“NO!” said Hector, shocking even himself. He pulled himself to his feet, wiping away the drool that had covered his face in his mindless rapture. Hector knew that there was something hypnotic about this place, about this woman. But he’d never been easy to hypnotize despite all the relaxation CD’s and secession his son had made him go to to boost his self-confidence and he’d never, ever wanted to fit in (at least, he thought he didn’t, maybe he did, maybe she was right, maybe he should worship her and obey her and-). He had to stop this, he had to save everyone. If he knew one thing from all the books he’d read and the ideas he’d learned, it was that somebody had to save everybody from the person trying to take away freedom. Freedom was special. Everyone knew that, even politicians. Freedom was good, freedom was what people shouted in war movies and sang about in inspiration songs. He’d always believed, despite his physical weakness, his social problems, his loneliness and his uselessness with girls, that he would need to do something like this someday. “No!” he said again, trying to think of something else to say.
“Ah” said the Head-Mistress, her thin smile broadening into a wide grin exposing a mouth full of perfect white teeth and a wet, eagerly roaming tongue. “A strong one.”
Holly forced herself to her feet, her face burning with shame. The others sat, empty eyed and open mouthed while Hector stood, with a look of uncertainty on his face, before the vision that was the Head-
Mistress. Holly didn’t know what was making it so hard to think. It wasn’t just the voice or the eyes; there was a smell in the air, something thick and sweet diluting the room’s atmosphere. She resisted the urge to breath it in deeply, to savior it and let it reduce back to… back to that state… of mindless bliss. She hated this place, this hated how confused it made her feel.
She had no time to waste thinking though, Victoria, who been standing smiling vacantly while the Head-Mistress gave her enchanting speech, was moving towards Hector, bull whip raised. Holly threw herself at her from behind, grabbing her round the waist and forcing her to the group. Victoria was far stronger than Holly, and almost threw her off but she clung on and put all her wait down onto the slavers back. Yes, that’s what these people were. That’s what the government had been hiding. Slavers, slavers had infiltrated the British government, slavers had contacts with the Arms Industry, slavers were stealing away troublesome teenagers from their parents and friends and making them into living dolls, dressing them all alike and making them drill like robots and rut like animals. Slavers were beating her, dragging her off Victoria, hauling off Hector while the other new arrivals dribbled mindlessly at the scene. There was boys here now, dressed in black uniforms like Victoria was wearing, with strong arms and rounded shoulders, grunting as Holly hit at them. They handed her over to the Victoria’s girls, who held her with surprising strength and began to drag her from the room, at the other end of the hall, she could she Hector being pulled away by the black uniformed boys. She had to stop this, but she didn’t know how. The Head-Mistress was laughing and the other demonstrators, no, they weren’t demonstrators anymore, just teenage chattel mindlessly gaping at the world around them with uncomprehending eyes thick with trance, were being herded into groups and lead out of the room. She tried to scream, but suddenly something smelled so sweet and thick she couldn’t breathe or keep her eyes upon. All she could manage was a gurgle before she became unconscious.