards a large puddle of rainwater.
“A lot of families had pets.” Nate nodded. “Homes, shelters…”
“There was some discussion about what might happen to them. We know they won’t starve.” Paige nodded, pulling out her device. “Psalm 145:16. ‘You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing’.” She put her device away. “After one animal generation, and the whole natural world… every plant, every farm, every kind of animal in the world has their home and habitat become stable.”
“Stable?” Mirah repeated. “Were they in danger?”
The Survivors all gave each other a look, like she was a little kid who had just said something innocent and adorable. “We’ll get to that lesson… another time.”
~/*\~
They followed the roads as best they could, given they were driving on a fairly steep incline. But after another half hour, they reached the second location, and took another measurement. “This’ll do it!” Mose called. “Let’s set ‘er up!”
It took all of them to carry the modified tower out of the truck and stand it upright. As the sisters got to work with tools, securing it to the ground solidly, Nate climbed the tower to run up a power feed, while Mose and Alvin set up the battery packs and solar panels, angled to get the most sun.
Mose kept a running commentary to Mirah the whole time. “The energy is stored in these batteries, which can be recharged later, and dispense energy at controlled rates to the devices that need them. Now, I have to admit, I don’t know how to make one, but I think they work by-”
Mirah pointed at the battery. “Oil jar.” She pointed at the lights. “Wick.” She pointed at the solar panels. “Refilling the jar.” She pointed at the other components, most of them displaying glowing indicator lights. “Burning it off to make something work.” She shrugged. “I didn’t know why lantern oil burned and water or milk wouldn’t. But I knew that it did, and how to light a room when I needed to.”
Mose smiled, despite himself. “Right.”
Installation of the device took a while, and Mose spent some time running diagnostics. While he did so, the rest of them made a search of the area, checking for anything that could cover the solar panels in dirt, or knock over anything vital in a strong wind.
“You think the miracles about clothing and fuel extend to things like this?” Mirah called up. “I don’t know much about ‘e-lec-tron-ics’, but I figure every machine needs repair.” She sounded out the unfamiliar word smoothly enough. “The Charioteers say that the more complex the thing, the more care you need to take in making it properly.”
“She’s not wrong.” Alvin agreed. “We want to make sure it’s working right, because this isn’t a trip we’re going to make every day.”
Mose checked the connections again, and read the lights on the readout. “Everything looks in order.” He said finally. “Let’s see if we can connect.”
They went back to their vehicles, out of the cold, and Nate started up his Device. “I’ve got a signal… I’m guessing the usual internet is still offline…” He tapped at the screen. From the seat beside him, Mirah watched avidly, still not used to this kind of technology. “I’ve got a broadcast.”
In the driver’s seat, Paige started the engine. “Good. Start streaming. If we can access it all along the ride, we’ve got a clear signal all the way back to ‘town’.”
He turned up the volume. The Speaker was giving a talk. “...are beginning to get a sense of just how big a job it will be. Service has always been the major part of the Bible Record. After all, it’s a chronicle of Jehovah’s dealing with His servants. When God had a nation of followers, He gave them specific laws on how to serve Him, and the rest of the people. When God had evangelists, He gave principles of how important their service should be; and how to organize it. But in both cases, He acknowledged that people needed more than just hard work in their lives.”
Nate noticed that Mirah twitched at that.
“One thing I’m hearing now and then is that people weren’t expecting this to be how they started their time in Paradise. I admit, I was surprised by some of my first assigned tasks too. Life, as we know, is generally what happens while you make other plans.”
“Amen to that.” Alvin commented, as the eldest in the vehicle.
“Psalms 104:31 says that ‘the glory of Jehovah will last forever, and that Jehovah will rejoice in His works’. We can count ourselves blessed that Jehovah didn’t keep that all to himself. As we learn more and more about how the world is likely to work now, we can ‘fill in those blanks’, and begin to get a proper sense of what life in Paradise, under God’s rulership is going to be like. We’re coming to understand our tasks, and our responsibilities as we rebuild and restore the world to Paradise. The Bible says that God has ‘put eternity in our hearts’. Something unique in all His creations. Animals don’t wonder what will happen a hundred years after their time is over. And now, at last, we can do more than speculate. We can plan for it.” The Speaker continued. “Rebuilding and educating those Returned are, of course, the priority. But every full-time servant of Jehovah has had their own interests. Sometimes I think King David was really a songwriter who ruled Israel on the side.”
Over the device’s speakers, they could hear his audience laughing. Alvin and Nate laughed with him.
“Turn with me to Ecclesiastes 5:18-20.” The Speaker said, and Paige pulled her device out to turn to the scripture. “This is what I have seen to be good and proper: that one should eat and drink and find enjoyment for all the hard work at which he toils under the sun during the few days of life that the true God has given him, for that is his reward. Also, when the true God gives a man riches and material possessions along with the ability to enjoy them, he should take his reward and rejoice in his hard work. This is the gift of God. For he will hardly notice the passing days of his life, because the true God keeps him preoccupied with the rejoicing of his heart.”
Mirah found herself nodding along, though the word ‘work’ had a very different meaning for her life than it had for anyone else in the car.
“For the first time, our work is certain to be a source of pride. Not a waste of our lives, or a necessary evil. Something to be proud of, and excited about. That’s what makes for a happy life. Good work, exciting recreation, balanced lives; and the joy of Jehovah. Forever and ever. Brothers and sisters: Welcome to Paradise.”
There was another round of applause from the audience at that, and Mirah found herself tearing up by the promise that the Speaker, and the scriptures offered.
“And I can see by the ‘hit counter’ on my screen that there are thousands more watching now than there were last week, as the Comm-Network continues to expand. If you’re just tuning in, then we welcome you, our dear brothers and sisters.” The Speaker said warmly. From the Device came the background sound of applause, yet again. “We look forward to hearing your stories as well.”
Mirah looked at Paige, surprised.
Paige nodded back, keeping her eyes on the road. “This is live. It’s happening as we speak, somewhere in the world.”
Mirah was awed at the thought. She’d seen a map of the world now. She’d seen pictures, videos… she was starting to get an idea of just how big the world was. “When I was a girl, we’d hear stories of wise Elders, who would travel around Goshen, from one group to another, whenever they had an insightful thought. They’d have something that all followers of Jehovah should know, and we’d arrange to have him tell everyone. Your wise men can teach the whole world at once without moving.” She shook her head. “Remarkable.”
~/*\~
The ride back lasted another talk or two. Mirah was thrilled when the camera showed the audience, seeing people from all over the world gathered together to celebrate her God. The idea of international followers of Jehovah was alien to her, and most of the scriptures read were things she’d never heard, but she had never been so eager to hear more. So much so that she didn’t notice when they’d returned to their home, until the truck stopped moving.
There was a crowd rushing out to meet them, some of the people waving their Devices. They’d already been able to get in touch with loved ones in other Regions, as well as hearing the same program they’d been listening to.
“Kenton’s calculations were better than mine, after all.” Alvin said to them immediately. “He was right. We needed the higher elevation. Clear signal all the way from the Conference.”
Everyone nodded thankfully to Kenton, and he returned the nod graciously.
~/*\~
Paige woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of sobbing in the next room. Hushed, quiet, but a sound that she knew well. She’d had similar breakdowns in the weeks following A-Day, whenever she’d tried to sleep.
I should leave her alone. Paige thought. If she wanted to talk about something, she could wake me up and say it. I’ve made that clear. They were proud people. Interrupting her would embarrass her, and I want her to trust me.
She told herself that three times, before she got to Mirah’s door and knocked softly. When her guest answered, she slipped into the bedroom, and sat on the edge of Mirah’s bed.
“I’m sorry I woke you.” Mirah rasped, sitting up. “I was thinking about that talk we heard on the way back, and something finally came to me.” She gave a shuddering breath. “I’m… I’m free. I’m not a slave anymore. I’m free.”
“Yes.” Paige said simply, finding her hand in the dark. “This afternoon you seemed so happy to think about the future.”
“I was. I am.” Mirah nodded. “But there’s the future, and then there’s how to get to it. I’m… overwhelmed by the world, and I’m doing as I’m told, but that’s because there’s work to do, and I have no idea how to do anything else. I mean that literally. Everything that people use as tools, transport, entertainment… It’s all mysteries and magic tricks to me.”
“That’ll change.”
“I know it will. I think for the first time in my life I’m seeing the possibility that my future can change…” Mirah started sniffing again. “Took thousands of years. My bones would have gone to dust long ago, and still I was put back together, and brought to the Promised Land as a free woman.”
“Both of us are.” Paige said softly. “You were right before. Maybe we weren’t slaves, but we were still exploited. Not like you were, but enough that we never got to do what we really wanted with our lives. Most of us didn’t even know what we wanted to do. It’s going to be a while before we figure that out.” Paige held up a hand. “And before you say it, I’m as out of date as you are. The world I grew up in is gone, just like yours. I don’t know what people do if they want to reinvent themselves now.”
Mirah considered that. “Maybe we should find out?”
Paige couldn’t help the laugh, reaching up to wipe tear streaks from her new friend’s face. “Sure. Tomorrow.”
~/*\~
With communications restored to the rest of the world, things started to work faster. The Branch was the local headquarters of the work, which included Restoration, Deconstruction, and Education. Specific directions were sent out on the most efficient ways to remake the local towns and cities. A lot of the instructions were as simple as ‘leave them alone and let nature do it’, but some parts had to be dismantled carefully to avoid poisoning the region later.
The Branch was surrounded by small townships which had already been claimed by the survivors. The open areas, such as parking lots and town squares, were largely uninhabited with the population drop, and thus were being put to new use.
The instructions about work meant that everyone worked on a rotation. It was pretty relaxed, as such things went. But everyone wanted to be useful, in some meaningful way. For the most part, people decided when they wanted a day off. Feeling unwell wasn’t even a possibility anymore. Wanting to take a day to rest and process the changes they’d gone through, even months after The Day, was something everyone could relate to.
The Program for the upcoming Convention said it would last for days, and go far beyond spiritual instruction. The work would shift into another gear then. But that was still weeks away, and in between, the survivors were considering it a ‘working holiday’.
Nobody was bothered when Mirah and Paige made their way to the township square and started looking around. People had salvaged all sorts of clothing from the surrounding shops and warehouses, and brought them back to be claimed, before the cloth became moldy, or moth eaten. Nobody’s clothing had worn out, but there was no reason not to enjoy a little variety.
Mirah shivered a bit as she felt and examined the clothing. “So many colors.” She marveled. “You have no idea how hard it was to get colors like this in my time. Purple was reserved only for Royalty and High Priests, because it was so hard to make…” She felt the fabric of a dress. “I don’t even know what this material is.”
Paige nodded, sympathetically. “The really famous brands, they traded on their reputations. A lot of the time, the really pretty clothes were too expensive for most of us to wear. You want one now, just go out and get one… Except the really expensive clothing would likely last for a week in the kind of work we do here.” She sniffed. “Or the work I did most of my life, come to that.”
“My mother told me the same when she noticed me gazing at the Priestesses.” Mirah agreed. “I was a child at the time, and those women always wore such light, beautiful clothing. I was a child, and already had callouses from labor. My mother told me not to be jealous, because even if I had such finery, it’d never last.”
“It’s a narrow line we walk, between having a life with work, and so much to share.” Paige agreed. “Even if we can have whatever we want now, how much of it would really be of interest, in this world?”
Mirah held up a blouse against herself. “It’s… it’s so different.” She murmured, not entirely comfortable. “I… I don’t…”
“You don’t have to wear it.” Paige promised her. Mirah looked away, blushing. “Hey. Look at me: Sackcloth and robes were how people dressed for most of human history. This stuff? All of it was fashionable for the last few years at most. Fashions and styles changed crazy-fast at the end. Nobody is demanding that we all ‘keep up’. In fact, for Witnesses, it was advised not to be ‘showy’, because it could cause petty jealousies to form in the Congregation. Just because we have unlimited options now doesn’t mean we have to outdo each other.”
Mirah bit her lip, looking at the dozens of tables, the huge racks of various outfits, almost none of it was recognizable to her. “I do want to try new things. For my whole life, there were no choices at all.” Mirah promised. “I just don’t know where to start…”
Paige nodded. “Nobody here is going to pressure you. Don’t pressure yourself. One day you’ll see something you like, and you’ll want to try it on. Let me know when you see it. It doesn’t have to be today. We’ve got time.”
~/*\~
After browsing the clothing for a while, they moved onto the bulletin boards. The Survivors had been offering services and salvage for trade. Mirah was still learning modern writing, and took the opportunity to practice.
“I have no idea if I’m reading this right, because I don’t know what any of this means.” Mirah complained to Paige, turning back to the board and sounding out words slowly. “‘Re-charge de-vice’.” She found another. “Con-vert C-D to M-P-3’…”
A young man, barely more than a teenager, overheard that one. “Yeah, a lot of people are realizing that their playlists won’t stay on their devices if they can’t check-in with the streaming servers regularly. Music was encrypted to prevent piracy, and without internet access to verify subscriptions with the company servers, the proprietary data all locks up so you can’t play it anymore, to say nothing of cloud data. We’re back to CD Players and tape decks for a while.”
Mirah stared blankly at the young man, who clearly thought he was being helpful, before turning a lost and helpless look on Paige.
Paige put her arm in Mirah’s, and led her away gently. “Come on. Let’s see if there’s any coffee left in town.”
Mirah followed her. “What’s ‘coffee’?”
~/*\~
They found a cafe, which was really the lobby of some office complex, with a few coffee machines plugged in at a counter; and a few tables set up. Sitting at the tables were a few people in conversation. Some had coffee, some had tea; some had sodas. A refrigerated case was sat against one wall, between two smashed out vending machines. There were still a few cans and bottles left in the case, but the power was off.
Nate was there, looking over the machines; and the ladies took a seat near him to say hello while he worked. “This building used to belong to some company that had enough employees for a lobby.” He said. “Tile floor, open views, and a backup generator in the back. Enough to run the lights and a few coffee machines.”
“Any left?” Paige asked with hope.
“Not much. The shopping centers were picked clean. Climate troubles meant the supply was… limited, even before everyone started hoarding. I traded a handful of coffee beans for a loan of my CD collection. Getting kicked out of my apartment meant my stuff was still there, even if I wasn’t, so I went back for them.” Nate reported to the two of them, looking at the packet of beans. “I wasn’t sure what to do with these at first. I’ve never ground my own coffee beans before.”
Mirah sat up straighter. “If you know where I can find a grindstone, or even a mortar and pestle, I’d be happy to-”
Nate had already fed the beans into a small hand-held appliance that had been left on the counter for anyone who needed it, and pushed a button. The grinder let out a loud buzz that made Mirah jolt in her seat, but it lasted less than five seconds before Nate stopped it and poured the freshly ground coffee into the machine. Mirah watched, completely lost again.
“For what it’s worth?” Paige offered. “A lot of people get lost in all the techno-speak, even in modern day. It’s like learning any language.”
“It’s not just all your magical technology.” Mirah said softly, pointing at the drink as he poured. “I don’t know what coffee is, or why everyone seems to think it’s so precious.”
“You’ve never had it before?” Nate asked. “Because it’s something of an acquired taste and you won’t be able to acquire it on such limited supplies-”
Mirah waved him off, not really interested in the coffee. “Yeah, don’t waste your precious wealth on me.” Nate headed off, promising to get her something else to drink. “There’s literally nothing left that I understand, Paige.”
“I agree, it’s the culture shock of all time.” Paige nodded. “The thing is, it’s not all that different for us. A year ago, we never would have helped ourselves to whatever we needed. Or met someone from centuries before. Or lived without danger. Or deception. Or bad news. Or without any illness. Or old age. Or death.” Paige gestured around. “Name one culture in human history that never had to think about death.”
Mirah paused. “I can’t.” She admitted.
“You know where I got these coffee beans?” Nate offered as he came back over with a drink for each of them. “Some of the younger brothers brought them in. Raised in the faith. All of fifteen years old now. Too young to care about coffee, old enough to understand how precious it is until we get the world back to a new kind of normal. They’re raring to go; looking for anyone who can teach them the skills.”
Mirah stared at the brightly colored can he placed in front of her, only half listening. “Skills?”
“What he means is, the world didn’t teach them how to live like you did.” Paige supplied. “Most of their generation doesn’t know how to farm, or even till the soil. We don’t know how to make our own clothes, bake bricks, or build houses. Most don't even cook without pre-prepared ingredients. All the skills that are going to be needed to survive, and remake this world? None of us know them. We know how to use machines that don’t really work like they did a year ago. We’ve got as much to learn as you do. Maybe even more; at least in the short term.”
“The young are more excited than overwhelmed. They’re smart enough to want new skills, and young enough not to be set in their ways, or a certain kind of thinking.” Nate added. “For young people, it’s like putting on a new outfit every day and figuring out which one you like.”
“I’ve only ever had one job in my life; and one set of clothing that we used for grease rags when they wore out. I don’t know how to change yet.” Mirah finally figured out how to open the can, listening to the hiss of the fizz within. She took a sip and gasped in shock. “Ooh! It tickles.”
Paige smiled at her. “There you go. You’ve just tried something new entirely. I’m betting you didn’t have anything like this back where you grew up.”
“No.” Mirah admitted.
“Which means if you ever meet someone from your Tribe, your generation, you’ll be able to explain to them what that drink is, and how to open the can.” Nate offered.
“And how we get talks and lessons now.” Paige added. “And eventually, how to read the writing. Or get new clothes. Or what an MP3 Player is.”
“I guess that makes sense.” Mirah said slowly. “Right now, I certainly don’t know how I’d describe this to my husband when he Returns.”
Paige and Nate traded a quick glance. It wasn’t the first time she’d mentioned a husband, but Mirah had very carefully not shared much about her family. Once she’d figured out where she’d come from in the timeline, Paige hadn’t dared ask. It was almost certainly a sad story, to be a family of slaves across an entire lifetime.
Nate glanced back at Mirah, who was still analyzing the taste of soda. The woman was resting a hand over her stomach protectively. It wasn’t the first time she’d made such an unconscious gesture whenever family came up.
Nate took the lull as an opportunity to rise from his seat. “I’m going to see if they have any cookies left. That’s something you can enjoy right away.”
“Anyway, the point we’re making is that this is a culture shock for all of us, because the ‘new’ culture doesn’t exist yet.” Paige summed up, once she and Mirah were alone. “A ‘new heavens, and a new earth’ are being made. And unlike every other new nation, we get to be there when it starts, and we get to see what it’ll be like in a thousand years.”
Mirah looked down, like she knew it was possible, but not really going to happen to her. It was the sort of look Red once had whenever he’d bought a lottery ticket.
Paige hadn’t taken her eyes off Mirah’s face. “Of course, that’s the world.” She said finally. “What you’re worried about is where you’ll end up. And the answer is: Anywhere you like. Your family will be back, sooner or later. You’ll never be a slave again. The world is open to us all now. It’s a fact that even in our time, when travel was possible for everyone, most people stayed close to where they grew up. Most people take a while to find that ‘niche’, where they really belong. But you’ll have eternity to find yours; and when you’ve found it, you’ll still have eternity to enjoy it.”
Nate came back over with a napkin, and a few cookies in it. One for each of them. Mirah took a small bite and her face changed at the taste. “Wherever I end up, will there be ‘cookies’?”
~/*\~
The small gathering continued for a while, and extended to lunch between the three of them. Mirah noticed something in the way Nate suddenly jumped in whenever the topic got too personal or serious for Paige. He was deliberately helping her navigate around difficult topics of conversation. A gesture that Paige returned when Mirah had thoughtlessly asked an indiscreet question about where Nate’s family were now.
Between the three of them, the conversation went smoothly enough, and Paige checked the time to find she had to get back to work. Mirah agreed to help Nate clean up, and then join her later.
As they carried the cups and plates to the nearest washroom, cleaning them for whoever came later, Nate spoke. “I’ve been thinking about it since we met, and I think I know why you were returned so early.” Nate offered quietly. “I think you came back, here and now, for Paige. She was assigned to meet you, after all.”
“For Paige?” Mirah was surprised.
“She lost people That Day. People she won’t get back.” Nate said quietly. “A lot of us did, myself included, but I don’t think Paige has figured out how to rebuild her life without her late husband, or her parents; she was estranged from at least one sibling… She wasn’t adjusting well. Since you came back, she’s been better.”
“She never talks about them.” Mirah said quietly.
“No, but she talks to you about the world.” Nate advised. “About the future. About what this place means for you… And what it means for you is the same thing it means for her, too. Something she hasn’t really looked at, because of her grief.”
“W-why me?” Mirah asked. “Of all human history, why me?”
“Why not?” He rose to go. “You’re making things better for her, just by being part of her life.”
~/*\~~/*\~~/*\~
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