COMPLETE! The Wasteland. A woman screams in the night. Spotlights flash on a pile of dust in the desolate patch of land that lay just beyond the tall crosses that picket the boundary of Encampment R-34. A group of curious students leave their bunkho...
"All the rules you have ever heard were decided upon long before this encampment was even constructed. When the virus struck and so many of us were dying, the Elder Councils of the world, called Governments, moved quickly to save the human race. The moment they learned how to protect themselves from the infected, they joined together to create the Encampment Parcel. Which is this."
Teacher Deirdre stood and dragged one of the scarred metal boxes to the center of the circle of desks. Now in the light, we were able to see the words that were stamped in gray on the side.
Humanitarian Relief Parcel Encampment R-34 — Crate: 006 Supplies For Reclamation Airdrop Date: April 2014 Property of the European Union
"As you can see, this is the sixth crate. I don't know how many were airdropped, whatever that means, but I'm guessing at least ten. It had to be enough for us to learn how to survive and to build a secure home where we could increase our numbers. I think the European Union is the larger continent on the map, but I'm not sure. We've kept these crates for centuries to use as a teaching tool on Commencement Day. Although you aren't allowed to know everything, it's important that you see proof of how we began in the year twenty-fourteen."
Deirdre lifted the lid of the metal box and took out a white seed packet. "Garlic," she said, before resting it on the cracked concrete floor. Next, she removed a bundle of wooden sticks, many of which were whittled down to a sharp point on one end. She laid them out on the floor, making smaller versions of the crossed picket beams along the encampment boundary.
"Why are they sharpened?" Rufus asked.
"To drive them into the ground, I believe. These crosses protect us. I do not know how it is possible, but they do. It is for the Priests to understand. By now, it's likely that Lenny does, as well. Same with this."
She removed a book. It looked similar to those that the Priests carry when they hold Mass in Church Hall. "This is the King James Bible. It is not the original that was delivered to us in the crate. Elder Priest holds that one. This specific Bible was scavenged some time ago. The Elder Bible is unique, in that it came with instructions. Not only how to choose a Priest, but how to give him the powers necessary to activate the crosses and...other things. Once again, I cannot offer you answers on this. I do not understand the Bibles, beyond the wisdom offered to us at monthly Mass. It is not our job. We were not pinned to know. That is a lesson you will come to learn very soon. We are only to perform the jobs pinned to us. Thoughts of anything other than our life-job is wasteful. Though we may be curious, pestering our classmates for answers will only bring exile. Lenny is bound to secrecy, and we must honor the brown cloth that the Priests wear. Honor the cloth and obey."
Teacher Deirdre continued removing items from the crate, one of which answered Edie's question. It was a large, flat screen of black glass that was cracked at the center. There is a similar screen on the wall in the Council Chamber. It's visible during All Meeting and looks like a window into some other room. The screen holds information, that much I know, but somehow makes life easier for the Elders. Deirdre pushed a button on the side, and an image flashed across the glass before shutting off. It looked like a circle with white lines running across it vertically and horizontally. Behind these lines were the shapes from the map.
"This is one of two mega-tablets that were sent down to us at the formation of the encampment. They are called the Tablets of the Law. Each holds the guidelines that were agreed upon by the former Elder Councils of the world. Through their ancient wisdom, they developed the best solution going forward for defeating the virus. Everything you've known and done is in accordance with the Tablets of the Law. This first one has broken. The Elders have the second."
Deirdre started placing the items back into the trunk when Oscar spoke. "That's it? It didn't come with anything else?"
"The other items from the crates are being used by the Scavengers and the Watchmen. Those items protect us from the infected and help us to defeat them. From what I have seen, it takes more than the hand-to-hand combat we've taught you in the Calisthenics Yard."
For a moment, we were all silent. I saw that Bryne was looking at me, wondering how we would be pinned. Sad now, thinking of what happened.
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