Katie Smith

Bailey

Sarah was woken by a knock on her door, she rolled over almost falling out of the lower bunk bed.

"Come in" she called.

Bailey opened the door, she was carrying a sandwich on a plate, covered in clingfilm.

"I noticed you weren't at dinner, I thought you might be hungry" she said holding the plate out to Sarah.

Sarah took the plate and pulled back the clingfilm.  The sandwich was in fact a selection of sandwiches.

"That was really thoughtful of you, thank you."

Bailey sat down on the lower bunk across from Sarah.  She looked down at her feet as if trying to find the right words almost guilty in a way.

"I'm sorry about earlier, I didn't mean to be insensitive.  I tend to talk before my brain has been engaged."

"It's ok really, it's not like Miss Smith didn't warn me that people would talk."

"I am sorry, and I hope you wont hold it against me, like I said we're kind-a-similar.... I was born unsanctioned."

"What is that?"

"Our world is far more controlled than our Introduction to Turned would have us believe.  The Family Planning centres doesn't just help loving couples create a baby.  Everyone who wants a child has to go through a series of tests. Couples are usually matched, that involves the Registration Office, all in the aim to have the best possible next generation. Well... my Mum was not what the Turned would class as "breeding material"." Bailey explained making speech hand gesture as she said breeding material, "She was as mad as a box of frogs my Grandmother says, my grandfather says he couldn't bribe someone to marry her.  Well anyway, my Mum got pregnant with no help at all, do you know how rare that is? It just doesn't happen anymore, like, at all and she hide her pregnancy too. So then I was born and everyone was like who's the father, but she wouldn't tell them and then she killed herself taking her secret the grave.  So you see we are similar on two accounts, people will gossip about us because of things we had no control over and we would never have been here if the law hadn't been broken."

Sarah looked at Bailey thoughtfully, this girl really didn't hold anything back.

"So why do you have to take the Introduction to Turned class?"

"Yea, I know right.  I am definitely solid Turned on my Mum's side and I recon my Dad must have been turned too.... well I suppose it's a kind of punishment, make sure I know the rules I suppose."

"This world is far more complex than I thought it would be."