Story Bazaar

2095

Things were tight---people were overwound---the end was near...

Justin was tucked away in his cabin in the valley---his fifteen team members were on their way.

He readied the guns, stacked the ammo, and packed the bombs.

He heard the first truck rumbling up the road and went out to the porch.

It was John Balmer and his brother, Tim.

After they'd settled in, the other four trucks arrived.

By sundown, all sixteen of them were back in the trucks and roaring down the highway toward Atlanta.

~~~

Marcy Addleton sat at the bar waiting for the signal of the start of the revolution, her mind boiling:

Can't let it continue---time's up---holier-than-thous can all go to hell... Need our rights back---take 'em back---gov'ment be damned...

Her phone rang twice and stopped.

She left a tip and headed for the door just as the truck smashed through it.

She climbed on the hood as the truck was backing out.

She slid onto the sidewalk, skipped to the flatbed, grabbed the satchel, and threw it into the bar.

She leapt into the truck's open door and it sped up the street.

Thirty seconds later, the bar and six surrounding buildings blew sky-high...

Ten more large explosions, all over the city, sealed the deal---Atlanta, Georgia had to cede control to Justin's group or the explosions would "never stop"---the warnings had been in the 'NetPapers, on radio and television, and all the major social media conduits for weeks---the group, New Human Order, was making its last stand...

Military resources were being activated state-wide; though, most folks knew it wouldn't completely solve the situation since the military was severely underfunded...

~~~

There was another force at play known as "Community Building".

It combined spirituality with very practical, close to the ground solutions.

It had been spreading since the late 1990s---captured the imagination of youth---reinvigorated those who'd lost hope---stayed below the radar till around 2021...

It seemed to be the very last hope for a world gone mad---governments nearly rogue---people run amok...

Gene Peters was the regional coordinator of the movement for Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and the Carolinas.

He called Stephanie Ostwald six minutes after the bombings in Atlanta.

She had more experience in planning, acting, and unifying than anyone in the region.

They agreed that an emergency reflection gathering was critical...

~~~

300 folks attended the consultations in Stockbridge---small city 17 miles from downtown Atlanta.

They were the foot soldiers of the community building movement---"tutors" and "animators"---people dedicated to picking up from where they lived and moving wherever their abilities were needed---abilities that helped those willing to work hard to unify their efforts and induce peaceful conditions.

Their meetings lasted six hours the first day---eight hours the next---four the final day.

They spread themselves out in a territory of around 380,000 square miles---connecting with community building groups already active---working intensively to jump-start many more groups---connecting them all together---facing the fatal threats of the New Human Order---losing a few precious souls---recruiting thousands more to work for unity based on the most universal human values...

~~~

Two years later, Stephanie was waiting to see Justin.

He'd been captured and incarcerated for the deadly Atlanta bombings---some said he turned himself in---most would never believe such a thing.

He did know the community builders (those Marcy called holier-than-thous) had won the battle---calmed the whole of the southeast United States.

Stephanie was ushered into the visiting room, empty and echoey...

Soon the guards arrived with Justin---chained and fettered...

He had trouble sitting but worked it out...

Stephanie had trouble finding the words to start but worked it out...

"You want to join us...?"

"Yes, Ma'am---stuffed in here for life---wanna learn how to teach the kids who can get outta here how to live right..."

"I see... It might take awhile... certainly take commitment and perseverance."

"Earned both uh those coming up the ranks uh New Human Order, Ma'am..."

"I see..."

"What you see...?"

"Brighter futures... kinder actions... happier people..."

"You be answerin' my prayers........."

~~~~~~~~~

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