Façade [Revamped]

Prison Bad.

Ajay breathed in deeply and opened the metal door. There was a small white plaque, like the ones on the normal classroom doors, except with the words “The Office” painted on it in small black letters. He stepped in and took in his surroundings. He was stood in a room with bright white tiled walls and flooring and harsh white lights. The room was empty apart from a desk and chair, not too different from his own in his normal classroom. A sickly sweet, female voice emanated from a speaker Ajay couldn’t see anywhere;

“Sit down Ajay. We need to talk about your behaviour.”

He cautiously sat down at the flip-top desk. He was tempted to open it and see if there was anything in there, but he resisted.    “Now, I hear you asked an inappropriate question today?”  

Ajay didn’t recognise the patronising voice.

“Who are you?” There was a long silence before the Voice answered.

“That’s not important. Answer my question.” Ajay thought for a minute.

“Well, to quote the Chief Councillor, “What harm can a fairy tale do?” If it’s just a story, why should it be such a big deal?”

"It is a story that is damaging to our society as a county and as a school. It is malicious and inappropriate, and not something to ask a councillor about."

The voice hissed, clearly agitated by Ajay's answers. He smiled and breathed deeply. He was about to do something that would spice things up a bit. "Damaging to society, malicious? Sounds like Councillor Timms himself, really." There was a long silence, before the metal door opened, revealing the silhouette of a tall, slim woman. She walked into the room, her patent red heels clacking on the tiles. Her hair was platinum blonde and permed in large curls around her face. Her eyes were grey, with thick black mascara coated lashes surrounding them. Her lips were thin & puckered, but painted with bright red lipstick, the same colour as her shoes. Her grey skirt & blazer matched her eyes.

The woman walked towards Ajay, her mouth unfurling into a smirk. Her eyes were so fierce they almost bore holes into Ajay's own mud-brown ones, but he didn't look away. She reached him and crouched down so that their eyes were level. "Now, Ajay." Hers was the voice from the speaker system. "You seem to have some very..interesting views on our society. I would like to discuss them with you." She smiled sweetly now, highlighting her pointed, hideous features. "Who told you these ideas?" She got up and began to pace infront of his desk. "Do you really presume that because I have an opinion different to everyone else's in this God-foresaken town it's because someone told me it? I can't have my own opinion, it has to be passed on from someone else." She frowned at this, clearly infuriated. "Well surely you heard of The... that Story from somewhere?" She shuddered at the thought of The Real Ones. He smirked at this. "WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?! ANSWER MY QUESTION." She went almost as red as her shoes as he tried desperately not to laugh at her colouring face. "I heard it from my great-grandpa, the day before he died he told me it. He told me the story, that was all. I did some research at the library & on the interweb & based my opinion on that." He partially told the truth. He had done the research. He wouldn't tell them that it was his father who told him the story, God only knows what would happen then. "Really now. And do your parents know of your opinions?" "No, why would I tell them? They'd tell me to keep my mouth shut and my head down. What's the point in having an opinion you can't express?" "Well maybe keeping your mouth shut would have been better? You wouldn't be here now if you had." "I am not keeping my opinions to myself to keep posh bastards like Councillor Timms happy. Anything but." He had never said anything that had such repercussions before. The woman managed to turn even more red, almost purple with rage, and slapped his face hard, her red lacquered nails scratching him & almost drawing blood. "YOU INSOLENT CHILD." She stormed out of the room. A few minutes later, a siren rang out on the other side of the door, and he saw a red light flashing in the door frame cracks. He'd done it this time. He smiled wonkily, clutching at his cheek.

The Office door opened, and a small, familiar figure was pushed in, cursing and fighting, her short hair ruffling in the struggle. “Get off me you bastard, I can fucking walk you know!” She was half the size of the bodyguard, but still managed to wriggle her way out of his grasp. He slammed the door, clutching his right wrist and cussing under his breath. “Maya! What are you doing here?” Ajay jump-hugged his friend, glad of the company. “I wanted to know where you were. Then I asked why it mattered if you were interested in a fairy tale, then I questioned whether it was real or not. It’s clearly true, why would they be so pissed at us if not? Then that big oaf dragged me down here, so I bit his arm, several times. He didn’t let go until we got here, because apparently a 5ft stick insect could go so far without a car.” She rolled his eyes, but Ajay thought that was pretty smart of the guard, she could probably get half way across the world with no money or food if she had reason to.

   “You didn’t have to do that for me, I’m fine. I think I’ve caused more of an uproar now, some bitch of a woman with a weird red & grey fetish was questioning me from some room hooked up to a speaker system in here, then I must’ve pissed her off, she came down here, then she slapped me for calling Timms a bastard.” They laughed at this, for a moment forgetting the situation they were in, the suffering that would no doubt follow their outbursts. All was well, if only for a minute.

    The prissy woman strutted into the room again a few minutes later, with two bodyguards flanking her. The one on the left had a bandage around his right arm. He must’ve been the one who crossed Maya, Ajay thought with a smirk. Unlucky bastard.

   “You have both been put in here for discussing matters which are treasonous , disgusting, and incorrect. You continue to show this anarchic attitude, and are now considered a threat to others. Unless you are prepared to make a statement resenting your previous attitudes and apologizing to all councillors, school staff and students, you will be taken to a secure unit in a undisclosed location.” Ajay looked over at Maya, who was looking at him with an anarchic grin on her face. They nodded to each other. “We’ll take the top secret prison, please presenter.” Ajay said, imitating contestants on an ancient TV show that was on during the day, called Countdown. He used to watch it when he was ill…used to…he had a feeling that he wouldn’t be spending sick days on the sofa at home with the TV anymore.