Lush (a YA Dystopian novel) by S.L. Baum

Author:S.L. Baum
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: dystopian, dystopian young adult, dystopian teen ya young adult romance love conspiracy government, dystopian ya novel

*****

Chapter Nine

Family and Friends

The end of the week had a slightly different meaning than it did when we were in Training Tech. When I was there, we had six days of instruction and organized activities. After Training Tech, it was reduced to five. The Career Education Center actually closed down on Friday… and not at seven in the evening, as it did on the other days for after hours tutoring. On Friday the CEC closed its doors at five o’clock.

But it was only three o’clock and it seemed like five o’clock would never come. The day was going too slow. A big group of us had decided to meet up at Lily’s to watch the new comedy video that had been approved for release. She had a very open room with a wall screen that was perfect for a large gathering. Everyone was told to bring a snack and arrive no later than six o’clock.

I was staring a Cimarron, but I kept glancing at the time on my tablet, all the while trying desperately to remember what she just said.

“Isn’t that good news?” Cimarron asked.

I shook my head. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”

“I said I just got word that you’ve been approved for a family of four children, without the bother of Training Tech fees subtracted from your income. That is unheard of. Isn’t that good news?”

“Four children?” I asked, confused by her statement. I had been too distracted. It wasn’t making sense.

“Bluebell, stop wandering off. Pay attention. The Council has graciously allowed for you and your future husband to have four children and be exempt of all Training Tech fees. Being Lush comes with great benefits. That news will be of great interest to anyone seeking a Marriage Contract with you,” Cimarron smiled and nodded her head at me, expecting me to agree with her.

“Yes. What wonderful news. Four children,” I smiled in return, because it felt like the right thing to do.

Cimarron put her tablet down. “Of course you can have more than four. The fees wouldn’t begin until your fifth child turns five and is enrolled at Training Tech. Six would be an amazing number, don’t you think? There hasn’t been a family with six children for well over one hundred years. Half a dozen new Citizens for Concord… Concord Reigns! How exciting!” She clapped her hands together in one loud boom.

I jerked my head up and found the most joyful expression on her face. “Yes. Very,” I said.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to have six children. Although it did occur to me that if I spaced them out correctly, I could be sending the last one off to Training Tech just as the first one was coming home. I always thought it would be hard to have a child, send it away for twelve years, and then suddenly have a grown child at home again. Visits never seemed like it was enough real contact to make any deep connections. Sometimes it felt like my friends from school knew more about me, were closer to me, and cared more for me than my parents did.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.