I wound my way through the twisting hallways of the school. One hundred years ago inside this building, children were unethically treated. They would be here up to eight hours a day as teachers crammed knowledge into their heads. The building was dangerously crowded and sickness could travel from person to person in a matter of seconds.
Transmitters were evolutionary. You could learn up to 99% faster, painlessly, in the comfort of your own home, away from the dangers of the overcrowded schools and the distraction of peers. I only know this information because it's important to understand how horrible my life would be if they had not existed.
Today this school is used to receive work assignments. We come once a week to receive new postings until our 16th year. By then, everyone has an official position. I was about to receive my new assignment.
"11831," an officer said behind me.
"Yes," I replied. The second the word slipped from my mouth, he reached for my wrists and secured them.
"What is this?" I know I was not supposed to ask questions, but I couldn't help myself.
The officer raised an eyebrow, "Electric cuffs."
Cuffs? That word isn't in my database. The officer had already begun to walk away and I was starting to wonder what I would do. I was unable to use my hands. I looked at the cuffs as a blue light started flashing on and off.
I yelped in surprise as something zapped me. "Hey!" I chased after the officer. "This thing just zapped me." I tried to make it sound more like a statement than a question. I think he caught on.
Questions are not tolerated. We are taught all we needed to know through our transmitters. What we didn't know was left out on purpose. There is no reason to have useless information clutter your mind.
"You were twenty feet away from me which triggered a sensor." The officer kept walking. I followed in his footsteps. I didn't know what was going on but it was obvious I was supposed to follow unless I wanted another unbearable shock.
He lead me outside the school building to where his car was parked. It was easy to tell which one was his. Practically all cars look the same except for the ones that belong to officers. Theirs were more high end.
The officer opened the car door and gestured for me to climb in. "Where are we going?" I asked.
The officer looked at me with disapproval, "Someone is impatient today" He said. "You will find out when you get there."
I sighed, knowing the way I talked was going to be added to my record. Having anything negative on my record would make it hard for me to find a good permanent work position.
The car ride was less than ten minutes. When I saw the place the officer was taking me, a wave of anguish washed over me. This was where people accused of doing bad things ended up.
