[Wednesday, 15 December, 2258 | A Christmas Holiday]
Virginia wakes with a start, courtesy of the foghorn in her head. One advertised feature of the Nanny chip is the ability to ensure that your child never sleeps, courtesy of a built-in alarm system. Wake-ups are ordinarily gentler, but somebody has messed with the alarm to make certain that the girl is awake by the time Ms. Nagal enters her cell.
“Hey, Nanny, what’s the time?” Virginia asks as she looks around her unfamiliar surroundings. She has no idea where she is, the last thing the girl can remember is the headmaster sedating her. All she knows is that it’s dark and it smells funny, like some combination of stale urine and vomit.
“It is 4:00am, Virginia,” Nanny replies. Nanny’s voice is feminine, obviously.
Virginia groans as the metal door to her cell creeks open. A woman enters the room. She is dressed in corporate attire and looks very much the part of a stern librarian. Excepting the pistol she has pointed at Virginia, Ms. Nagal looks very much the part of a librarian.
“Where am I?” Virginia asks.
“Re-education camp, child,” Ms. Nagal responds. Virginia notes there is no warmth or empathy in the woman’s voice. “You must learn about the need for children to have their Nanny chips installed.”
Ms. Nagal takes a bread roll from her pocket and drops it on the floor.
“Don’t eat it all at once,” Ms. Nagal tells her. “It will have to last you all day.”
Ms. Nagal makes for the exit, before glancing back at Virginia. “Re-education starts tomorrow. In the meantime, I suggest using this time to think about your actions.”
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