[Year 7 | 2259-60]
“Congratulations, buddy!” At six years, he could hear the sarcasm dripping from her voice. “You got your one hundred and fiftieth major infraction today. On your birthday, no less!”
Artur shrugged his shoulders.
“What’s going on, Artur?”
“I’m trying to find Daddy.” Artur’s face sank as he let out those words, his missing father playing on him each and every day.
“The Nanny chip isn’t going to tell you where he is, no matter the number of times you ask, you know.”
“I know,” the child responded. “But if I ask enough, maybe they’ll send me there with him!”
Oh, how Mrs. Simril’s heart broke for her son. “I miss him, too,” was all she could muster. She wanted to tell her son how she has spent the last year and a half looking for her husband too, trying to find him, trying to bring him back from the re-education camp. But she had been being careful not to end up in a re-education centre herself, leaving Artur without either parent. The last thing she wanted was her son to talk to the wrong kid at the institute, have her activities recorded and for her son to wind up a ward of the system.
Over the course of the year, these discussions continued. A month later, when Artur received his two hundredth infraction. Another three months later, when Artur received his three hundredth infraction. Another six months later, when Artur received his four hundredth infraction. And at the end of the year, when the child ended the year at four hundred and seventeen infractions. He was improving, at least.
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