The Paper God Rebellion - Chapter 3, part IV

“Yeah,” Penny agreed.  “But then again, I don’t think I have the same issues as you do about the system.  For me, it’s the actual killing part that bothers me.”  She hugged her book bag tighter.  “I mean, I know logically, these guys are sick, I know they system reduces second offenders—”

“--ʻcuz they’re dead,” Micah interjected.

“—and I know it saves the government money from having to house, feed, and secure convicted criminals—” She went on.

“—basically all the talking points they tell us in school,” Micah interrupted again.  Penny ignored him.

“—and I’m certain there were some innocent lives mixed up with it all...” she trailed off.  “But all I know is my hands don’t feel clean after taking someone else’s life, and that’s the thing that really bothers me.”  She gave a small shiver and pushed her glasses up the ridge of her nose.  She reminded Micah of a small mouse-like creature in a knitted sweater.

“It’s like watching sausage being made, and we have front-row seats,” Micah said.  Penny gave him a side-long glance. 

“Yeah, and that’s exactly why I stopped eating meat after we visited the slaughter house.”  She said dryly, and shook her head to clear the memories.  “Now there is a situation where truly innocent lives being killed daily.”

At that moment, Mr. Livingston and Noah walked into the waiting area.  Micah smiled internally.  He should have known.  While most kids were trained in gun use by the age of thirteen or fourteen, Noah’s family didn’t allow him to touch a gun until he had to during class exercises at the age of sixteen.  He was actually surprised when he saw Noah in his Humanities class, Micah had been expecting Noah would have transferred out this year or had been a conscientious objector.  Noah had his head bent and looked at the ground as he walked into the lobby, his dark hair falling over his eyes.  Mr. Livingston smiled as he greeted Micah and Penny.

“Hello Micah and Penny,” he said.  “Have you been waiting long?  Sorry we’re running a little bit late.”  Micah and Penny shook their heads.  Micah checked his watch.  It was only five minutes after the arranged time.  He had to be home in an hour and hoped this wouldn’t take long. 

Mr. Livingston and Noah got their visitor badges and Mr. Livingston took the lead of the small group.  “Right this way,” he said opening the double doors.  He waved to the armed guard who waved back.

“Fresh meat?” asked the guard smiling.  He was a big man with a friendly smile, comfortably hosting his large weapon.  He saw Penny warily eyeing his gun.  “Don’t worry, no guns are allowed past this point, and I have never used this baby on anyone.  Yet.” He added laughing heartily at his own joke.  “There’s always a first.” 

“Don’t worry about these kids,” Mr. Livingston stated, “just giving them your basic Suicide Room tour.”  The hallway they entered into had better lighting but still had the sterilized feeling of a concrete prison or a hospital.  They passed a few office rooms on the right.  Mr. Livingston paused before the rooms. 

“You guys will be down here most of the time,” he said. “It is very unlikely that you will ever be actually a part of the Mercy Rule process, but you guys will be helping with the paper work.”  Micah could see two people working in the office, filing through papers and putting them in cabinets.

“We’ll come back here to go through what to expect on Monday, but first, let’s take a tour to one of the Rooms.”  Mr. Livingston took them farther down the hallway where there were solid doors on either side.  He opened one of them.

The Room was stark, with a single chair in the middle of the room, anchored to the floor.  It was a small room, roughly fifteen by fifteen feet.  Micah touched the walls.  There was a clear material about an inch and a half thick over the walls of the room and he couldn’t place the material.  Was it plastic?  Micah thought passively.  Mr. Livingston saw Micah touching the walls.

“It’s a polyurethane-type material.  Stops bullets.”  Mr. Livingston said.  Noah nodded, and decided to speak again for the second time that day.

“I’ve heard of that,” he said in his quiet low voice.  “It turns into a liquid as soon as the bullet hits the material and basically encases the bullet and seals the hole.”

Micah looked around the room and realized the walls were not pitted, but instead, hundreds, maybe thousands of bullets were encased in the walls, as if stopped by time.  The bullets hung there in suspended motion.  Penny stood around looking at the walls in silence. 

“So most people shoot themselves?” Micah asked.  Mr. Livingston nodded. 

“It is the most effective and fast way,” he said.  “Others request different methods, but about nine out of ten prefer a gun.”  Mr. Livingston ushered them out of the room and closed the door. 

“Of course, Listed criminals must go through a process to ensure that they are not being coerced into suicide, and that they waive all rights—and that’s where you guys will come in.”  He led them back down the hall to the office rooms. 

Inside, the two people in the room stopped working and looked up.  They were both thin, almost gaunt-looking.  One had wisps of fading blond hair, the other had thick short black hair.  Mr. Livingston began introductions. 

“John, Sean, these are the students that will be assisting you this semester,” he said.  “This is Noah, Micah, and Penny,” he said pointing to the students.  Micah smiled at the two men, but they did not return the smile. 

Mr. Livingston went on.  “These guys are the best at what they do, so whatever they want you guys to do, you’ll have to do it,” he said.  John and Sean went back to their work filling papers and ignored the group.  Mr. Livingston turned back to the students. 

“On Monday when the rest of the class goes to the Execution Chambers, you guys will report down here,” he said.  “John or Sean will oversee your timesheets and email them to me weekly.  I’ll expect you all put in the same amount of time as we spend in the chambers.”  The group said goodbye to the two men who mumbled goodbye back distractedly, and went back out into the hallway. 

Once back in the waiting room, Mr. Livingston reminded the students to pick up all their belongings at the security station. 

“See you all tomorrow,” he said as he exited the basement. 

The group stood there for a moment before packing up all their belongings.  None of them were used to talking much, and this experience didn’t help.  Micah hadn’t felt like talking much these last few days.  He waved goodbye to Noah and Penny.  At least I have some people to share the misery with, Micah thought as he walked up the stairs from the basement.  At least I don’t have to do it alone.