Chapter Thirteen
Three Hundred Years Later
Gail sipped her coffee, watching as the mural was painted. The new library was four stories high, and placed on the edge of the town square; already open for business. But the entrance was, by necessity, pointed the other way; which left the largest wall facing the rest of the community as they went about their business.
A mural had been designed by the Art Students; now ending their twenty year apprenticeship. It was a final exam, of sorts; for Students that had proven they could collaborate on a large public work. The Mural would cover the whole wall; and provide artwork for the Community for the next twenty years; when it would be replaced by a new Mural, by the next graduating class.
Gail found it quite interesting to watch them work. Over twenty people, some working on scissor lifts, some down at the ground level; a few even descending from the rooftop on suspended lifts. Each one painted in a section of the mural, and the edges would meet in one complete picture.
Gail finished her coffee, and checked the town clock. It was time. She got up, and began walking, to meet her Returnee.
The coffee cup was labelled as suitable for the rewilding work; and she took it to one of the Seed Bins. It would be used as a planter for a tree seedling. Planted whole, the sides would protect the tiny sprout until it grew taller and more established. The disposable cup would wear away in the weather, nourishing the roots as it did so.
As she always did when meeting a newly Resurrected one, Gail walked slowly, taking in the sights and sounds of the Community, noting the differences that the world had gone through. She walked leisurely; which was a change in itself. She hadn’t felt rushed to be anywhere for hundreds of years. It was an ironic testament to the management of the new world. Nobody was rushed anymore; but there was so much being done.
Gail’s task for the day was one of the most important jobs people were given nowadays, and she had cleared her schedule for it. Walking sedately to the park, she started to pray. This task had a lot of unknowns; so she prayed for discernment and clarity, going forward.
~/*\~
Sasah took a breath automatically. The grass was cool and green beneath her. She sat up, confused. The place she found herself was beautiful and vibrant with plants and animals; but it was clearly cultivated. There were paved paths, and places for people to play games… She’d never seen anything like it before.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Sasah jumped, and turned to see a stranger sitting crosslegged on the ground. Her clothing and accent were unfamiliar, but she had a basket of food and a friendly smile. “It is.” Sasah agreed automatically. “I… don’t know how I got here.”
Gail nodded. “It’s okay. Take your time.” She seemed unhurried. She didn’t press Sasah for anything, returning her gaze to the park. “It’s a lovely day.”
Sasah nodded, returning to the view. How did I get here? Where is here?
She enjoyed the view for a few minutes, listening to the children play; but she couldn’t put it off. “What’s going on?”
Gail nodded agreeably. “What’s the last thing you remember?”
Sasah thought about it. “I was travelling. I was on the road to Moab… I was…” She shook her head. “I was on a horse. There was a snake, or… something, like that. I was thrown. The waterskins I carried burst under me when I fell, and the rest went with the horse as it…” She blinked, suddenly worried. “I remember walking. I remember thirst. How did I get here?”
Gail nodded, straightening her shoulders. “Well. Let's start there.” She drew a Bible from her basket, and opened it to a point towards the middle. “To start with, let’s see if you recognize this name: Jesus Christ.”
Sasah, who was studying the book in her hands curiously, looked up at her again. “No. Why? Is it important?”
Gail took that in, and flipped back much earlier in the Bible without blinking. “Just trying to figure out where and when you come from.”
“Where and when?” Sasah was confused by that one. “I was originally from the City of Adam, in the territory of Jericho. I was relocating to Moab, but I…” She rubbed her forehead. “I don’t know if I made it. Is this Moab?”
“It is not.” Gail confirmed. “Here’s another one: Jehovah. Do you know that name?”
Sasah froze. “Yes. I know that name.”
Gail noticed the suddenly guarded tone, and took a deep breath. “Tell me about Him. Tell me what you know.”
Sasah set her jaw. “He is the God of our invaders. I saw Canaan fall to His servants.”
“Awkward.” Gail said under her breath. “That’s why you were travelling to Moab? To flee?”
“No. The war was long over by then. Israel took me in and offered me a place as one of them, in service to Jah. My family took that offer, and gladly.” Sasah shook her head. “Me… I wasn’t so sure.”
“Jehovah is merciful to His enemies, but that doesn’t make Him a pacifist God.” Gail conceded. “Can I ask… when you were under His rule, what did you think of it?”
“What does any of this matter?!” Sasah demanded, suddenly remembering herself. “What is going on?! Where am I? Why are you asking me these questions?”
Gail held up her hands quickly. “Quite right. I apologize. The answer to your question is a bit of a long story. I was just trying to figure out how much of the story you already knew.” She held up the Bible. “This is the Bible. It is the Holy Book for servants of Jehovah God. It is a record of His dealings with humans throughout history.”
“It is not.” Sasah countered immediately. “I have seen such a chronicle, and it looks nothing like that. One of my children was practically obsessed with the details of Jehovah’s dealings with the world.”
“It probably looked like a large scroll?” Gail guessed. “Well, there were… other dealings, which your generation would not have been aware of. If you were there for the Campaign to conquer the Holy Lands, then your story is somewhere around…” She flicked through the Bible, and put her finger down on one of the pages. “...about here.”
Sasah stared at the Bible’s many pages beyond that point, blinking slowly. “What about the rest?
Gail smiled. “Well. As I said, it’s a bit of a story.” She riffled the rest of the pages. “Why not join me for a meal? I can give you the short version.”
~/*\~
There were procedures in place. Almost every culture in history demonstrated a supportive, friendly welcome with offerings of food. As they ate, Gail showed her the ‘Welcome’ Video, which gave many of the broad points. There were different Videos, tailored to people who had come from Pre-Christian times, or people who were well-taught in various Bible topics. The Returning brought the people of all sorts back; in a pattern nobody could yet understand.
Gail had welcomed several people back over the years; and had used a variety of provided tools. The most difficult time for a newly Returned one was the first few days. They had to find their place in a world that had changed in every single way.
So once they made introductions, Gail showed her new charge the standard ‘introduction’ video.
“Welcome, our dear brothers and sisters.” A voice came clearly from her device. “You are privileged to be freed of the last, greatest enemy that mankind has ever had. In an expression of his love for us, God has returned the world to the way He had always intended it to be. A paradise. A utopia. A united family of man. For thousands of years, human rulers have made the same promise, and been unable, through inability or personal failings to live up to it. But now, as He always promised He would; Jehovah God has freed us from the clutches of suffering and death.”
Sasah wasn’t happy to hear the news. “He refuses to let me go.” She groused shortly, seething with something Gail couldn’t identify. It was clear she wasn’t paying attention to anything after she’d heard the name ‘Jehovah’.
“The vast majority of people throughout history have worshipped other gods.” Gail said delicately. “How many of those gods would return the servants of others to life in Paradise; just out of compassion?”
“I was never an enemy of Jehovah. Anyone can worship whoever they want.” Sasah defended. “I just wanted to go my own way. Pray to my own Gods. Jah won’t let me do that. And now, it seems, He won’t even let me die.”
Gail took that in. “Did you really want to?”
“No, of course not.” Gail sighed. “I just wanted to live as I saw fit. Is that really so offensive?”
“This might not be the right time to say it, but… Yes.” Gail said simply.
Sasah looked over sharply. “Excuse me?”
“I come from a generation where people could pick and choose the facts they wanted.” Gail explained. “Not just their lifestyle, but their whole vision of reality. It didn’t matter what the truth was. Millions of people. Billions, even. They just… rejected what was happening right in front of them, because they wanted to live their own way. Nobody could even figure out what facts were anymore. And I’ve seen the world that results from everyone pretending that the truth is whatever’s convenient to them.” She reached out and caught Sasah’s hands. “The world very nearly ended for that. The whole human race would have been dead to the last man, killing each other over what we chose to believe; and rejecting the truth entirely.”
Sasah took that in, perturbed. “Really? Such destruction was possible?”
Gail nodded. “It was very nearly inevitable. Believe me. I know, all too well; how important the real truth is in comparison. Finally, the world got so bad that God Himself had to step in and show the world just how empty and helpless the Lies were. This world? I was there when this world began, and we survived, only because we accepted the Truth when the liars told us to reject it. The liars were at their worst; and their most powerful; but they were defeated. Lies are offensive here, because we’ve seen the damage they can do.”
“I am hardly going to bring down the world, by praying to my own gods.” Sasah said with quiet intensity. “If I have to keep it all hidden to myself in private, I will. I’ve done it before.”
“You misunderstand me.” Gail said, staring into her eyes. “I’m not accusing you of being a destructive liar; I’m saying you have been deceived."
Sasah’s mouth became a very thin line. “My son tried to tell me the same thing.” She said shortly. “When we were… liberated, by the invaders, my son was delighted to find their chronicle of the ‘genesis’ of the world.”
“Ah.” Gail nodded, holding up her Bible again, flicking through the pages. “That would be this part here. I’m guessing it didn’t fit with the way Priests of Baal tell the story of the world's beginning.”
“No indeed.” Sasah nodded.
“Well, we can do a bit better now.” Gail assured her, suddenly brighter. “We have eyewitness testimony.”
“Of what?” Sasah demanded.
“Almost everything in the Bible.” Gail reported brightly, holding up her Bible again. “The first ones returned were the loyal servants who bore witness to this entire record. For example, the Garden of Eden? The only people to be there were not Returned; but there were nearly ten generations of people who could see the Garden, and the Angelics standing guard. The Flood? Noah and his family are here. The Plagues of Egypt? We have both the Hebrews, and the Egyptians who saw them happen. What about the End Times? The Final Day? I was there. Ask me anything.”
Sasah stared at her. “Really?”
Gail nodded calmly. “And you? Give me the name of any hero in the story of Molech. I’ll see if he’s back yet. You can meet anyone from the history of your faith, sooner or later.”
Sasah kept staring at her, blinking slowly. “Um… No, I don’t…”
Gail nodded, and put her Bible away, reaching out to give her a hug. “The most powerful lie ever told. It had a thousand names, it deceived billions of victims. Most of them were so earnest, and sincere in their belief.” She smiled gently. “People like me.”
Sasah blinked. “Like you? Not like me?”
“Oh no, you were definitely fooled. But you’re in good company. Many of us were believers in something else; before we sat down and learned the Truth. I certainly was.” Gail smiled. “So. How about we leave it there for today.”
Sasah blinked. “What?”
“We’ve got a lot of ground to cover. Telling you all of it would… Well, leave you drowning. We have time.” Gail held out a hand. “A place has been prepared for newcomers. You can have privacy, and time to rest.”
And Sasah yawned. “Thank you. I don’t know why I’m so tired. If you’re telling the truth, I’ve slept for thousands of years.”
“It’s the way people are. Confronted with something overwhelming, your mind wants to sleep; have some time to process.” Gail nodded agreeably. “I’ll show you your room, and come meet you in the morning.”
~/*\~
When they walked to the dormitory, Gail’s head was on a swivel at every step, taking in everything. There were food and drink carts on the thoroughfares, and planters full of flowers at every park bench; filling the air with delicious smells. Sasah had never eaten anything like the street foods of the modern day.
They were approaching the Dormitory when the streetlights came on. Sasah jumped at the illumination; but didn’t speak. They entered the Dorm Building, and Sasah was startled by the lights, the screen on the wall; but she didn’t say anything then, either.
Gail smiled, impressed with her fortitude. “You’re going to see a lot of things you don’t recognize. Most of it you’ll figure out as you go. Some of it you’ll need to be taught. I can teach you. If you’d prefer someone else, that’s fine.”
“Who else would I ask?” Sasah said, with just a hint of bitterness. “You’re the only person in the world that I know.”
“Well, we’ll take care of that in the morning, too.” Gail promised, leading her upstairs. “In the meantime, let me introduce you to Sulian.”
~/*\~
Sulian was a young man, but he carried himself like a much older one. He was as broad in the shoulder as any soldier, and had a long, bushy beard. He gave the impression of a grizzly bear, but he was so… cheerful. “Welcome, sister! We have a room prepared for you, for as long as you need it! Welcome! Welcome!”
He swept them upstairs, and down a corridor, until they reached a room. “This is for you, of course. If there’s anything you need during the night, just press this button here, and I will be summoned at once! Breakfast will be prepared for you all at 7:30. If you come from a time before clocks, that’ll be an hour after dawn!”
His manner was overwhelming, but Sasah couldn’t help but smile at him. Neither could Gail, who had done this multiple times.
“There’s a small bathroom for you though there. If you come from pre-industrial times, there are directions for use. Hot water, too!” Sulian boomed. “Common rooms on every floor. Please, feel free to meet your new neighbors!”
He gave Sasah a quick tour of the room, which didn’t take long. The room was modest, and most of the facilities were shared. As he wrapped up his tour, his device buzzed, and Sulian had to go, called away by another resident. He gave the two women another bearhug and welcomed them both again.
As he swept out, the room seemed bigger. The big barrel of the man could take up two rooms this size all by himself.
Despite herself, Sasah was chuckling. “Well.”
“Indeed.” Gail said, amused. “There’s plenty of people here who are just like you. Newly arrived in the world, not sure any of this is real. Sulian is a bit overwhelming, but he’s good at defusing tension.”
“I don’t know that word. ‘De-fu-’ what was it?”
Gail shook her head. “He calms things down. He’s basically everyone’s favorite grandfather.”
“He’s too young.”
“He’s over four hundred years old.” Gail drawled. “He’s got almost fifty years on me, let alone you.”
Sasah’s face stonewalled then. Gail had seen it before. The other woman was being presented with something that seemed impossible, but she didn’t know how to respond yet.
“One thing at a time.” Gail said gently. “For now, this is your room.”
Sasah looked around. It was a modest room, but bigger than the one she’d had at the city of Adam. The fact that she didn’t have to share it with anyone was the biggest novelty.
Gail went to the wardrobe, built into the wall. There was a row of clothing there. “Women’s dorm. We’ve got… a selection. Styles and fabric used by women changed a lot over the centuries. You might find something you like here. If not, we can take care of that tomorrow too.”
Sasah looked around. Carpets. Glass in the windows. Indoor lighting. So many things she had no experience with. She went over to the bed. The mattress was so soft, compared to the flax and grass stuffing she was used to. “This is all for me?”
“For now. Eventually, you’ll find family, or somewhere you want to stay permanently. Twenty thousand people a day are coming back around the world.” Gail nodded. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
~/*\~
Sasah ended up laying her blankets on the floor beside her new bed, unable to handle the softness of the unfamiliar bed. She still had the most restful sleep she could remember. She didn’t know why, but somehow, it was just… easier to rest.
She woke at dawn, and tidied her room. She considered the new clothing for a moment, before dressing in the tunic she’d ‘arrived’ in.
It was the first time she’d started a day with nothing to do. Normally, she’d be starting a fire in her oven, collecting the dough that had risen and proved overnight; and baking it into bread for the family. There would be animals to tend to, and water to fetch…
Today, however, she was a guest in a building full of people she didn’t know, in a world she didn’t understand. They had treated her as a guest, but she had no idea what to do with herself.
She went to the window, resting her fingers against the glass. She’d never seen glassware like this. She’d heard of people who crossed the sandflats, and found places where lightning had struck the sand. It was supposed to be quite beautiful, but she’d never seen it herself. And such transparent glass, made so flat and smooth was unheard of.
Do they have this in every room of every building? She thought. Such wealth.
She heard movement in the hallway outside, and she went to her door, peeking out to look. Some people were already up, heading for the stairs. They moved quietly. With nothing better to do, she pulled her sandals on and followed.
One of the women smiled and squeezed her hand as they went downstairs. “People from the modern era have all their wonderful inventions to save time. The vast majority of them don’t get up with the sun anymore.”
“How can anyone sleep so late?” Sasah wondered, lowering her voice to avoid waking anyone.
“They have sun-bright lights in all their rooms. They can decide when it’s night time for them.”
~/*\~
The ‘morning crowd’ went outside the Dorm to a small plaza, where tables were set up. She followed the crowd and found herself in the kitchens. Some people were already hard at work, putting together a meal. More food than Sasah had ever seen in one place.
The kitchen, however, was like something from another planet. All the gleaming metal and bright lights made for a clean, crisp workspace, but the noises coming from every direction had Sasah frightened. The machines were doing things faster than she could ever hope to match, and she felt like if she tried, she was going to lose fingers somewhere.
Watching the kitchen staff work was like watching a dance. They were so… in harmony with each other. Nobody was in a rush, but nobody was in each other’s way. They all knew just what they needed to do, and when to pass their work off to someone else; and the trays kept filling up with food. One reached left as the other reached right. One reached up to put something on a shelf just as the next one was passing beneath their arm. They could have done it with their eyes closed.
“Sight to see, isn’t it?” A voice said from the doorway. “The things they can do.”
Sasah turned, and saw a man peeking in from the hall. He wasn’t there to help. He was there to watch. His clothing and features felt familiar, but she couldn’t place him. “It’s impressive. In the Temples we had Dancers who worked for hours every day on their routines. Their dances were part of the worship. But when we weren’t performing, we were getting in each other’s way, pushing past each other to get places… I’ve never seen anyone do a dance like this over breakfast.”
“It’s more than practice.” The man said quietly. “It’s experience. They do this every day, for hundreds of people, like us. They’ve done it for decades. They learn faster than people should. They’re not worried about slicing their hands open, or burning themselves on these fancy ovens.” He went over to the benchtop and collected a tray of pastries. “Grab one of these. Just about the only thing people like us can do is carry stuff.”
Sasah took another tray, and followed the man outside.
~/*\~
Dawn broke over the Dormitory, and shone gently on the communal dining area. Rows of tables and chairs. The man led the way to the nearest one and sat down, putting the tray in the middle of the table. “In an hour, every table will be crammed with food, and every seat will have people helping themselves.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that. The Dormitories aren’t just for people who have been raised from the grave. A lot of people are on their way somewhere. They don’t charge for food, so they’re very generous with it.” The man was already eating. “It’s actually quite infuriating how generous they are. Pastries like these would cost a fortune back when I was charging customers for a meal.”
Sasah took a bite. The pastry was light and delicious, filled with fruit and something else she couldn’t identify. “This is delicious.” She said profoundly, and was about to take another bite when she caught a glimpse of him in the brightening daylight. “You look familiar to me, but I can’t place where.”
“We only met once.” The man nodded. “Your family did business with me. My name is Isidro.”
“Yes!” Sasah said in remembrance. “You were at- oh.” her voice dropped, and her skin paled as memory caught up. “You were at Jericho.”
“The first thing I looked up when I realized what century I was in.” Isidro said. He was eerily still. “History is of great interest to these people. Especially the history that involves their God.” He gave her a hard look. “You’re coming back now. So you didn’t join them.”
Her head tilted. “How do you know that?”
“You are new.” Isidro remarked. “This ‘great Resurrection’ of everyone who ever lived? It happens in order. The faithful were the first ones returned, as a reward for their obedience. The rest of us are coming back… after. If you’re only just getting here now, it means you’re not ‘one of them’.” He gave her a hard look. “Of course, you had more chances than the rest of us did, thanks to your daughter.”
Sasah said nothing to that, withdrawing into herself.
“The Believers, the ones who run this world…” Isidro said quietly. “They say that it’s mercy. Jehovah gives everyone yet another chance to bow before Him, and spend eternity as His servant.” He shook his head. “I gave my answer. I fled Egypt when the Plagues came. Then they came for Jericho, and I had nowhere to run or hide… Not like you.”
Sasah twitched again. “And yet, we’re both here.”
“You make your choices, and you live by them. You were on the good side of Jehovah’s power. You clearly didn’t decide to join up. A smart God would take that for what it was, and a decent God would accept that we made our choices.” Isidro scoffed, and picked up another pastry. “The God of this place is just going to keep hitting us until we give the answer He wants to hear.”
“What’s He hitting us with now?” Sasah asked, a little perturbed.
“Generosity.” Isidro smirked. “I grew up under the Pharaohs. I know better than most that kindness is just another way to control people. Reminding them how dependent they are.”
“What Pharaoh would raise someone from the dead, just to win a difference of opinion with random people like us?” Sasah asked him, perturbed.
“None of them would. Only Jehovah seems to do that. Jericho was only a week ago, for me. Spiteful, isn’t He?” Isidro drawled. “Ah. The rest of the breakfast crowd.”
Sasah looked over, and saw people coming out of the Dormitory. Sulian was leading them, his booming voice promising everyone that breakfast was to be served. Apparently, his voice was audible in the kitchens, because they started bringing out trays.
“Eat up.” Isidro advised. “They want to smother us in generosity? Let’em. Better than the alternative.”
~/*\~
Sasah had attended morning rituals before, but this was simple in comparison. No idols, no dancing, no chanting. A prayer, and a brief talk from the head of the table. And even that was mostly updates on what was happening in their local area.
Sasah looked around while this lesson went on. Most of the people here were checking each other out too. Most of them clearly weren’t used to this sort of thing. Sasah had lived much of her life in one Temple or another, and was used to morning prayers. For them the change was the morning worship. For her it was the meal. The food was excellent, and far more diverse than anything she was used to.
“So!” Sulian boomed brightly, with the morning rituals over. “Some announcements! Those of you who have asked to join building work, there are some sites willing to accept volunteers for On-The-Job training. Talk to Brother Miller for directions. Those of you interested in learning about the Restoration work, there’s a work party leaving after Breakfast. If anyone would like to join?”
His tone was leading, and several people raised their hands. Including Isidro, which surprised Sasah; but he didn’t look her way.
“As always, we’ve updated the travel timetables. The biggest transport Hub in the area is on the coastline. We have buses moving back and forth every three hours. The schedule is up on the notice board. If you’ve decided to make your way somewhere else, that’s where to start. We wish you a happy journey. That said; everyone is welcome to stay as long as they need to. Most of you have ‘welcoming parties’. You’re not obligated to wait for them; but it is recommended.”
Sasah sent a quick glance at Isidro. If he had a guide in this new world, there was no sign of them.
“Those of you who are still new.” Sulian added. “We’ve got something of an orientation course. It takes the better part of a day; and it covers a fair amount of ground, so most people decide to take the course two or three times, to make sure they’ve got it all straight.”
“I can help with that.” A familiar voice said.
Sasah turned and saw Gail had joined them, sliding into the chair next to her, scooping up a piece of fruit that was left on the serving platters. “The Course is for people who learn better in a group. For most of human history, education has been a minority. You learn from your parents. For other places, there were groups all learning from the same teacher at once, bouncing ideas off each other.”
“I never had that.” Sasah said quietly. “I learned from my mother, who was the Temple Priestess, in charge of the other girls.”
“Ah. So you learned the ‘family business’ long before you got anywhere near the normal age for training?” Gail guessed. “Well, if you don’t want to take the classes? I can teach you myself. I’ve done it before. And I know I look young enough to be your daughter, but I’m 300 years older than you.”
And despite herself, Sasah got a fit of the giggles this time.
~/*\~
The serving platters were collected and taken back to the kitchens. “Do they spend all day just preparing the next meal for whoever’s in the Dorms?” Sasah asked. “Because I saw them work this morning, and it sure looked like they were used to doing nothing else.”
“People aren’t machines. We’ve discovered through grim experience that when people work non-stop all day, it’s not much of a life. The time we spend laboring is a lot less than most people have had in a day. Gives people time to spend with their families, or in study, or just… appreciating what the world is now. Makes for a better life.”
“Even when there’s so much to do?”
“And working until you burn out, or your family barely recognizes you? How does that help people work?” Gail returned. “We all have to think long term. And I mean eternity. Nobody has a sick day, because nobody gets sick. Nobody retires, because nobody gets old. We have a lot to do, but everyone wants to be part of it. We show up when we say we will, and we’re getting healthier and smarter and stronger every day. To say nothing of getting centuries of experience in various tasks.”
Sasah frowned, trying to picture this, but as she looked around the world, starting the day, she could see it was true. Nobody was trudging sleepily, wiping at their eyes. Nobody looked sick, forcing themselves to get to work. Nobody was bent over, stressed at the thought of the day ahead. Nobody was… old. The only older ones she had seen were in the Dormitory; new to the world.
Just like her.
Generosity is just another way to control people. She heard Isidro’s voice come back to her suddenly, and she frowned. “No.”
“No?” Gail asked. “‘No’ what?”
“I don’t believe that your God is bringing us back out of any kind of generosity, or justice.” Sasah said firmly. “I’ve seen His power. It’s more destructive than anything a King can bring to bear on his most hated enemies. And even the most vengeful of kings only kill their opponents once.”
Gail took that in. “Follow me. I’d like to show you something.”
~/*\~
Gail took her back to the mural; still in progress. There were plenty of places for people to sit in the city plaza. The one Gail led them to was occupied, but the people sitting there were able to tell what was happening at a glance, and quickly gave the newcomer and her guide some privacy.
After they sat, Gail led her attention to the Mural. Sasah was suitably impressed by the scale and detail of the artwork. “See those people?” Gail gestured to a small group of people who looked like they were having the time of their lives, just watching the artwork come into existence. “I know a few of them. Those are the families of the men and women painting that mural right now. They’re delighted to see their children at work, adding something beautiful and interesting to the world. God doesn’t just pity us for our sinful state, or feel anger for us rejecting Him: He delights in us. The way a father does with his child, or the way an artist does with his best work. It seems crazy to think that God can point to Humans and say that we are a wonder; but we didn’t exist until He made us. Whatever else we are; we’re something unique in Creation.”
“All I’ve ever done for Jah was turn Him down.”
“When I first became a Believer?” Gail said gently. “I did a lot worse than just say ‘I’m not interested’.”
Sasah knew there had to be something behind that, but she didn’t push. Sasah had her shames, surely Gail did too. But the point had been made, and they said nothing for a while.
“What happens today?” Sasah said finally, in a small voice.
“The hardest part of starting over is figuring out where you fit now.” Gail said quietly. “But the Returning has been going on for centuries. We’ve gotten pretty good at it.” She squeezed Sasah’s hand. “But one thing you’ll learn? We have all the time in the world. Why don’t we sit and enjoy the artwork for a while?”
Sasah nodded, grateful to be taking this slowly. Her mind was churning with any number of things, she couldn’t seem to stop scanning around the area. Nobody was rushing. Nobody was in a hurry. The children still scampered everywhere, but the adults were so… relaxed. Even in peacetime, she’d never seen that at home. Everyone was always in a hurry, trying to get the freshest food at the market, trying to get the hardest labor done before the sun rose too high and hot…
But not here. This was a place where people were content to pause in their errands and watch a mural be painted.
How can I possibly fit in here?
~/*\~
“So, the first order of business: Put you in the Database.” Gail said brightly as they headed inside. The Community Centre was open to everyone. There were libraries, community rooms, a directory for the town and surrounding area… and several small rooms for research and study.
Sasah had seen screens like this everywhere. Everyone seemed to have one. They were fascinating to look at, always moving with pretty lights and pictures. She understood they were tools; and if anything was going to convince her that millenia had passed, it was that.
“The Database is where we keep information we want to share with the world.” Gail explained. “Most of it is common knowledge, or the sort of thing you can learn in schools; but there’s also personal information.”
“Why?” Sasah asked absently, distracted by the screen.
“Practically everyone’s getting a Resurrection. But not all at the same time. Your family might be here already. You might be the first of them. I can add your picture, and your details. The Database can search everything added by people in the world, and see if there’s a match.”
“For everyone in the world?” Sasah was surprised at that.
“Yup.”
“That will take years, surely. To compare to everyone who ever lived, in every nation-”
“Aaand the search is done.” Gail smiled at Sasah. “Looks like you have family in the world already. They left a notice, to let you know they’re alive, and they were hoping to find you.”
Sasah felt her heart give a sudden thud. “Really? Who?”
Gail tapped at the workstation. “Your daughters. Iyara and Rahab.” She frowned. “Wait a second. This photo looks…” She tapped again, and Gail’s face changed. She jumped back from the screen like it had slapped her, and she was suddenly breathing hard.
“What?” Sasah demanded. “What is it?!”
“You’re Rahab’s mother?” Gail was stunned. “The Rahab? From Jericho?”
“My daughter is famous?” Sasah murmured. Isidro had hinted at something like that, but he hadn’t said what. “Jericho fell years ago, even for me, let alone for you people.”
“Still, I’m betting it’s a story people asked you about afterwards.” Gail said with grim understatement.
“My children, more than me.” Sasah said with grim understatement.
“Well, your children are all here. We can send them a message right now, and put you in touch with them.” Gail smiled. “With our technology, you can have a conversation with them right now, from anywhere in the world, and-”
“No. Don’t do that!” Sasah barked out automatically, holding a hand up.
Gail froze, hands still over the terminal.
Sasah pulled herself together. “Sorry. There was… Some awkwardness between us, the last time we spoke, and it might not…” She ran out of words, trying to think how to tell this relative stranger her family business.
Gail’s face changed, becoming peaceable and understanding. “I get it. Family can be like that. But remember, the ‘last time you spoke’ was years ago. Many, many years. And even if it was a week ago for you, it’s been at least a century for them. Rahab and her kin were Gold letters. Among the first ones Returned.” She gave Sasah a knowing look. “Whatever your ‘awkwardness’ was about, would any of your children keep the grudge alive that long after you were gone?”
“‘Rahab and her kin’?” Sasah repeated. “She received preferential rewards, because this world is run by Jehovah, and she was a loyal servant to Him.” She scrubbed her face with her hands. “What does that tell you? About my arriving so much later?”
“It tells me you wanted to live your own way.” Gail challenged. “If you think that living a life in open defiance of Jehovah, only to be brought back anyway makes you unwelcome, or unique in some way, then you clearly haven’t been paying attention.” She gestured around. “About three quarters of the population right now can say they started out that way.”
Sasah scowled. “I get it. I’m nothing special. But this is still my life. I can’t have anyone else’s.”
Gail reached out a hand gently. “Sasah-”
Sasah slapped her hand away. “I’m not a broken bird for you to fix. I’m not ‘just another heathen’ for you to convert. I’m not a ‘bad example’ for you to cluck over. Why can’t you- why can’t Jehovah just leave me alone?!”
Sasah turned away pointedly and stormed off. Gail let her go.
~/*\~
Sasah realised she had nowhere to go once she stomped off some of her frustration. The dormitory and the Plaza were the only places in the New World she knew.
The community had plenty of people in it. She was looking for a place she could go to be unobserved for a while, and there wasn’t one.
She felt… watched. She was the only one in the street with grey hairs. Everyone passing by was polite, and friendly; but all of them were aware of what made her different. They knew. They all knew she wasn’t ‘one of them’.
The town itself was lovely to walk through. She saw people riding wheeled devices she’d never seen before. Someone called out and offered to loan her one of the ‘bicycles’ at no charge, but she dared not; afraid to do herself an injury, or get her skirts caught in the wheels.
There was an eatery where people sat at small round tables, and chatted eagerly. Some of the people looked like she felt, hunched over their own Bibles, and Sasah realized they were like her, new to the world and trying to figure out where they were.
Could this whole world be working to get every citizen worshipping the same God? That’s never happened before…
Sasah found herself drifting towards the Community Centre. It was the largest building in the town. And like the King of Jericho, it seemed to be the centre of all the town’s dealings. Unlike any City Citadel she’d ever seen, it was not at all fortified. The whole building was open to the public. The size of it meant the walls were wide enough, but the building seemed designed to invite people to come closer.
In the lobby, there were numerous screens mounted on the walls. Still getting used to the new technology, Sasah found them almost hypnotizing to look at. They were showing different displays. Some were showing news, or information about the area.
People were gathering at one of the smaller displays, and the eagerness of them seemed to be growing. Intrigued by the energy of the group, Sasah drifted closer. They were all watching a… number?
The number changed every few seconds, and every time it did, the energy of the crowd grew a little more eager… Until all the numbers changed at once, and everyone watching cheered.
“You must be new.” One of the crowd saw her confusion and explained. “It’s the population counter. Twenty thousand a day come back across the world. This Region just crossed forty million.” He was smiling broadly. “I wonder who it was.”
Forty million people, in just this region? Sasah wondered. How can there be so many people in the world?
~/*\~
She tore herself away from the Community Centre’s screens after a while. She got the sense that a person could starve to death gazing at something shiny like that.
She went walking again, and found herself growing hungry. The sun said she’d been wandering, looking around her new world for hours now. Gail hasn’t come looking for me? Or at least, hasn’t found me yet.
She saw something else she didn’t recognize, and made her way over. It was as good a direction as any; and she had nowhere else to be.
It was an Arch, just a few feet taller than she was. And standing in the middle of it was a person, dressed very differently from the rest of the community. Curious, Sasah edged closer. There seemed to be a few people lining up, waiting to stand in front of the Arch. As always, they were smiling, happy.
The person in the Arch vanished into thin air, and then another person appeared in their place, waving eagerly. Those nearby returned the wave. Sasah’s jaw dropped. A young-looking woman noticed her confusion. “There are several Arches. One here. Others in various cities around the world. Each Arch has cameras, to create an image of what’s directly around it. Someone stands in front of the Arch, and you can ‘see through it’ to other lands around the planet.”
“Magic?” Sasah wavered.
“You must be new.” The woman smiled.
Sasah sighed. She’d heard those words so many times this morning. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”
“Then you should go next.” Someone in line piped up, and everyone seemed to agree. Sasah was swiftly guided into place by everyone. The moment she stepped up to the Arch, she looked through it and suddenly seemed to be facing a whole other place.
The city on the other side was lined with trees, totally different to the ones around her. The weather on the other side was totally different, with the sun setting on the horizon. She stepped back from the Arch, sent a glance up at the sun above her, and tried to calculate where this other City might be. “What’s that white stuff on everything?”
“It’s called ‘snow’.” Someone said helpfully, with a big smile.
Standing in the Arch, right in front of Sasah, with a basket of rolls hanging from one arm, a woman was waving to her with a big smile. There was a small boy peeking shyly around her hip.
Sasah waved at the child automatically, and the boy waved back.
They’re reacting to me. This place is somewhere the sun is setting, and they can see me right now.
Behind the woman with the basket, there was an identical small crowd gathered. One of them was holding up a sign. She couldn’t read the writing. It suddenly occurred to Sasah that she could understand everything the people were saying; though from the look of the people around her, they all seemed to be from very different lands. “What does the sign say?”
Someone translated from her. “It’s a line from an old song. It says: ‘We Love You, even though we never met you before’.”
Sasah almost lurched away from the Arch, feeling startled to see past it, and suddenly be back where she’d always been. The simplest of public artworks for these people, but it was something akin to sorcery for her. And rather than use it for something shocking, or profitable; these people used it just to smile and wave at total strangers. It was overwhelming. It was impossible. It was awe-inspiring. And it was… wonderful.
So why do I feel sick to my stomach?
~/*\~
The Dormitories always put out a spread at mealtimes, but lunch was their least crowded meal of the day. Almost everyone in the Dorms were on their way to somewhere, or in the charge of someone else.
Gail had invited Cherry and Jamel, to fill them in on the proceedings, and to ask for their help with her new student.
“Running away isn’t uncommon.” Cherry offered. “A newcomer wants to see something of the world on their own. I had one Blue Letter who thought my story was an elaborate con, and went looking for someone to report me to.”
There was a long silence. It was clear they both wanted to say something.
“Her daughter is Rahab? The actual Rahab?” Cherry finally blurted out, with something close to awe. “What are the odds on that?”
“Long enough that I doubt it’s a coincidence.” Jamel put in. “We always wonder why we’re picked, Gail. Looks like you got an answer much faster than usual.”
“I know. I wonder if I should mention it?” Gail was saying, when she noticed Sasah. “Ah. You’re back.”
“I am.” Sasah nodded. She had gotten herself completely lost, but it was easy to get directions back to the Dormitory. “I’m sorry if my leaving was a cause for concern.”
“Everyone needs some time to see the world on their own.” Gail shook her head. “One thing we know for certain: It’s safe to walk the world now.” She made introductions. “This is my husband, Jamel; and our oldest friend in the world, Cherry. Guys, this is Sasah.”
Jamel gave a deep nod, almost a half-bow. Cherry was more direct and jumped up to give Sasah a hug. “Welcome to a whole new world.”
Sasah wasn’t used to being hugged by total strangers, but she found she didn’t mind it.
~/*\~
“We’ve been studying the basics.” Gail filled them both in on the progress of their study. “Like most people, Sasah has things she wants to know more about, but doesn’t know how to ask the question yet.”
“Jesus and Jehovah seem like two different people.” Sasah confessed. “I’m told that some religions in your time thought they were physically one being, and I can’t see them as Father and Son, they’re so different.”
“You knew God as ‘Jehovah of Armies’.” Gail explained, not for the first time. “You left Israel before you could see Him as a provider, or a teacher, let alone a loving, forgiving Father.”
“Honestly, a lot of people had trouble viewing Jehovah as a Merciful God. Not just because of the actions He had taken to defend His people in the Bible, but because He was so… big. How do you form a lasting friendship with someone bigger than the universe?” Jamel put in.
“If you’re including Jesus in your studies, then you know about the Ransom. The fact that Jesus walked the Earth as a human at all is proof of God’s love for us.” Cherry took up the message. “But while he was on Earth, Jesus did far more than that. He healed the sick, the way God always wanted to. He taught the lessons God wanted us to hear.”
“Jesus was divine, but he was at least human-sized.” Gail went on. “Able to say and do all the things Jehovah would do if He had been walking around the world personally.”
They were passing the topic back and forth so easily. Sasah felt a little surrounded, but they weren’t trying to intimidate. These difficult concepts were so familiar and normal to a team of centuries-old scholars that they could give these persuasive arguments like it was the simplest of tasks. They’d been friends so long, they could speak almost as a single being.
Such wisdom. Such experience. Sasah considered the three of them with something close to awe. I could never be like this.
“Being a follower of God and Christ means to try and follow their example. Jesus was the ultimate example of someone who calls on other Believers to provide comfort and support when times of doubt and hardship come.” Jamel added. “All three of us are here because at our lowest moment, someone came to offer us forgiveness and love.”
“When there was almost no time left for me to make a decision, there was still one follower of God who told me that God wanted me to come to Him and accept His love.” Gail said, pointing at Cherry. “I didn’t think of it at the time, but that sister was saying what Christ was trying to teach me.”
“That I can relate to.” Jamel put in. “The same ‘lone believer’ stayed and showed me care at my lowest point too.”
“And at the time, I never would have thought of it that way; because I was as uncertain of myself as they were.” Cherry summed up. “The Bible is full of examples of the least likely of people, being courageous in their stand for Jehovah.”
“I wasn’t.” The grey-haired woman said firmly.
“And yet, here you are.” Jamel put in.
“Yes.” Sasah said, and there was an emotion growing in her. “Here I am.”
“Ma’am, we’ve heard almost every reaction to this. It’s actually the heart of what it means to be human.” Jamel said kindly. “Go to any person in the street, anyone in the world; and ask them where or when they were. Every person in the world understands the question. Every person in the world has that in common now.” He spread his hands wide. “Name one time when the whole world could say they came to the same place, for the same reason.”
“What reason?!” Sasah almost pounced on that. “What reason is there for… any of this?!”
“Because Jehovah God wanted you to be here, in a world where you’d never have to be scared of anything, where you’d never be lied to, where you’d never be sick, or hungry; and you’d never ever die.” Gail said simply. “It’s the same reason we’re all here.”
“And that doesn’t make sense to me.” Sasah spat. “Offering it as a reward to the faithful? I can understand that. Offering it to the unworthy, who never even heard of Jehovah, or Jesus? I can even believe that. It’s excessive, by most standards; but a God is allowed to be generous.” She spread her hands wide. “But me? I was there. I was there for one of these ‘holy’ stories you use to teach your children, and I said ‘no’ anyway.” She took a shaking breath. “You want to know how I feel? I’m angry.”
“Why?” Cherry asked gently.
“Because I made my choice. More than once. And I’m here anyway.” She started counting on her fingers. “It wasn’t because I didn’t get a proper choice. It wasn’t because I deserved it. It wasn’t because I had done anything in His service. It wasn’t because I was ignorant.” She waved her fingers, and put her hand down. “There’s only one reason left; and that’s spite. Your God is just going to keep bringing me back until I admit I was wrong. And then what will you all do with me?” She pointed back the way she came. “I’ve been seeing it in everything about this place. You said every person in the world has an answer to the same question, right? But they all come up with the answer you want to hear eventually?” She gestured at them all. “That’s what this is, right? You’re trying to recruit me into service to Jah. I worked in a Temple. I know the routine.”
She had been building up a fair amount of passionate anger in her tone. So when she suddenly ran out of words, nobody wanted to be the next one to speak.
The silence stretched on longer than was comfortable.
Finally, Gail spoke. “You can say that you’re angry.” Gail responded gently. “Angry that God won’t ‘let you be’, or ‘respect your choice’. But I’ve been there. Anger is a hiding place. Often the last one left. So let’s speak honestly. You’re not really angry at God.”
Another unnaturally long silence. Sasah was glaring at Gail, who stared back coolly, as though the first one to blink would lose the argument.
Sasah spoke finally. “I have spent my life in worship of Molech and Baal.”
Gail nodded, saying nothing.
“But neither of them are running the world now.” Sasah whispered. “Neither of them could save Jericho, or any of my homeland.” She shuddered. “And neither of them brought me back to life.”
“And there it is.” Gail nodded. “So, when you take that little realization, what are your conclusions?”
Sasah was silent for a long time, before forcing herself to say the words. “It means I was always wrong. It means that there was only one… only ever one choice. Only ever one God. It means that when I did… ugh, the things I did in the name of Molech.” She shook her head hard. “My mother raised me in the Temples. My father was almost certainly a Temple priest. It means they were wrong. And the people who invaded my country and tore down our cities were right? I only wanted to leave, and… and be with people who didn’t think I was wrong. Is that really such a crime?”
Cherry raised her hand. “I said almost those exact words when I was faced with my own ‘miracle’. Believing in God was easy. Confessing to my father that he was right, and I was almost completely in the wrong? That was hard.”
“And as for the question of what you may have done in ignorance?” Jamel raised his hand. “That’s my story. I followed my coworkers into various vices, and I nearly ruined four lives with my addictions.” He jerked a thumb at Cherry “Including hers.”
“And as for the question of how you may have acted after you saw a miracle, like the walls of Jericho tumbling down?” Gail raised her hand. “I saw the mother of all prophecies being fulfilled, and I still chose the wrong side; almost to the last second.”
(Author’s Note: Sasah was present for miraculous acts, but hadn’t dedicated herself to Jehovah. For that reason, I put her in the ‘forgiven at death’ category. The whole point of this story is that according to new understandings, Jehovah is even more merciful and eager to welcome people back than we thought; so there’s no question of her being brought back, even after rejecting Jehovah’s authority in Bible times.)
“And you’re all here to tell me that none of that matters?” Sasah demanded.
Gail gestured for the others not to answer that yet. “The automatic answer is: ‘no’. None of your sins matter.” She pulled out her Bible and started flipping pages. “Our brothers knew that, even before the world changed.” She read the verse aloud. “‘For the one who has died has been acquitted from his sin’.” She looked up at Sasah. “But I remember, right after The Day? I thought to myself: If God has eliminated all the crime, all the violence, all the corruption, all the war, all the greed, all the lusting, and drunkenness, and false worship, and liars… then what really is left of the human race?”
Cherry snorted in disgust.
“Hand on my heart, I was talking about myself at the time, too.” Gail insisted with a wry grin. Then she turned to Sasah and took her hands gently. “You were raised by the Temples. I imagine plenty of people in your time were. Millions of others were career soldiers. Millions more lived as slaves. All those things are abolished now. Being told they were… not how God intended? That’s talking about the organizations. Not the people. You mattered. Those soldiers? Though they died in wrongful wars, they mattered. There are people who built cities that don’t exist anymore. Spent years on sailing ships that are long obsolete…”
Sasah nodded. “I get it. I’m alive again, but the life I knew is… undone.”
“I was in the same position, once.” Gail said gently. “Most of us came into this world with nothing but the clothes on our back. But we had each other. And so do you.”
Sasah glowered. “When Jericho fell, the first thing I did was try to build some goodwill with our new people. They said no. They wouldn’t even take the grain in the granaries, or the animals, or the…” She forced her expression to be even. “It’s not the first time I’ve been reminded that nothing in my life matters.”
Gail was unfazed. “Everything except your family. The story of your family is written in the Bible, discussed, praised, lauded, and honored for thousands of years by billions of people. Are you angry because you feel unimportant, or because the only thing that mattered happened in spite of you?”
Sasah scowled, but said nothing to that.
Gail kept going. “Do you have any idea how grateful I was to learn that everything I had ever done in my entire life was wiped out completely? That I was still… worthy, in His eyes? In spite of what I had spent my entire life doing eagerly?”
Sasah raised her hands placatingly, recognizing that she had touched a nerve. “I apologize.”
Gail stopped herself, knowing she was getting too worked up. “So do I. Even centuries later, the… foolishness I felt at that moment became a big part of me.” She took a breath. “Picture the world’s wealthiest man. He came back into this world with exactly what you had. God doesn’t resurrect our money, or houses, or the temples and idols. What does that tell you, about what really matters to Him?”
Sasah nodded, but was carefully non-committal. “We’ll see.”
~/*\~
They left the topic then. They spent the day discussing less important things. Sasah was taken through the markets, and introduced to new fabrics, new foods. She had questions about almost everything she saw.
They stopped for drinks, and Sasah suddenly realized she had nothing to say. Gail was her guide in the world, but they were both thousands of years apart. Aside from their studies, they had nothing in common, and no common ground to draw conversation from.
Even so, the silence wasn’t harsh. Gail wasn’t looking uncomfortable in the silence. She was patient, just looking around at the world as it went by.
“What did they mean?” Sasah asked finally. “About understanding why you were picked?”
“You heard that.” Gail actually flushed. “It’s a little embarrassing. See, there are millions of people in the world, and almost all of them are taught how to greet someone when they’re Returned. Everyone who returns is met by someone on arrival. But we never know why we get assigned to meet people in particular.” She smiled a bit. “Sometimes it’s obvious. A family connection, an old friend… Reunions are kind of the global pastime these days. And it’ll probably continue that way for centuries. Everyone who comes back has people of their own to wait for.”
Sasah suddenly thought of everyone she had lost, even before her children were born. “I would like my daughters to meet their grandparents.” Sasah admitted, soft and heartfelt. “But my mother was raised by the Temples too. How will you explain this place to them?” Her face changed. “Oh. You won’t. I will. That’s the point, isn’t it? All those ‘reunions’? That’s why you’re trying to teach me about your God. Because if I’m one of you, then I can take up your task.”
Gail regarded her. “Bringing people into the Truth, it’s not… It’s not about boosting a number, or ‘saving a soul’, or whatever you said. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it. When I accepted God’s offer, I only half understood it, and my circumstances weren’t good. God accepted me anyway. And almost the same moment He did, the world was hit with a storm to shake the stars. Not a City, like Jericho: The whole world. Everywhere.”
Sasah nodded, shivering just at the thought.
“I was more scared to come out of my hiding place than I've ever been of anything. The others, who were praying for that Day for so long? They were rejoicing, and I was terrified to look up at the sky.” Gail looked into the middle distance for a moment, going somewhere else for a moment. “I remember, months later, as I learned more and more… Cherry, who was pretty much the only person left that I knew; she said to me: ‘You don’t seem scared anymore’.”
Sasah scoffed.
“I know. Crazy thing to say to people like us.” Gail nodded. “But it’s true. I’ve seen it happen a dozen times. I’ve met people like you, who are more scared of God than they ever were of the Devil. And every single one of them… It’s like magic. You can actually see the moment when fear just… goes away. Their whole face changes. Their posture, their energy, their expression...”
“Gail-”
“No, I’m talking about myself now, too.” Gail interrupted. “Can you imagine a life without the fear of violence. Not just avoiding violence, but never having any fear of it happening to anyone? Can you imagine a life when you have no fear of going hungry? Or getting sick? Or growing old? Or dying? Or being lied to? Or something happening to your kids? Or being lonely? Can you even imagine life without fear?”
There was only one answer to that. “No.”
“Neither could I, even when this world began.” Gail nodded. “The fear of being left with nothing? The fear of what could happen if I had to start again? I justified doing a great many things I took no real pleasure in doing. I was… familiar with Rahab’s story. For reasons far more personal than most people know.”
Sasah’s head tilted at Rahab’s name, before understanding reached her. “It wasn’t shameful in my day, dear one. And even if it was, who cares? You do what you have to.”
“And if you asked, people would say the same in my time too.” Gail said gamely. “But the ones who are fine with what we do, are never the ones we have to worry about. Now I don’t have to worry about anyone at all.”
“Must be nice.” Sasah murmured.
“You’ll find out.” Gail said to herself quietly.
Sasah’s gaze said not to be so sure. “You seriously telling me nobody gives you a second look? Nobody makes a veiled remark? Nobody assumes you have a harder time being moral than everyone else?”
Gail winced a little. “Not for a while; but… it happened once or twice.” She admitted. “But if I’m totally honest? Back when this world began, nobody was harder on me than I was on myself. Pretty much every part of my life ‘before’ was the opposite of this world, and the people around me.”
“Well. I know that feeling.” Sasah admitted. “But there’s nowhere to run this time.”
Gail nodded. “Something you have to remember. We weren’t the ‘makers’ of sin. We didn’t create evil or wrongdoing. That got stirred into the pot long before we ever showed up. We were victims of the world as much as anyone else. We took part in what was wrong, yes. But for a lot of our lives, it was because we didn’t know any better. Speaking for myself, when I did know better, I thought it was too late.”
“But it wasn’t?” Sasah said automatically, unsure why.
“Mm. You know what? Let’s leave it there.” Gail said decisively. “Your studies aren’t just about God. It’s a whole new century. You need to know how things work now.” She gestured over at the Terminal. “You have kin, alive and well; and they want to see you again.” She spread her hands wide. “We can be there in a few days. Three weeks if you don’t want to use the modern ways to travel.” She spread her hands wide. “You can talk to your children in ten minutes, if you want. They might be across the world, but you can still have a conversation with them.”
“Yes.” Sasah said immediately, feeling her throat close suddenly. “Yes, I want that.”
~/*\~
~/*\~~/*\~~/*\~
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