We the People Are Good to Eat
Historic Journey

On Wednesday morning, the headlineon the H.S. L-1378-55 Student's Newsletter declared:

"SECONDDEAD STUDENT RESURRECTS!"

Beneath the headline two photos wereprinted. The one on the left showed theinside of the Yeshiva High Gym, after Sunday's game had ended. The picture framed Louise Torelli, lyinglifeless on the floor; with a wide, deep, fatal gash between her barebreasts. Beneath the photo were thewords:

"Among the wounded: 3:30 PM.Sunday".

The photo on the right showed asmiling Louise, standing alive in the crowd at the Glad He Ate Her Lounge. She had her hands on her hips. Her breasts were naked, with no sign of anywound between them. Beneath this photowere the words:

"Among thewounded: 3:30 PM Monday."

Larry asked Sarah and Louise,"Aren't you two afraid, that you're gonna get into trouble with Avery forthis?"

Sarah told him, "We expect toget called into Avery's office any time now."

Neither of them was called to thePrincipal's office that day. Theyweren't asked to speak with him on Thursday either.

On Friday morning, just before 3rdPeriod Gym Class, Louise entered the Girl's Locker Room. Before she could change into her shorts andsneakers, Mrs. Ramierez came over to her.

She said, "Would you pleasecome into my office Louise. There's something I'd like to talk to youabout."

Louise followed the Gym Teacher intoher office, on the side of the locker room. Mrs. Ramierez shut the door behind them.

The girl asked, "I'm not gonnabe banned from the Team, and have my family's extra rations taken away, likehappened to Karen Bennet, am I?"

"That is under discussion, butno decision has yet been made.

"Louise." The woman told her, "It looks like you,Karen Bennet and I have all had the same experience."

"The same?" Louise asked, "You've been resurrectedtoo?"

"Yes. 22 years ago." The woman told her, "I was among the multitude of Jephthahn Warriorgirls and guys, who died in sacrificial Combat Games at the 13th CentennialCommemoration of the Final Sealing of the City Building.”

"Yeah, I've heard aboutthat." Louise told her, "I've heard that there were massimmolations going on, on every Level of the City Building that night."

"Yes. A glorious time washad by all. I was chosen to be among a dozen pair of Warrior Guys andGirls, who fought to the death in elimination rounds. In the first round,all 12 pairs fought; and I killed my opponent. In the second round, sixpair fought, and I also killed my opponent. Then in the next round mythird opponent killed me, with a sword through my heart."

Louise told her, "Thenyou were as dead as me and Karen."

“Exactly. I expected to be partyingin Paradise, among the thousands of Warrior Guys and Girls who were sacrificedthat night, while our meat was cooked and eaten by our fellow Jephthahns.”

“Yours obviously wasn’t, Mrs.Ramierez.”

“Yes, ’obviously’. There wasalso more to the Games, than just the combat sacrifices. Once all theSacred Combat Games ended, every Warrior Guy and Girl who didn't die received afull scholarship to any Jephthahn School of Higher Education they chose. Alongwith that, their families received triple rations, for the full length of time thatwere covered by those scholarships."

"A full scholarship? Triple rations for the full length of time?"

"That's why I volunteered totake part in the Elimination Rounds that night Louise.

"Well, about a half hour afterthe Game; the bodies of all of us who’d died were picked up by some of ourfellow Jephthahns. They brought us to the Temple Arena’s kitchen, whereour meat would be prepared for the feast in the dining area. When theygot to me and picked up my body, I started breathing. I was alive andunwounded."

“This sounds very weird,” Louisesaid, “but it’s also starting to sound too familiar.”

“Listen Louise’, her teachersaid, “During the time that I was dead, I heard the voice of God.

“He told me, ‘This is not your timeto enter Paradise. When you Jephthahns leave the City Building, you willbe the Chief Priestess, and you will provide a place for them to worship mebeneath the open sky, when the moon and the stars are shining.’

“‘Beneath the open sky’?”

"After I revived, I alsoreceived the same full scholarship, as the Warrior Guys and Girls who didn’tget sacrificed."

"Oh, now I see what you'regetting at."

"If a decision is made, to banyou from this School’s Combat Team, and take away your family's extra rations,I will recommend to the Jephthahn Priesthood, that you be allowed to take partin the next Jephthahn Scholarship Rounds of Combat. All the Warriors whoaren't sacrificed will receive full scholarships to any Jephthahn School ofHigher Education. The score you already achieved, on your collegeentrance exam, will be enough to qualify you for admission to any JephthahnInstitution; along with the same triple rations deal."

"I thought that thosescholarships were reserved for Warrior Guys and Girls who are official membersof the Jephthahn Religion."

"You are welcome to convert atany time Louise."

"Thank you Mrs. Ramierez. I'll wait to see whether or not my extra rations are taken away. If theyare, I'll think it over."

"That's what I'd expect you todo. There is no rush. Take all the time you want."

Louise spent all day thinking itover.

What she was thinking was "Ican get that scholarship, if I agree to be one of 24 Warrior Guys and Girlswho’ll fight to the death in elimination rounds, until only 1 survives. That’s a chance of 24 to 1 against me. How many rounds would I have tosurvive? But if that’s the only way I can get a scholarship? WouldI come back a second time, like Karen did? Or Mrs. Ramierez?"

On Friday evening, around 6:30 PM,Louise hurried into the Glad He Ate Her, which was as crowded as usual. Alyce and Jimmy were already there, sharing a booth withLarry and Sarah.

Louise came down the steps, andhurried through the crowd to their booth.

"Sarah." She spoke before she even sat down. "Get ready to make journalistichistory. This time the world really isabout to turn upside down, and you'll be first reporter on the scene."

Larry asked, "What's this,another vision?"

"Not a vision." She told her friends, "A phonecall."

She slid into the booth beside Alyceand Jimmy. Then she took out hermulti-tasker, put it on the table, and switched on her cell phone.

"Now listen to this." She told them.

She turned on the amplifier, and arecorded voice spoke.

"Hello Louise. This is David Krendell."

Now everyone in the booth leanedtoward the cell phone. They continuedlistening to Dave's recorded voice.

"Karen and I are back in thatplace we told you about. Weehawken."

Larry repeated,"Weehawken?"

"We have other people withus. They've been given officialauthority to enter the City Building, but it's like I told you, the airlockcan't be opened from the outside. Weneed someone on the inside to open it for us.

"Please give me a call as soonas you can."

The recording clicked off.

"You're rightLouise." Sarah spoke. "The world really is about to turnupside down."

Jimmy said, "Or get blown tobits."

"Don’t exaggerateJimmy." Louise said, "Allthat’s gonna happen, is that three dozen people are gonna be contributed to thefood supply."

Alyce asked, "Have you calledDave back? What did he say?"

"I haven't called yet."

Louise now picked up hermulti-tasker, dialed Dave's number, put the device to her ear and waited.

Then she heard Dave's voice. He sounded tense. "Hi. Louise?"

"Hello Dave. What's going on? You're allowed to get back inside now?"

"We can, but we need yourhelp."

"Just who do you mean by'we'?"

"Well there's me and Karen ofcourse. Then there's a clergyman fromZabelton, Pennsylvania."

"Zabelton, Pennsylvania?"

"Yes his name's DomnickLuzak."

"Pastor Domnick Luzak?"

Larry asked, "What does thatmean?"

Louise told him, "I wasn'thallucinating. It was a truevision."

Dave spoke again; "He wants totalk to you."

Now a man with a voice that she’dheard before, spoke over the phone. "Miss Torelli?"

"Yes sir."

"I am Pastor Domnick Luzak,from Zabelton, Pennsylvania. I’ve cometo speak with the Government of the City of Manhattan Building. It concerns the future of both the peopleoutside the City Building, and those inside the City Building itself. According to your friends, Mr. David Krendelland Miss Karen Bennet, we are going to need your help, to enter the City Building."

"Yes Pastor Luzak."

Louise looked at Jimmy and said,"We have to let them in. It's tooimportant not to take the risk."

"Okay." He shrugged. "We're a Warrior Team. Wealways contribute more than three dozen people to the food supply, every otherweekend anyway."

She again spoke to the Pastor. "Can I talk to Dave?"

"Yes Miss Torelli."

In a moment, Dave was back on theline. "What is it Louise?"

"Dave. It's after 6:30 in the evening. I don't know what time it is out there, and Idon't know how long it'll take for me to get to you. I also don't know exactly how to get to you."

"It's okay Louise. It's getting late out here too. I'll give you directions now, and in themorning we'll be waiting for you, just outside the airlock."

Now Louise spoke softly. "I love you Dave."

There was a silence at the otherend.

She asked, "Did you hear what Ijust said?"

"Yes." He spoke with hesitation. "I heard what you said."

"Is Karen standing there, rightnext to you?"

"Yes. She's right here."

"Okay. We'll discuss it, when I see youtomorrow."

Dave then gave her detaileddirections, telling her exactly how to get to where he and the Delegation wouldbe waiting.

Then she told him, "That's anawful long trip. It could take allmorning to reach you."

"Right. So give me a call when you get to the firedoors on Level 10. It took me and Karenabout two hours, to get from there to the airlock. So I'll say good-bye now."

She again said softly. "I love you Dave."

His cell phone clicked off.

Then Louise told her friends at thetable, "I'm gonna be getting up very early tomorrow morning. Maybe 5:30. I'll be going down to open the airlock for Dave and Karen, and thisPastor Luzak, and anyone else they might have come with. Would any of you like to come along, and takepart in one of the most important moments in history; or do you plan to goshopping instead, like last time?"

Larry said, "Well Jim and I hadplanned to go to one of the Amusement Centers on Level 700. They got a place where you can watch themshoot string bikini tops off women, with crossbows."

Sarah snapped at him. "Larry!"

"It's a Lottery. Takes place every Saturday at noon. You bet on the ones who you'd like tosee get nailed. If you get at leastfour right, it starts paying off."

Jimmy added, "It's ten girlsout of 100 who die, and the Lottery Girls who don't get nailed, get paid reallygood."

Sarah said, "I don't believeit! You two are passing up..."

Larry chuckled, "We're justkidding."

"That's good to know."

Jimmy said, "But if we can getthings done early..."

Sarah sighed.

By 7 AM the following morning,Louise, Alyce and Sarah had boarded the express elevator on Level 1380, alongwith Jimmy and Larry. They'd all dressedin rugged pants and shoes, and wore their yellow and green High SchoolL-1378-55 jackets. Following Dave'sdirections, they rode the elevator up two stops, to Level 1400. Then they boarded the super express elevator,going down, stopping at every 100th Level.

When they reached Level 700, severalfull-breasted women, wearing string bikini tops, were among the people whodisembarked.

Larry asked Louise, "Are yousure we won't be done by noontime?"

Now Alyce shouted, "Heyguys!"

The elevator continued its long,slow descent. They finally reached Level10, just after 8:30. From there they hadto walk along 39th street. That was whenLouise took the multi-tasker out of her handbag, dialed Dave's number and putit to her ear.

After waiting a few rings, shefinally spoke. "Hi Dave. Louise here. I'm with Alyce, Jimmy, Larry and Sarah. We've just arrived on Level 10, near the west end of 39th Street. Yeah. I can see the fire doors from here. We're about a block away."

She listened for a few moments. Then she said, "You've got to bekidding."

Louise told the other four,"This Pastor Luzak wants to know if there's anyone from the Governmentwith us."

Larry asked, "Anyone from theGovernment?"

"Something about being greetedofficially."

"Greeted officially? We're just high school kids. Who do we know in the Government?"

Jimmy said, "We knowAvery."

Alyce and Sarah spoke inunison. "You're kidding!"

"Well he knows people on theSchool Board, and that's part of the Government."

Larry asked, "What do you wantus to go back and fetch Avery?"

Now Louise spoke into her cellphone. "Sorry Dave. It's just us."

She listened a little more. Then she said, "According to my watchit's 8:43. Okay. We're on our way."

She hung up, putting themulti-tasker back in her handbag.

They began walking toward the firedoors at the end of the street.

"According to Dave,"Louise told them, "it should take us about two hours from here, until weget to them."

Larry said, "Then we definitelywon't be getting back before noontime."

Now all three girls groaned.

They went through the fire doors,leaving everything they were familiar with behind them. They began descending the dimly lit, damp,chilly, gray stairwell. As theydescended further, along the now foul smelling flights of stairs, the sounds ofthe City Building diminished gradually, until they became a soft buzz far abovethem.

Alyce said, "I've never been ina place this quiet before."

Jimmy said, "Or a place thisputrid. I can't believe thisstench."

Louise told him, "Dave saidwe'd be going past the City Building's waste treatment facilities."

Larry said, "You mean we passedup watching those girls in bikini tops, get arrows shot through their boobs,for this?"

"Larry." Louise told him, "We are taking part inone of the major events in history. Someday everything we say and do may be dramatized for the world to seeand hear, and that's what you're talking about?"

Alyce made a gagging sound.

She said, "I want to goback!"

Sarah, Larry and Jimmy agreed withher.

Louise said, "We can't goback! We've got Dave and Karen andpeople who’ve come for talks with the Government! They're waiting for us to open the airlock! You're all Combat Team Warriors, so stopbeing such a bunch of wussies!"

Larry asked, “Did Krendell say howmany people it takes, to actually open the airlock?”

“Just one.”

“Then all they need is youLouise. As for me, I’m heading up toLevel 700.”

Jimmy said, “So am I. There’s still plenty of time for us to getthere before noon.”

Alyce and Sarah decided to go withtheir boyfriends, up to Level 700.

The four of them went up the steps,while Louise continued her descent.

She thought, I'm completelyalone. For the first time in my life,I'm totally by myself. No crowd isnearby. There's not one other individualon these fire steps. This is sostrange. I think I'm supposed to beupset by this, but I'm not? It actuallyfeels good?

Then she thought, This is what ourancestors called "privacy". Ilike it. I feel very comfortable thisway.

Why am I comfortable with nobodyelse around?

I know. If nobody else is around, there's nobody herewho can kill me. As long as I stay outhere on these fire steps, I won't be killed; or at least I probably won't. But why would anybody in his right mind wantto stay out here, any longer than absolutely necessary?

On the other hand, while I'm outhere, I might be killed in an accident. Then nobody will know about it, and it won't be reported to the MeatPatrol. They won't come to collect mymeat, and it'll all just rot away from my bones.

What'd be even worse, is if I havean accident, but I'm not killed; just severely injured.

I'll have to be more careful whileI'm out here.

She reached Level 1. The stench was gone, and far above her.

She continued following Dave'sdirections, and entered the Lincoln Tunnel. She moved along through the shivery cold, black silence, with only thelight from her single multi-tasker illuminating the way. Unlike the fire stairs, this was scary. She couldn't see her feet as she walked. She might step into something that would makeher trip and fall, and cause some severe injury.

Here in this darkness, she didn'twant to be alone. She wanted someonewalking beside her. Anyone.

She thought, I'm on my way to meetDave. Once I get to the end of thistotal darkness, I'll replace him. Then heand I can return together, and this tunnel won't seem as dark as it does now.

She continued walking, and walking,and walking. Her flashlight showed asign on the wall:

New York|| ||New Jersey

The halfway point. She thought, Theend of this darkness is closer than I thought.

She continued walking through thedarkness, until the light from her multi-tasker showed the tunnel wall ahead ofher, beginning to turn to her left. Shechecked her watch. It really had beenalmost two hours since she'd gone through the fire doors.

She sighed, "It's gonna take mea lot longer to get back, but Dave'll be with me."

Then she finally reached the wallblocking the Tunnel's exit, and came over to the airlock.

Louise smacked the green"OPEN" button, and the door slid open sideways, filling the darknesswith a bright, yellow glow, revealing the fully clothed skeletons on the tunnelfloor.

She entered the brightly-litchamber, and heard voices on the opposite side of the outer door.

Louise called out, "Dave?"

She heard a muffled voice,"Miss Torelli?"

"Yes!"

"I'm Pastor Luzak. Will you please open the door? It's raining!"

She tapped the "OPEN"button inside the chamber, and the outer door slid open sideways.

The damp coldness was replaced bydamp warmth and the silence by the sound of pattering rain.

Four people stood in the doorway,dressed in rugged garments. They allheld objects above their heads, to shield themselves from the rain. Louise had seen those objects called"umbrellas" before, in old movies.

In the center of the group was a manin his early forties, who Louise recognized from her vision. He was Pastor Domnick Luzak. Dave and Karen stood beside him. There was also another girl with them, aroundKaren's age. Louise recognized her fromthe vision, as Charlene.

Behind them were men in uniforms,also carrying umbrellas.

After a moment, the Pastor, Dave,Karen and Charlene, hurried through the airlock into the Tunnel. Then they folded their umbrellas. The men in uniform remained outside

"You're alone?" The Pastor asked, "Are you the welcomingcommittee?"

“I am for now." She told him. "The other four whimped out. They and I are the only people who know you're here; at least for now."

Then Dave spoke, "Louise!"

She ran up to Dave, threw her armsaround him tight, and kissed him passionately, while he held her tight in hisarms.

"Oh Dave!" She said, "I've missed you somuch."

They continued holding each othertight.

Karen stood a few steps away fromthe two, with her arms folded in front of her. She looked at Charlene, who stood by her side.

Charlene told her, "You saidyou were betrothed."

"In Zabelton," Karen toldher, "there’s time to be betrothed. Back here in the City Building, there’s no time to waste."

“Well she’s sure not wasting any.”

The sound of a loud beeping camefrom inside the airlock.

Dave and Louise let go of eachother, Domnick and Charlene headed toward the beeping sound.

Dave said, "That means that the'Environmental Sanction' has been activated again." He asked Louise, "Did you check it outlike I asked, and found out what that means?"

"Yes Dave." She told him, "It means that I've justmade a very large, anonymous contribution to the food supply."

“Oh.” He smiled. Then he called out, “Karen! We’rehome!”