Botanicaust

to hold back words. Brother John stroked a finger through the ends of his beard.
    “ He speaks against the Ordnung. Against God ’ s earthly laws! ” Deacon Yonnie ’ s voice cracked, but he kept on. “ Better to die a martyr than fall into the clutches of evil. ”
    To Levi ’ s surprise, Samuel rose to face Yonnie. “ You do not have a child in the Ward, Brother Yonnie. You do not fret that your un-Confirmed son or daughter may never see the light of Heaven. ”
    “ Children are exempt from the fires of Hell. ”
    “ Children of the Blattvolk, as well? ” Crimson faced, Samuel held his ground. Levi ’ s heart swelled with pride and gratitude.
    Yonnie glared at Samuel. “ Like the sin of Eve, the Blattvolk pass their curse on to their offspring. ”
    Brother John cleared his throat. Levi held his breath, worried which side the pastor would take. “ God sent Jesus Christ to atone for Adam and Eve ’ s sin. ” He played with the fringe of his beard, eyes heavenward in thought. “ Would He do any less for one like Eily? ”
    Levi let out his air in a trembling sigh.
    John continued, “ I would like to read from the book of Isaiah, chapter forty three. God tells Israel, ‘ Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now, it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. ’“ He allowed the words to settle amongst the congregation. “ Brother Levi has been called to speak. To have us consider new things. In the book of James, we are told that wisdom from above is pure and free from prejudice or hypocrisy. I am but a humble servant, unworthy to judge, but Levi ’ s words resonate with the forgiveness of Christ. ”
    Levi lowered his head, his heartbeat rapid. Had God called him to speak? He ’ d been a rebel all his life. Was this any different? Was he putting his own selfish hope for Josef ahead of the congregation, yet again? “ I cannot say my words are from God. I only know we face challenging times, as dire as the days of the Prophet. ”
    “ The Ordnung is scrutinized twice a year to allow us to address challenges like this. ” Pastor John remained standing.
    “ The Council Meet has passed, Brother. Unity was reached. ” Bishop Eldon asserted.
    “ And now, it is broken. Is there something in the Ordnung restricting re-evaluation at other times of the year? ”
    The voices in the room hovered just above shouting as the congregation argued. Men stood before their benches, waiting for opportunity to voice their opinions.
    “ Brothers and Sisters! Calm yourselves! ” The bishop ’ s voice barely carried over the roar, but voices ebbed and subsided. “ Brother John wishes to call another Council Meet. How many are also moved to do so? ”
    More “ aye ’ s ” filled the room than Levi would have expected.
    “ Then we must issue the call to Unity. ”

    Haldanian Protectorate
    Tula re-read the conversion roster and carefully set the gamma pad on her desk. Her hands trembled and she was afraid she might drop it. Nine requests for conversion? There was only one cannibal child in Confinement at the moment. This list was marked for Tula ’ s special attention. What had the Protectorate done?
    The com sprang to life at her desk and she jumped. “ Dr. Macoby, report to Confinement. ”
    She cinched the dark lab coat firmly around her waist and slipped her gamma pad into the pocket. Down in Confinement, several children sat on two bunks inside a single cage, clutching hands. They had already gone through processing, their bald heads so pale the veins looked like penciled lines through the skin. But she knew they were Old Order. They still wore their clothing — dresses with aprons, trousers with suspenders.
    Dark circles beneath their eyes and the occasional cough told her who these children were. They looked like walking skeletons.
    “ What are you doing here? Where are your parents? ”
    The eldest stood without releasing the hands of the children beside her. “ We ’ ve come to be healed. ”
    “ The Protectorate won ’ t heal you without conversion. Where are your parents? ” Had the Protectorate tired of waiting for volunteers that never came?
    A waif of a boy spoke behind her. “ Are you Tula? ”
    Tula turned. The child ’ s bones were about to puncture the skin of his skinny limbs. But his eyes … “ Josef? ” She ’ d only met him twice, and without his hair , he was hard to