I awoke in this tiny concrete room about an hour ago, only now can I hear footsteps. The iron door creaked open, taking up half of my room. A scientist stepped in, a clipboard in hand.
"Subject 7, exit the room." I stuck out my chin defiantly.
"How about no." His face reddened, his knuckles went white as he gripped the clipboard.
"Subject 7, leave the room!" I smiled and shook my head.
"Subject 7, disobedience will be punished. Now I ask again, leave the room." I scratched my chin thoughtfully, then shook my head again.
"One strike for Subject 7 please." A lady with a stern face scribbled something down on her clipboard. I sputtered with astonishment.
"You, are adding my name to the," A laugh slipped out. "The naughty list?!?"
Then I burst out laughing, I wiped a tear from my eye and hysterically said, "A naughty list! Of course there's a naughty list!" The scientist did not look impressed, then he was shoved aside by a tall, wiry guy who looked to be in his twenties.
"Subject 7, what's going on here? Ah, I see, her first strike. We put it on paper because paper can't be hacked. It's a reminder that we need to brand you, see, we have a point system. Strikes start at 0, meal portions and dessert potions start at 1. One strike is one brand, one dessert point is another portion of dessert until it is removed. Either you add a strike or you remove a dessert portion. If you have a minus number in strikes, it gives you leeway, so one or two numbers will be added, but no actual punishment." He smiled charmingly.
"My name is Lt. Connor, just Lieutenant to you until I say otherwise." I stumbled over my own words until I squeaked out a singular word.
"Brand!?!" Lt. Connor nodded knowingly, as if everyone asked the same question. My guess: They probably did.
"A brand, not the usual hot branding iron used for livestock, no we use a different, more motivational spin-off. We use an electric version, same result, but at a specific frequency it takes about three times at long to burn an exact copy of the branding iron." I felt the blood drain from my face.
"Gee thanks Lieutenant." Sarcasm dripped from my words, he raised an eyebrow.
"Remove that strike, give her an extra portion of dessert tonight, not after though." He looked at me pointedly, "Rewards for cooperation and kindness, punishment for disobedience and rudeness." With a smile, he turned around and was gone. I followed, unknowingly stepping out of my cell.
YOU ARE READING
The Burnt Feather
Science FictionHighest rank: #559 in Nonhuman. Thank you all for reading! Inspired, but not based on, Maximum Ride. Subject 7. A street girl with a dream, escape. Evo-Tech claimed her as their own, and with no parents to protect her, away she went. Evo-Tech, a kno...
