TAINTED ROSE

Chapter 11

“Unlike the usual fighting and the FAST test, we are also required to take the yearly national examination.” Helen explained slowly to Adolpha who was still confused with the registration paper that was handed out to the class.

“I still don’t get it.” Adolpha complained. “Other than being killers, we are required to be like NORMAL STUDENTS?”

“I consider it as a joke by The Academy.” Natasha added in as she sat next to the duo. “After all, this is a school for kids.” Adolpha was still not convinced.

2/4 was preparing themselves for the national examination and the students were in a higher state of stress than ever before. Training classes still resumes and they stretched from as late as ten at night to as early as four in the morning. It was common to see the panda eyed students sleeping during lessons – never during assembly as Big Brother is there. The Perfects were given time off in their duties to study for the upcoming exam.

When the bell rang for History lesson, the students headed to their different groups to study.  Mr Jason was unsurprisingly absent and the girls were required to study on their own.

Adolpha yawned emptily as she closed the worn out book gently. She leaned back in her dorm, facing the empty bare walls and closed her eyes. “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength. War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.” The quote from 1984 swarm around her head. Something about those lines made her feel uneasy. It was like there was a connection between the reason by the principal was called Big Brother and that they were doing a book on a totalitarian society which is what is happening in the school where the students were treated as……

She was lost in her thoughts. There was this undefined line that she could not identify. There was something in front of her that was so clear and yet so hidden. She was frustrated.

There was a knock on the door and she opened her eye. Groaning, she got out of bed and opened the door. “What are you guys doing here?” she asked. Helen smiled and waved the textbook titled “A Guide of the History of Citadel” in front of her face. “Oh.” Adolpha said, ushering them in. Helen smiled as she and Natasha walked in and closed the door behind them.

“Let me guess. You forgot about History.” Helen smirked.

“Sorry. Tired..”

If there was a word that could describe what is the textbook about, it was propaganda. Natasha despised the book just as much as Brutus which is actually considered an understatement. She recalled the time when Brutus got owned by her friend. She smiled. She wondered why she had to force herself to read things that were obviously biased.

Time went by slowly as the three girls tried to absorb every fact in the book to no avail. Helen wondered if Rose, Sherry and Pearlyn were having any luck and thought likewise that no one could understand what was written in the book. She sighed, deflated, wishing that there was no rule that no more than three girls were allowed to do group study during the day when the seven of them slept in the same dorm at night. She wondered why there was even such a rule in the school and why there even so many such rules in the first place. She sighed once more, shaking her head.

Natasha noticed the movement and smiled. She read out loud, “The Central of the Sci-fi City is one of the most modern and technologically advanced places in the world. Consisting of makeshift weapons and touch screen ports, they also invented gravity.”

Helen laughed and Adolpha smiled. It was ridiculous. Gravity was always there even before the independence of Citadel. Helen continued from Natasha, “They had also the brains to invent boys so that they can delivery pizzas to us.” Adolpha nudged Helen in the shoulder.

“Who do you think the principal could be liken to?” Helen asked, putting her textbook face down on the floor.

“Hilter?” Adolpha repiled, her eyes no longer glued to the book.

“Stalin?” Helen asked.

“No. Big Brother.” Natasha stated, looking up.

The trio laughed.

The bell chimed, signalling the end of history lesson.