The Education of Adam

By R. W. Biga

In the not-too-distant future, the State runs the entire educational system from top to bottom. It has been that way almost all of Adam’s life. He has been through many different Houses of education, but this newest one, where he is set to “graduate” into the real world, is different, way different. There is something more sinister about it. After unraveling some secrets about the adults who run it, Adam realizes that only with the help of his peers can he overcome a serious dilemma. Will he get enough help? Or will he just be another in a long list of those that pay the price for being insubordinate?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646545957

Book preview

Moving In

The horrendous creaking of the gate could be heard as the rather-plain SUV entered the Wisconsin Territory House for Adolescents main entrance. It was that cringe-worthy sound that awoke Adam. The House was not what Adam envisioned, but it was not anything that was completely foreign. He had been in and out of such places for years, and the only thing that was the same was that they were all different. Number 8 was what was given to this House. It might as well have been 1,000, as it seemed that was the number of correctional houses he had been to. Adam had lost count at how many he had been to. It was around the number 10 that he stopped counting.

As the SUV was pulling into the building, Adam took one last look back and saw that it was gloomy outside. It was about fifty degrees and looked like it would rain. That had been the type of weather that he had witnessed over the past month or so. He longed for the sun and being able to walk around the grassy fields that he had be on as a kid. That time seemed like forever ago.

After the gates, there was a long brick tunnel that seemed to go on forever. It did not have any windows in it but just a few lights on the ceiling that barely lit up the area. There was light at the other end of the tunnel that the SUV was heading toward, and he kept his eye on it as it got bigger. The anticipation of what was after the light then started to make him anxious.

After exiting the tunnel, he then saw what his new place of residence looked like: There was an atrium that housed four levels, and they made it look like a cheap hotel. Musty windows were at the ceiling, and they let sunlight in, but it was not the happy sunlight and was instead the dreary kind. It was not a very inviting place, but that really didn’t matter, since people like Adam had no say in the matter. This was home for now. He only hoped that this one was going to be the last one, as his eighteenth birthday was just over a year away.

Adam never got used to the commute to any new House. Each time was different and unfamiliar. This time it was with a small group of other teens. He did not bother to get to know their names while in the SUV as he knew that he would most likely not be at this facility long enough for it to really matter. All he saw were two other boys and one girl, who were now just numbers. They did not bother to talk to him or one another, so he realized that they must have been through the same ordeals as him.

They all wore the same outfit that Adam did, which was a modified version of the gray prison uniforms that he had seen in old movies from the last century. Those were the kinds of movies that were not allowed to be seen anymore, but Adam could remember seeing them before he had reached the double digits of age. They were drab and lifeless in appearance. They matched what the last few years of life were like within the world, a world that was much different just a generation ago. He remembered some parts of it, but it was not something that he could recall with clear certainty. He yearned for a time when he could go back to that time.

The drivers of the SUV were just as enigmatic as his fellow compatriots. They all wore dark-blue business suits and leather gloves. They were always male. Their eyes were almost always covered by sunglasses, so it was difficult to see if they had any emotion. It was a wonder if they even had eyes at all behind those sunglasses. The last time that Adam tried to speak to one of the drivers was three trips ago, and he got no response. The most eerie part of it all was that those drivers did not even seem to acknowledge that he or anyone even existed. Another thing was that they were only seen when there were people to transport between Houses.

After he and the other three were given their meager belongings, the drivers left, and they were all alone in the atrium. The gate made the same sound that it did when he first entered the location. No other teens were around, nor were there any other adults. It was eerie to him, as he had never been dropped off like this before. He entertained the thought that they were the only ones in this building. He looked at the gate and wondered if he could escape through it. A few seconds after that, two doors then came together, and it sealed them inside. There was now no chance to sneak out the front door.

That would not have been a wise attempt, young man, a stern voice came from behind him.

Adam turned around and saw a figure in a London Fog coat. He had dark black hair that was parted to the side. It was more of a Secret Service look to him than that of a drill sergeant. He had an authoritarian look to him. He had sunglasses on and was staring right at Adam. Adam looked away and then at the other three teens, and they all looked at the authoritarian figure. It was as if they were mesmerized by him and could not look anywhere else.

I want the four of you to get in line, side by side.

With little hesitation, Adam and the three other lined up side by side. He had one of the boys to his left and the girl to his right. Once lined up, he looked up to where the man was and saw that he was gone. A faint breathing was then heard by Adam, and it came from behind.

Mr. Sean Wilshire, Mr. Adam Foundry, Ms. Megan Waterman, and Mr. Kevin Phelps, I am glad that you made it here to my location. I am sure that you will like it here and will leave as better people.

After a few seconds of silence, he then said, My name is Mr. Stark. I advise you to respect that. I am the superintendent of this location. This is Wisconsin House Number 8.

Adam thought to himself that this was not how other superintendents had introduced themselves when he arrived. They had seemed less enigmatic. This House was different, and he had a bad feeling about it. The pit of his stomach then began to tighten up, and it was not like anything he had ever felt.

I demand respect and that you will follow the rules here. Anything else will not be tolerated and will mean punishment.

Even though Stark was behind him, he felt that he was staring him in the eyes, and that made Adam feel uneasy. Adam looked over to his right to Megan, and she was looking forward without even the hint that she was going to look to her side. He then looked to his left at Sean, and he was doing the same thing. It was as if Adam was breaking the rules by looking at his side, so then he looked forward so he would be in unison with the others.

I think you are learning now, Mr. Foundry, Stark said as he suddenly appeared in front of Adam without warning. We learn to be one and the same here, and you will find out that is a wise thing to do.

He continued, I have been the superintendent of this location for fifteen years now. There has not been one single ward here that has not been turned around. Do not think that you will be the one who changes that. I know that people like to give me the nickname of the Shark, and that is fine, as long as you are disciplined.

Adam tried to stare at him straight in the eye but could not. Those sunglasses made it so that no one could tell whom he was looking at. He thought that he had the strength to do so but quickly found out otherwise. It was as if he was looking into a bright light that no known human could possibly stare at for more than a second. He wondered if the other three were having the same problem.

All four of you were brought here because it has been reported that all of you need special attention, Stark said. By the time you leave this place and go out into the world, you will not be the same as you are now.

Stark walked behind the four and then said, I am going to be here with all of you for as long as you stay here. There are forty-seven other wards here, and I will get to know you four just as I have gotten to know the others. No one is special here, and no one will get any such treatment.

Adam wondered what Stark really meant by special treatment. He knew that at other Houses, there were also a few wards that were favored by the instructors and superintendent. Adam was never one of them, though, as he was one who usually kept to himself and did not draw attention to himself. Being in more Houses than he could remember was part of the reason, as he felt that he should not get attached to those he met.

Now, are there any questions?

Adam hesitated and was about to say something, until Sean interfered. How are the living situations here? Are we with a roommate? I had a roommate at my last place.

Good question, Stark said. You will be in a room with just one roommate. Your roommate has already been selected, and you will meet with that person later on today.

Stark then walked around to the front of the line. There is a community bathroom on each floor. Floors 1 and 3 are for the males, while 2 and 4 are for the females. We keep our floors segregated as we do not want to have any problems between the males and females.

He continued, I know that all of you had issues at your last House, and that is the biggest reason that you are here.

Adam thought, I wonder how they feel about males and females interacting on the same floor, but I will not ask that just yet.

Megan then said, At my last House, we were able to watch a large TV screen. It was in a community room. She then asked, Is there one of those here?

Yes, there’s a few here, but we only let our wards watch what we deem appropriate, Stark said. That is decided by other people that are not here.

Adam thought, Who are these people?

Only what is approved by our county magistrate will be shown on the big TV screen, Stark said. This is highly important in the current world we live in.

What will happen to us once we hit our eighteenth birthday? Sean asked.

Stark responded, You will then no longer be a ward of this House. After that, you will have a different life, and hopefully it will be one that fits the needs of the county. It is up to you whether you will be flexible enough to meet those needs.

What needs are those? Adam thought.

There was some silence after Stark made his last response. Adam did not know what to think, and he believed that the others probably felt the same way. In all the places that he had been a ward of, he never had been told such things. It was all about education and learning a skill. This seemed much different. At his past House, he learned how to work with electrical wiring and also work in a woodshop. Neither of those could be deemed inappropriate.

Breakfast starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends at eight precisely. Classes then start at eight thirty and go until 4:00 p.m. There is lunch between there at noon and dinner is served from 5:00 p.m. until six, Stark said. It is important that you make it to your meals on time, as nothing will be served before or after these hours. It is also equally important that you make your classes, as they will make you a well-rounded person of the State.

Adam knew that he only had slightly over a year until he was of legal age to leave the House system, but it still seemed far away. He often wondered about what life was like outside of the system, as it was not mentioned much by those who worked for the State. The outside world to him was now very foreign. He had known it as a young child, but most of that was one where he remembered the downfall of the country and the world. He was too young to understand what happened, but as he started to get into his teens, he began to wonder about it more.

Are there any more questions about this location or the way your lives will go here? Stark asked.

What kind of recreational activities will we have? Megan asked.

We have athletics five times a week in our gym, and you are free to use our workout gym at your leisure, Stark replied. I do hope that you use those facilities wisely, as a healthy body goes hand in hand with a healthy mind.

Adam did not like the way that Stark was so emotionless when he gave his answers. It was like he was going through the motions and did not care anymore. That or the guy did not have any kind of emotion at all. Either way, Adam had the feeling that Stark was going to be the type of person that he should avoid. There did not seem to be one shred of empathy from him.

I am curious about after I leave this place, Sean said. Where do we go after we are done with this place?

Stark replied, That will be something that we discuss when you get to the end of your time here. It is not something that we can foresee due to the current status of this state. It may be different tomorrow than it will be a year or two from now. We will be discussing this in your civics class, which you have to take your last semester here.

That was what I was told at the last place I was at, Sean then said.

Adam knew that the world outside was different from when he was a kid, but it was always so secretive. He had inquired like Sean did but was never given a straight answer. Some people said that it was unknown and bleak, while others said that the future was what people made it. Either way, Adam had a dreadful feeling about it all. He was anxious to see what this civics class he was going to take was and what it informed him of. He had hoped that it was more promising than it had sounded.

Once you reach your eighteenth birthday, you will then be free of this place and being a ward of the State, Stark said. After that, you are on your own and will choose to make your own destiny.

Adam thought, I wonder what kind of destiny that is.

So we are on our own and do not have any kind of assistance from the State and those who run it? Kevin then asked.

Like I said before, that will be discussed in your last civics class in your final semester here, Stark replied.

Looking past Stark, Adam saw a young brunette girl on the second-floor balcony. She looked right at Adam and then gave a smile. She looked like an attractive girl that he would like to get to know. After she let out a quick smile, she then went back into what looked like her room. Adam had wished that she had stayed longer so that he could get a better look at her. He could see that she had brown hair that was shoulder-length. A mental picture was made in his head so that he could possibly go by that room in the future. It might be a week or more, but he wanted to do that.

See something interesting, Mr. Foundry? Stark asked.

Adam felt that he could not open his mouth, but eventually he did. I was just looking at the floors behind you and wondered which one I will be in.

You will be finding that out shortly.

Adam hoped that his room was near the room where that girl was. He also hoped that he had a good roommate he got along with. In several of his old Houses, he did not get along with his roommate. Some were bullies, and others were just argumentative for the sake of it. Others were friendly, but he never really got a chance to call any of them a friend as he moved between Houses too many times.

Stark turned away from the four and then started to walk toward the stairs that led to where he was first spotted by Adam. The way that Stark walked bothered Adam. It was as if he was so sure of himself and that no one could slip anything past him. None of the four even bothered to get out of line after Stark disappeared up the stairs.

That is one strict man, Megan said.

Adam then replied, Yes, he is. I am not sure if he is so calm because he is so sure of himself or it is just his demeanor.

Adam had not really looked at Megan much when he was in the car, but he noticed that she was not a bad-looking girl. Her hair was brown and well-kept. She was about four inches shorter than him and had blue eyes that looked haunted. She had been through some serious stuff in her life, probably more than the ordinary person.

How many Houses is this for you now? Megan asked Adam.

Too many to count, Adam replied. I would really have to sit down and write them on a sheet of paper to get an idea.

A smile then came to Megan’s face. Sounds like you are like me in that you did not have time to really get to know anyone.

You are correct, Adam replied.

Welcome to the club. Sean then interrupted.

We are all like that, Kevin added.

Both Sean and Kevin were taller than Adam and had brown hair. They looked as if they could be related. The latter had freckles, though, while the former had a black mole on his chin and a small scar above his left eyebrow. They did not look frightening at all, which made Adam feel at ease around them.

Another man in a dark dress suit then came up to the four. He did not look as intimidating as Stark, as he had a faint smile and did not have sunglasses on. He also had dark-brown hair that was getting thin in the front. His left eyelid was also closed a bit more than his right one. His stomach also protruded out of his pants, and his hands looked puffy, like balloons.

My name is Mr. Coleman and will be showing you fine wards to your rooms.

At last, Adam would be able to see where he was staying. He knew that a good room and roommate would make his stay all the better. Now, only if that girl he spotted earlier was somewhat close to his room. He knew they would not be on the same floor, but if they were near the same stairwell, then that would be close enough.

Mr. Coleman gave each of the teens their room number, and he then told them to go in front of that door. Adam had room number 310, while Sean, Megan, and Kevin had 317, 226, and 108 respectively. The first number signified the floor, so Adam was on the third floor. As with his other Houses, the boys and girls were segregated by floors. The mystery girl that he saw before was on the second floor earlier, so that might have been close to where Megan was. He was also glad that his room was not on the first floor, as that would be too close to the bottom of the atrium.

Adam got to the front of his room door and he tried to open it, but it was locked. He knew that he should wait for Coleman, but he was curious to see if he could get an early peek. He then took a view of the whole floor, and it seemed that there were ten rooms to each side of a floor, so forty rooms in total on each floor, except for the first one, which did not seem to have as many. Kevin got to see his room first, and while that was happening, Adam saw Megan standing outside her room. It looked like she was right by the room that the mystery girl went into just a short while ago. Now he had an excuse to go over by there.

After Megan got shown to her room, Sean did next. Adam would be the last to see his room. He anticipated what it would look like. He also wondered if there was anyone in his room right now. He knew that there would be a roommate, so if it was locked, then there must be no one in there at the current time. The long trip for his old House to this new one had made him tired. Taking a short nap was his biggest priority once he got settled into his new room.

Welcome to the end of the road, a voice then said.

Adam turned to his right, and a tall thin boy came up to him. There was something slightly unnerving about the boy, but he was not sure on what it was.

The name is Kirk Oconto, the boy said. And you are?

My name is Adam Foundry.

Kirk then said, It is always good to see new people here. I only have about one month left at this place. I assume that you are here for at least a year.

Yes, I have about fourteen months until I turn eighteen, Adam replied.

Well, turning eighteen may not be all what you think it will be, Kirk said.

Adam was about to ask Kirk what he meant, but he suddenly went into his room without saying anything else. He wondered as to why he went into his room so abruptly, but he then saw Coleman coming his way. Kirk was in room 311, so that made him his neighbor and someone he should get to know.

Coleman unlocked the door to Adam’s room, and they both then walked in. Adam’s roommate was not in the room. It was a modest room with a bunk bed, two dressers, two small desks with a chair each, and two small closets. On each desk were four spiral notebooks and a few pens and pencils. There was also a digital clock that was embedded in the wall. It was one that could have an alarm set on it for the morning. It was not unlike any other room that Adam had been in at his other Houses. Adam wanted the top bunk, so he threw his belongings bag onto it.

Your roommate will be here tomorrow, Coleman said. I assume that was one of your first thoughts a minute ago.

Adam nodded in return.

The bathrooms are at the far-right corner of each hall, four in total, Coleman said. I advise that you get there earlier than the others as it can get crowded in them when it is time for a shower.

What is the name of my roommate? Adam asked.

Coleman looked at his clipboard and said, Donald Prindle. I advise that you work out on who will use what bunks and closets to your liking.

Adam sat down at one of the desks. When do I start up with my classes?

You will start up in two days, Coleman replied. You have two days off at the end of the week, just like the way it used to be.

The way it used to be, Adam thought.

Without saying anything else, Coleman then left the room, and he closed the door behind him. It was as if Coleman had done what he needed to and that was it. No time for small talk or anything like that. Adam checked to see if the door was locked, and it was not. He then went out into the hall and closed the door to see if it would let him in from there. It did let him in after that. He then closed the door again after entering the room.

Adam unpacked his clothes in the drawers and put a few shirts on hangers in the closet that he deemed as his own. In addition to the clothes he put in the closet, he saw that there were also five sets of pants and long-sleeved shirts. He checked out the sizes, and they were his size. The color of the clothes was all light gray. It was a slightly different shade from the ones that he had at his last House. They reminded him of some sort of prison uniform.

This is my whole situation. How lovely! Adam said to himself.

The clock said it was 2:34 p.m. This meant that Adam had missed lunch and that there was time before dinner. He decided to unpack the rest of his belongings and then got up onto the top bunk. He slid off his shoes, and they dropped to the floor. He wanted to take a quick nap. He looked up at the clock again and felt that its red numbers were evil and that they were staring at him. He turned away from them and then looked toward the wall. Shortly afterward, his heavy eyelids closed.

Settling In

Adam woke up at slightly after four thirty. He had to shake his head to see the correct time on the clock. He quickly jumped out of bed and then put on his shoes. He looked in the mirror and noticed that his hair needed to be combed. It took a few minutes, but he was able to fix his hair with a comb so that it was presentable. After that, he then put on a new set of pants and a long-sleeved shirt. They were comfortable and fit perfectly. Out of curiosity, Adam checked the other closet, and there were not any clothes in there.

It seems that I am alone, Adam said to himself.

As Adam was getting ready to leave, he then realized that he did not really know anyone yet, so there might be an issue of whom he could eat with downstairs. He had gotten to know Kevin, Sean, and Megan a bit, so that was an option. All he knew was that this was a place that he really wanted to get to know people. Hopefully, this was the last House that he would be at.

A knock then came on Adam’s door.

Who is it?

Hi, this is Megan. Are you going to dinner soon?

Adam opened the door and saw her in her uniform too. He thought she looked very pleasant in her uniform, despite its bland color.

This uniform makes me feel like I am in prison, Megan said.

Adam smiled. Yes. They are not much different from our last place, but this is the first time that they had them ready for me in my closet.

They walked down to the ground floor, and Kevin and Sean joined them once they go there. They saw the sign for the cafeteria, so they walked over it. The time was not yet 5:00 p.m., but they tried to get into the cafeteria anyways. The door would not open when Sean tried to open it. Adam then looked at the digital clock in the atrium and saw it was 4:58 p.m. Once it hit 5:00 p.m., the door then made a clicking noise and they were able to enter after that.

They were not kidding about the timing here, Adam said with a cynical tone.

The cafeteria was a regular-sized one compared to all the others he had seen. There were about a dozen tables, which all had chairs attached to them. Adam counted sixteen seats on each table. He surmised that it could seat everyone in the building. There was a sign that said No Food Leaves This Area by the door. There was a buffet-style serving area that looked like it was polished to a perfect sheen. There were already people behind the area that were ready to serve the food.

There was a variety of foods. There was macaroni and cheese, assorted steamed vegetables, cheese lasagna, two different kinds of soup, brown rice, tuna salad, and both wheat and rye bread rolls. To drink, there were several fruit juices, skim milk, and water bottles. All the food was fine for Adam. He did not want to stuff himself, though, so he took some vegetables, a cup of mushroom barley soup, and a wheat roll. He also took a bottle of water. After he took his food, he started to see that the cafeteria was already crowded with a line.

Adam sat down next to Megan, and Sean and Kevin sat across from him. They were the first to sit down, and they sat at the far end near the wall. All three of them had much more food on their trays than he did. While looking at the food line, Adam noticed the girl from 311 was in line. She was not talking to anyone as she was in line. Adam thought about going up to her, but he realized that might seem strange, so he did nothing. She started to look toward Adam, so he then looked away. He hoped she did not notice that he looked away.

Cute girl, huh? Kevin said.

Adam blushed and then said, I saw her earlier when we got here. I wonder if she has been here a long time. I am not sure why, but I cannot keep my eyes off of her.

I doubt she has been here longer than two years, Sean said. I was talking with another guy named Ryan earlier, and he said that people rarely stay here longer than that.

Well, then, I guess that many of us will be leaving here within two years or so, Kevin said.

Adam then thought about the ages of all his newly found friends. How old is everyone here?

My seventeenth birthday is about a month away, Kevin said as he snarfed down his macaroni and cheese.

Same with me, Megan said.

Ditto, Sean replied.

Adam then said, I guess we are all about the same age.

All four of them then went silent. They all had realized that their ages were all within a month of one another. Adam thought that must not have been a coincidence. This was not like at his other Houses, where people had birthdays that were months or even years apart from one another. He even remembered that there was someone who was two or so years younger than him at his last House.

I find that kind of odd that we were all born within a month of one another, Megan said.

Adam was about to reply to what Megan said but did not, as one of the employees of the House walked past the table. It was a short fat balding man who looked like he was about sixty years old. He stared at all four of them like he knew what they were talking about and he wanted it to stop. After walking past their table, he then rested his back against the wall by their table. All four of them did not say anything more about the age subject after that. Kevin had a semismile on his face, like he wanted to say something but did not.

So do you know what classes you are taking? Megan then asked the group.

I do not even know, Adam said. I think we will find out tomorrow.

Kevin and Sean nodded their heads in agreement. There were then a few minutes of silence and eating. The fat bald man then walked away from the table area. He did not look back as he walked away from them. All four of them then looked at one another in relief. All of them knew that they were thinking the same thing about that man.

The cafeteria was almost filled at that time. No one else had sat at their end of the table. The other end had a small group of four boys. It was as if they were their own group right now and nothing more. Adam had lost sight of the mystery girl while he was talking about people’s ages. He looked all around and could not find her. There were a few noticeable groups. One was full of good-looking girls, another was a mix of both boys and girls, and there was also one with what looked like all the brains of the House. Mystery girl was nowhere to be found among all the groups.

The group then exchanged small talk for the next half-hour or so. Adam found out that Kevin had never truly known his own parents and they had died when he was two years old. Megan had been at one of Adam’s old Houses, but not at the same time as him. Sean had been kicked out of two Houses for fighting. The fighting involved retaliation for what other students had done to him. He did not elaborate on what they had done to him or what he did to them. This made Adam realize that Sean might be a good ally if things got rough with other kids.

After finishing with their food, the four then left the cafeteria. On his way out, Adam searched again for the mystery girl but had no luck. As he was walking through the cafeteria, he spotted several kids staring at him. It made him feel that they noticed that he was a new ward, and that could mean something dangerous to him. Sort of like a hazing that could happen to a new inmate at a jail.

Once out in the atrium, Kevin then said, I heard there is a recreation room here and that it opens at 7:00 p.m. I think we should check it out tonight.

I’m in, Sean said, while Megan motioned that she agreed.

Okay, let’s check it out, Adam said.

It’s only five forty-five right now, so what do we do until then? Kevin asked.

Sean replied, We don’t. We just go to one of our rooms and chill for a bit.

They all decided that Sean’s plan was a good one. They decided to go to Kevin’s room since it was on the first floor. As they walked to his room, they did not see any of the adults around. Adam thought it was odd that no one seemed to be watching them. As they entered room 108, he took one last look around and still saw no one.

Do any of you know if we are even allowed to be in others’ rooms? Adam asked as the door shut.

You like to worry a lot, Sean said.

Adam replied, I just feel that they will always be watching us and will be ready to punish us for any infraction.

Adam looked around at Kevin’s room and noticed it was about the same as his. The only thing that he noticed to be different was that there was an old radiator on the floor. It made the room look like it was decades older than his. Adam’s room had some sort of central heating in it. Just like with Adam’s room, Kevin did not have a roommate yet.

I am glad that I was able to ride over to this location with you three guys, Megan said.

Adam smiled. I feel the same way. I have been to many other Houses, and none has been like this in that they seem so secretive about what it will be like for us when we leave.

Sean added, I have heard many things about what happens after we turn eighteen. I am not sure what to believe and what to see as bullshit. I have been to some rough places and have been in quite a few scraps. I am not really sure what the world outside is like, as they seem to shelter us from the knowledge of it. The one thing that I do know is that it was not like what it was about ten years ago.

Adam’s heart then jumped. He remembered some things about what it was like when he was six or seven years old, but he was not sure whether it was a false memory or not. He did remember watching movies in theaters and being able to play outside with other kids on his block. Unfortunately, he could not remember any of their names or how he had met them. His parents’ faces were also something that he could not remember. All that he did remember about them was that they were not home a lot and he often had babysitters over at his house.

I try to not think about what it will be like when I turn eighteen, Megan said. It seems so uncertain that if I think about it too much, my stomach will then hurt.

We can refrain from talking about it, then, Adam said.

I want to say one thing about that subject, Sean said. When we get closer to that time, I hope we can talk about that idea again around you.

Megan nodded. Adam noticed that she had her hand on her stomach as if it hurt. Despite her being in a bit of pain, Adam liked the way that she looked. Her hair looked nice and smooth, and her eyes made her look like a genuine person. She did not give him the same feeling that the mystery girl did, but there was till something there.

There are a lot of things that I am unsure of here, Kevin said. I wonder how my classes will be, if I get bored in my off time, how much they will watch over us, etcetera.

Well, I do not really know you three that much yet, but this is a start. I hope to get to know others, too, and make this place an enjoyable one. I did not really get to know many people at the last places that I was at. I was not at most of them for more than half a year, Adam said.

A knock then came on the door. Adam’s heart jumped as it did. Megan sat down on the bottom bunk as it seemed that she was startled too. Kevin opened the door, and it revealed the same fat bald man who stood by them less than an hour earlier in the cafeteria. He had a police baton in his right hand.

Good evening, young wards, the man said. My name is Mr. Compton, and I am part of the security here at House number 8.

Compton then entered the room. I am not sure if it has been told to you, but boys and girls are not allowed in the same room alone with the door closed. I am sure that you know as to why that is.

Sean left the room soon after, and Adam followed. Megan came out after Adam, and Compton then closed the door behind her. The three of them waited outside of the door for a few minutes for Kevin, but he did not come out. Adam looked around the atrium and saw a few of his other peers look at them. The peers did not stop in place but just kept walking as they looked. It was at that time that Adam spotted the mystery girl. He saw her go up the stairs and to her second-floor room.

As Megan was about to go up to her room, Adam grabbed her arm and then said, Please find out who that girl is that is next to your room.

Megan replied, I am not sure who she is, but I will try to find out for you.

Adam then let go of her arm. Megan did not pull her arm away from his hand, but he felt that she would have soon. He did not know if Megan would find out who the mystery girl was, because Adam had the slight feeling that Megan had a little crush on him. It was at that moment that he realized that it might have been a mistake to ask Megan to do that. He could not take it back, though, so he turned his attention to Sean.

What is taking them so long in there? Adam said to Sean.

That is why I am waiting here, Sean replied. I saw that Compton had a baton in his hand. I hope he is not going to use it.

Adam saw that there was a little over a half-hour until the recreation room was to open, so he decided to go back up to his room. As he was walking away, he noticed that Sean was still staring at Kevin’s room. It seemed that Kevin would be there until someone came out, so Adam decided to leave him alone there.

While back in his room, Adam decided to look around again. He found that he also had a gym outfit, which consisted of a pair of sweatpants, sweatshirt, and a T-shirt. He was not sure how he missed seeing them earlier that day, but he quickly dropped that thought. As with the uniform, they were all the correct size for him. He then took a sneak look at the drawers of his roommate and saw that the sizes were slightly bigger than he was. His roommate’s gym sweat pants had the name of Donald Prindle on them. After seeing the name, he quickly put them back in the drawer.

Are you new here? a faint voice then asked.

Adam looked around and could not see anyone in his room. He looked under the bunk and in both closets. No one was there at all. It was almost as if he had imagined the voice. There then was a tapping sound that came from the wall by the bunk bed.

Are you new here? the voice asked again.

He then went over to the wall and said, I am new. Who are you?

There was silence for about a minute, until the voice said, My name is Mark Horner.

My name is Adam Foundry.

There was then another silence. During that silence, Adam looked around to see if there was an opening that made it easy for Mark’s voice to go through. He did not find anything until a small hole in the wall was spotted near the bottom on the bunk’s leg. It was about the size of a quarter and looked like it had been made by some sort of chisel or other sharp tool. Adam never would have noticed it if he had not been looking for it.

Welcome to the end of the line, Mark’s voice then said.

Adam replied, What do you mean?

I mean that this is the last House you will be at until you are eighteen, Mark said. Make sure that you are cautious in what you do.

Adam was about to ask Mark what he meant, but he then heard a sound. It was that of a door closing, and it sounded like it was next door. He was not sure if someone else was in Mark’s room at that time, and that person could be listening to their conversation. Even though they did not really say much to each other, Adam was still paranoid. He put his ear to the hole to see if there were any more sounds coming from Mark’s room. After about ten minutes of listening, he stopped trying to listen, as there had been nothing new.

A few minutes before seven arrived, Adam left his room. Then he went down to Megan’s room and knocked on her door. She did not answer, so he left after a few minutes. He looked down toward the recreation room and saw that some of his peers were outside its door. This included Sean and Megan. Adam then went down to the first floor and met up with them.

Where is Kevin? Adam asked.

Megan replied, I have not seen him since we left his room.

The door then opened to the recreation room. The teens all poured into the room rather quickly. Once Adam got in there, he saw that there were five wide-screen TVs, about a dozen couches, a few recliners, three video games, and two pool tables. There was also a large bulletin board by the pool tables. It seemed like a nice place for him and his peers to be. There was also both a men’s and women’s washroom in there.

The three of them decided to sit by one of the larger couches. Megan sat next to Adam on a couch, while Sean sat on a recliner. They were made of some cheap fabric that looked like it had seen better days. There were a few other kids by them, but Kevin was nowhere to be found in the room. That made Adam worry as to what happened to him.

How is it on your first day? a voice suddenly asked from behind Adam.

Adam turned around and did not answer. He saw that it was Kirk, the guy he met earlier. Adam introduced him to Megan and Sean, and afterward, he joined them, sitting next to Megan.

I saw you guys when you came in earlier today, Kirk said. I was in your shoes about a year ago.

How has it been for you? Megan asked as she played with the laces of her shoes, seeming to be nervous.

You get used to being here. I am in preparation of getting out of here in about a month. They told me that I can be a candidate to work for the State when I am done.

Sean asked, What happens if you do not want to be part of the State?

Kirk made a fake smile and then said, Well, that will be up to you. I want to have some sort of future, so I am going to try to be part of it. Not being part of it is much riskier than being part of it.

Adam asked, Is this part of what Stark told us about working with the county magistrate or something like that?

You are correct, Kirk said. I am not really allowed to talk about what it entails, but you will learn toward the end of your time here.

Adam noticed that Megan was staring at Kirk in almost a trancelike state. She definitely had a thing for him. It was also obvious that Kirk knew this, as he kept looking back at her as he spoke. In a way, Adam did not like it. He did not really have any feeling for Megan yet, but there was also the possibility that he would later. She was not a bad-looking girl. To Adam, it was probably a good thing that Kirk would be gone by the next month. The uneasiness that Kirk made him feel when they first met was still there.

Are you a guy that we can learn the ropes from at this place? Megan asked Kirk.

Adam thought, Can she make it any more obvious?

I know quite a bit about this place, Kirk replied. There are a few others here who will be leaving when I do, so they probably know as much as I do.

Megan then smiled and said, I look forward to it.

Would you like to shoot pool with me now, and we can talk about it? Kirk asked.

Megan’s grin got bigger, and she nodded. She then stood up, and Kirk offered her hand to him and she took it. They went over to the only empty pool table. Adam did not watch them walk away, but he noticed that Sean did. They both then looked at each other with the same look of irritation.

Well, I guess it’s just you and me now, Sean said.

Adam realized that he still had not seen Kevin since Compton was in his room. I wonder where Kevin is. I have not seen him since we left his room.

Sean replied, Yeah, I thought about that. It was kind of strange that Compton went into his room with that police baton. It was as if he wanted to punish him, but then again, I did not see any anger on his face.

A few seconds later, Adam noticed that the mystery girl was not in the recreation area. She was with another girl who was about her height and had dirty-blond hair. Adam had not seen that other girl before. It did not matter, though, as she was nowhere as good-looking to him as the mystery girl was. That and she did not seem to have the same aura from afar. Adam could not explain it, but he knew what he felt.

Both mystery girl and the other one sat on a couch near the other end of the room. No one else was around them, which pleased Adam. He thought that maybe they were new to the place, too, and that he could take advantage of that and get to know them easier. If they were new, he would not have much time to be one of the first people to get to know her.

Yes, I noticed her too, the one who is not blond, Sean said.

Adam tried not to smile, saying, Yes, there seems to be something about her.

There are actually quite a few cute girls here, Sean said.

Adam nodded and asked, What do you think of Megan?

I think she is cute, and would like to get to know more about her, but it looks like Kirk beat me to it. I know he is gone in about a month, so maybe after that.

Adam realized that he was going to have some competition here at the House and he had better try to make his move soon, ’coz if he did not, someone else would. He knew that being shy was something that had always been with him. It was not easy for him to go up to a girl and introduce himself. It was something that he had yet been able to change. The thought of going up to the mystery girl and doing that made his stomach turn.

What about that brunette over there? Adam asked, meaning the mystery girl.

Sean replied, You can go for it. I am not really interested. I think it would be nice to have someone here, but on the other hand, I also do not know what will happen in a year when I leave here. The future seems so uncertain.

Adam knew that Sean was right. He was a realist, and he knew that often people are not what you would hope they would be. On the other hand, he felt an instant attraction to the mystery girl, and he wanted to at least get to know her. If she was not what he liked, then it would most likely be easy to forget her after he left the House in a little over a year.

Why don’t you go over to her now and talk to her? Sean said.

Adam replied honestly, I have the feeling that I will mess it up if I go over there without any real reason to chat with her. She would probably see right through that and then think that I am a fool.

While trying to think of a good reason to approach the mystery girl, Adam looked over at Megan and Kirk, and he saw that they were already warming up to each other. Kirk was showing her how to play pool and was behind her, guiding the pool cue with his hands. After seeing that, Adam thought Megan was not the type of girl that he could possibly ever like. She was an attractive girl, yes, but was probably the type to hop from guy to guy if it best suited her.

After looking over at Kirk and Megan, he then noticed that both Compton and Coleman were in the room. There was also another gentleman there, and he was standing by the front door. He was a tall blond man with a leather glove on only one of his hands. Adam wondered if he had some sort of mechanical or wooden hand under that glove. It seemed very sinister to him that there was only one glove. He imagined that that hand could strangle any of the teenagers with its tight grip.

That guy with the leather glove is named Fletcher. He creepily introduced himself to me about an hour ago. I could not wait to get out of his sight. He had an aura that made me feel uneasy, Sean said.

I would have too. I will be back, Adam said to Sean as he stood up.

Adam started to walk over to where the mystery girl was. He thought to himself that he had better not trip as he walked over there. If he did, he would feel everyone staring at him and pointing. This would include Sean, and he knew even the girl herself would do the laughing and pointing. It would be a nightmare for him.

Hello, ladies, how are you doing tonight?

The mystery girl and the other one both looked at him. He thought they would look at him as if he was weird, but they did not. The mystery girl smiled, and the other one did too. Adam started to feel a little more confident in himself after that.

My name is Lila, and this is Kelly, the mystery girl said.

Adam paused for a minute and then started to feel dizzy. Lila had been on his mind since he got to the place, and now he knew. It had only been a short time, but it had seemed much longer than that. It was at that time that he realized that he was not looking at them and was instead looking at the wall as he was pondering the situation. He then started to look at Lila again.

I see that you are a new recruit here, Lila said.

I am, and I don’t know what to make of it yet, he replied.

As he was looking at Lila, it felt as if the whole room was watching him. He took a quick glance around, and no one except Sean was looking at him. That made him let out a sigh of relief that was quiet enough for Lila to not notice. If everyone were looking at him at that time, he would probably have blushed and then not known what to do.

Adam did not like silence. What are you girls doing tonight?

Kelly replied, We are relatively new here too. We both got here about two weeks ago. We are just getting to know the place.

All of them then sat down at the closest set of couches. As he sat down, he looked over at Sean, and he noticed Sean was not where he was before but was instead with Kirk and Megan at the pool table. Because of that, Adam did not feel bad about leaving him alone there.

What do you girls think of this place? he asked.

They looked at each other, and Lila said, I like the food here, and this room, but the classes are boring and too preachy. You will see what I mean when you start classes on Monday.

Kelly said, I was at several schools before this one, and none of them were this way. I was used to being at places which were smaller and did not have such amenities.

Where was your last school? he asked.

It was in the Colorado territory, Kelly replied.

Lila said, Mine was in the North California territory. In fact, all of mine were there.

Adam was in the Iowa territory for all his schools, so he then realized that none of them had previous schools that were in the current territory of Wisconsin. He was pretty sure that was on purpose but did not know why that was. It was a safe bet that Sean, Kevin, and all the others had the same story.

When do you girls graduate from here?

Lila replied, Both of us will graduate from here in about a year and a few months. When is it for you?

Just over a year, Adam replied.

While Adam was sitting with the girls, he noticed that one of the TVs was on. On the screen there was some sort of news broadcast that showed a military conflict. He could not read the words on the screen clearly, but he thought it mentioned something about there being an uprising in the Florida territory or something like that. He had seen similar headlines like that when he watched news broadcasts at his old school. That time, it was about an uprising in the Ontario territory. There was also some rebellion in the Hawaiian islands. News broadcasts were not very informative when he watched them, though, as they mostly said that insurgents were pressing for anarchy and that they would be quelled within a few months. It was never revealed whether that happened or not.

Is this what everybody does on their downtime here at the House? Adam asked.

There is a lot to do. Many people come in here, but there are other things. There is a library in the basement, a sauna on this floor, a small theater, and of course, there is the workout room on the fourth floor. All in all, there is enough to keep us busy. I just wish there were TVs in our rooms, but that is not so, Lila replied.

Kelly added, They do not let us do much in our rooms except sleep and study.

Adam thought about Kevin. A couple of us were in another person’s room earlier, and they made us get out. The adult who had us get out did not look happy.

Where is that person now? Lila asked.

I do not know, Adam replied. I was actually going to ask you if there was some sort of punishment when that happened.

Lila looked at Kelly and said, Yes. Even though I have only been here two weeks, I have already seen what they do.

They will put the person in a room in the basement. I have not been there, but I have heard about it, Kelly said.

Adam’s