One Second After

He pushed Charlie forward and they joined the back of the line. It only took a few seconds before they were handed the plate, the piece of meat already cut. John noticed that the cooking staff actually had a scale behind the carving table, each piece of meat thrown on it before being put on a plate. Maybe the measurement would be off by an ounce or two one way or the other, but still it was a message to stifle any arguments.

John followed Washington to a table set directly in front of the now-closed doors that had once opened onto the cafeteria line. As they reached their table the room fell silent, all eyes turned towards them.

Without prompting Reverend Abel stepped forward and offered the blessing and finished, John and a few others making the sign of the cross.

But Washington remained standing. “I am proud of you,” Washington said.

The room was absolutely silent, no matter how longingly some looked at the feast before them, a largess of meat not seen in weeks.

“I am proud of all of you, everyone. Those who are bringing in food for us, especially our marksman Brett Huffman.”

Brett, who had dropped the bear, stood up, and there was a round of applause and cheering.

“But also for all the rest of you. Those of you gathering, those of you searching, those of you in jobs some might think unglamorous, the work in the refugee center, the isolation ward, the infirmary, the woodcutting crews.”

He looked around the room.

“Tonight or tomorrow we face battle.”

A murmur swept through the room.

“You’ve heard the rumors about a group called the Posse. We just received intelligence they are headed this way.”

No one spoke, but John could see the anxious looks back and forth.

“There will be battle by this time tomorrow and some of you will die. I have never lied to you; I never will. Some of you will die.”

And now he had their attention like never before.

“You are now soldiers. Every one of you. Those of you who trained for it, and those who have not. Every student of this college is now mobilized as we previously discussed. Those who are not assigned to our two combat companies will fall in as medics, messengers, and in the other jobs you have been trained for. I expect all of you to do your duty as soldiers.”

Washington turned and started to sit down. Before John even quite realized what he was doing, he stood up.

A few had started to cut into their meal, but as he stood they stopped, looking towards him.

“Tonight, tomorrow, you will fight. It is, tragically, the day you grow up and will never be able to turn back from. You are the defenders of thousands of people in this town who are now too weak to defend themselves. And now I will be blunt. I will fall silent for a moment and I want you to look at the meal before you. That food is food sacrificed by others to give you strength to defend them . .. and yourselves.”

He did fall silent and no one spoke, nearly all looking down at their plates.

“Think of,” and he actually chuckled sadly, “think of how two months back we complained about the food here, filled our plates, then tossed half of it out, and now, tonight, you will face men and women who will kill you and everyone else for that piece of meat on your plate you would have thrown out but two months back.”

He hesitated but knew it had to be said.

“Or even your own flesh if they win, because not forty miles from here this evil band is slaughtering human beings for food.” There was an uncomfortable stirring.

“So for everything you eat now know that but two miles from here, down in the town of Black Mountain, half a dozen died of starvation this morning. Died so you can eat, and have strength to survive and defend.”

He sighed, started to sit down, and then stopped.

“Some of you were in my classes on military history. You know how we so casually talked of wars past, the suffering remote. You remember some of the speakers I’ve brought in, veterans of that generation we now call the Greatest Generation.”

He braced himself, looking around the room, and now there were tears in his eyes.

“Tonight, tomorrow, in years to come, you will, you must be, the greatest generation. You must win this fight; then remembering all that America was, you must rebuild her and never forget…”

He sighed, lowering his head.

“Never forget….”

He sat down and for a moment there was silence. Laura, the girl in the choir, stood up and raised her voice.

“Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light…”

Instantly all were standing, singing as well, and never had he heard it sung thus.

He looked at them and tried to sing, unable to do so, overcome by emotion.

The last stanza finished, a cheer erupted and all sat down, except for Laura. She smiled at John, and half a dozen of the choir came to join her.

And together they started to sing again, even as their comrades ate.