Her name was Cora 1

 

 

Chapter One

 

            The daily scheduling was already underway this morning. Cora stood in front of the mirror brushing out her long red hair. She would probably be sent to Enforcements sub-section Hair to have her red locks cut back to the standard shoulder length soon. After all her hair was already a half inch overgrown. Cora pulled back her hair into a bun just like all the others in secondary learning. She took one last glance at the mirror and adjusted her blue jacket that indicated that she was in her 3^rd year of secondary schooling in comparison to the green she wore last year. Cora then walked over to the family den where her parents and brother were already sitting waiting for their names to be called.

 

“Cora, you are almost late, the Johansson’s were already called,” her father said.

 

“Yes, Father, I promise not to let that happen again,” Cora replied.

 

“Just like you said last time,” her father sighed, “Go sit next to your brother, perhaps his promptness will rub off on you.”

 

“Yes, Father.”

 

            Cora walked calmly over to the white chair next to her brother and sat down, her hands folded over her black pleated skirt. Everything about the scene was serene. They sat perfectly still, not talking, not fidgeting, just waiting. Three minutes later they were called.

 

“Will the Kingsley family report to Enforcement sub-section Scheduling?” a monotonous voice rang out through the complex.  

 

             The Kingsley’s stood up and got in order from oldest to youngest starting with Cora's father, her mother, her brother, and then Cora herself. They filed out of their den into the hallway and began the climb down the stairs to Enforcements sub-section Scheduling - first floor, room number 5. They had 20 flights to walk down, but they did this every day and it never seemed to tire them. 

 

 

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                Cameron Weatherly is a scientist working for the government of Dubokog Sna. He was through the white hall of the complex in which he worked. Today he was a little late, he could tell because the almost robotic voice had just called for the Kingsley’s to report to Scheduling, and by then Weatherly should already be inside. No-one knows about the section where Cameron works. He knows only he, his co-workers, and his government are supposed to know about his section… though he doesn’t exactly know why. Though technically the guards know as well, but they don’t really know anything about it. Just that only those with authorization can enter the section.

            When Weatherly reached the entrance the guard with blue eyes was waiting. Cameron had his ID card ready and handed it over. It showed Cameron Weatherly, a lanky tall young man with a hesitant smile on his face. Underneath it stated his name, number, age, where he lived and where he worked, Section Control sub-section Short Dopamine. The guard handed it back to him.

 

“You are late today,” the guard commented.

 

“Yes,” Weatherly pondered, “I wonder why, I did everything the same.”

 

“Well it doesn’t matter now. Go on in.”

 

            The guard with the blue eyes turned around as he was talking and punched in a four digit number into the lock by the door. The light on the lock changed from red to green and a high pitched whir of machinery came from the double doors as they slid open and Weatherly walked through the doors into a cowl of darkness.

 

 

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                 When Cora arrived at Enforcement sub-section Scheduling, a woman in a gray suit was waiting for her. She sat behind a mahogany desk in a straight backed chair. Many others were dressed similarly and sat behind the same desks with one stack of paper in the very middle. The only difference between this gray lady and the others is that her blond hair was wispy enough to escape the perfectly executed French braid. Cora saw this woman every day, but she never learned her name. Not that names really mattered. Faces mattered, numbers mattered, words mattered, but not names. When she saw Cora she motioned for her to approach the desk. When she walked up the woman in gray asked for her ID and when she had finished looking over it she handed her a paper with her schedule on it from the stack. 

 

"Have a nice day," she said, a vague smile on her face. 

 

"You too," Cora replied with an awkward grin. 

 

                  She walked away from the gray lady and sat down in a chair with the rest of her family unit and a few other units as they read their schedule. Cora glanced down at hers.

Cora Kingsley 

Age 16 

Number 93264 

Family unit Kingsley 

Section Habitation sub-section 17 room 5 

 

8:30 am Breakfast Section Dining 

9 am English 3 Section Secondary School sub-section English 3 

10 am Etiquette 3 Section Secondary School sub-section Etiquette 3 

11 am Recreation Section Secondary School sub-section Recreation 

12 pm Lunch Section Dining 

12:30 pm Individual Thought Section Writing room 9 

1 pm Specialization 3 Section Secondary School sub-section Cook 

2 pm Snack Section Dining 

2:30 pm Nap Section Habitation sub-section 17 room 5 

4 pm Training Section Kitchen 

6 pm Dinner Section Dining 

7 pm Family Discussion Section Habitation sub-section 17 room 5 

7:30 pm Group Exercise Section Fitness sub-section 16 room 3 

8 pm Showers and Clean up Section Washroom sub-section Female 

8:30 pm Begin Sleep Preparation Section Habitation sub-section 17 room 5 

9 pm Sleep Section Slumber sub-section 16 room 19 

7 am Wake Section Slumber sub-section 16 room 19 

7:30 am Showers and Clean up Section Washroom sub-section Female 

8 am Daily Scheduling Section Habitation sub-section 17 room 5  

 

                  Once Cora had finished reading her schedule she looked up. Everyone around her were also done and a new family unit was arriving, the Larsen’s, whose hair all possessed a quality of wet autumn leaves. Cora got back into her regular position when waiting, hands folded over her pleated skirt. She thought of nothing, and was content with stillness. It was 8:19 am and soon their day would begin. And except for the pleasantries between gray ladies and unimportant names the Section remained silent.