Katie Smith

Introduction to Turned

Sarah walked into lecture hall three, it was an old style lecture hall with wooden desks and benches on at least 20 levels. Sarah could see various students already seated on different levels.  Sarah walked up two levels and slid onto the bench.  She slid along until she was in front of the lecturers desk and the black board. A few more students walked in and took their seats. About 5 minutes later a middle aged man with greasy blonde hair and a curly beard with flecks of red came in and stood in front of the class.

"Welcome everyone to Introduction To Turned Society" the man said, "I am Professor Blackwood. During the next few months we will explore some of the Turned History, most important Laws and examine the most probable origins of the Turned virus."

Professor  Blackwood pulled a white screen down covering the black board and opened a presentation on the computer screen. 

"So, the very basics. What makes us Turned?" Professor Blackwood started, "So, we all have basic human DNA but what makes us turned is actually a virus. The virus is passed through bodily fluids and passes through the placenta when a foetus is still in-utero.  Hence why, you are all here.  It is very rare that the virus is passed on by kissing. It is not passed on by using the same objects, not even the same toilet. The usual method of making a 'newly turned', after it has been sanctioned by the Registration Office, is by injection.  The virus is injected into the person who is then monitored by medical practitioners. So, both of your parents would have gone though this process most probably, so you should know this," the Professor took a sip of his water.

"Does anyone know how the turned were made prior to the Turned Planning Act?"

A black girl with short hair raised her hand. She started to talk once the Professor looked at her.  "People used to actually bite the unturned to make them turned and there were lots of people who were accidentally turned during s****l encounters in the 60s. That doesn't happen now."

"Very good" said the Professor, as he lifted the girl's file and read her name "Violet".

"So you are right. The Turned Planning Act, as well as setting out the process and correct procedure for the creation of a newly turned, also made two things illegal - unsanctioned biting of humans and unsanctioned s****l i*********e with an unturned.  It also led to the creation of the Family Planning centres. So, when your parents decided that they wanted to create you, they would both have had to have been tested and their plan would have needed to pass scrutiny before it was sanctioned".

"Does anyone know why the Family Planning centres are so important, other than insuring the best possible Turned children are created?"

Violet's hand shot up into the air again.  Professor Blackwood turned to her smiling almost like a proud parent himself, "Yes, Violet"

"The Family Planning centres are important as the virus also impacts upon fertility."

"Correct again, the virus impacts upon the bodies' aging process, which in turn impacts upon a woman's cycle and a man's production of semen.  Therefore, a degree of monitoring and planning is very advantageous to the conceiving of a child and artificial means of conception are common place.  Prior to Family Planning centres, the families of the Turned couple who intended to have a child would try to monitor and support the couple with the process. However, as you can imagine, this often led to waiting several years for a child to be conceived."

"Violet, will you hand out the text books that are sitting on my desk please?" Professor Blackwood said, gesturing to the stack of old books.

"Yes, Sir", Violet said eagerly as she got to her feet and started to walk down the steps to collect the text books.  She began to hand them out smiling like a Cheshire cat.  

"I would like you all to read the first 5 chapters" Professor Blackwood stated, holding a copy of the text book up. "There will be a quiz at the start of our next lesson on the content".

Sarah took her copy of the text, opened the book and began to read it.  She jotted down what she thought were key phrases as she went and before she knew it, the class was over.  She quickly collected her things, placing her note pad, pen and the text book into her black leather satchel and made her way outside the lecture hall.  When she got outside, Katie was there waiting for her with a tall, curvy girl with olive skin and wavy brown hair.

"Hi Sarah, I just wanted to introduce you to your buddy.  This is Shona.  Shona is in her last year at Pultney Academy."

The girls exchanged greetings and Katie left them to get more acquainted.