Reforming Society •• OneRepublic {2}

Watchful Eye

Anonymous high school girl's P.O.V.

She brought herself to the cold counters in front of the mirrors and turned on the sink in the middle. She put some of the foamy, unscented soap in her hands and began to wash them while staring at her short blonde-haired, brown-eyed figure. She couldn't help but stare at her acne longer than she should've - why must she be plagued with puberty like so?

Not wanting to use the dryers, she desperately wiped her dripping hands on her jeans and walked out of the bathroom. Her teacher's pass swung around, the white string digging into her wrist uncomfortably. She hated the hallways when they were quiet. Her echoed footsteps were never welcoming, only the repeated sound of loneliness echoing off the walls.

She hated the halls because she always felt like someone was watching her, and this feeling had only started recently. It was, perhaps, the new government's flag hanging around, a square coated in the color of ripe cherries, but not nearly as sweet. On top of it was an eerie black eye, that of which was on their dollar bill. The Eye of Providence. The all-seeing eye. The eye of the autocratic horror that took over their nation and watched their every move. This was, perhaps, the reason why she could not walk without trembling. Just back in October, she used to think that in schools she was a bit safer - they had police officers and others who wanted to protect the students. But now, in the light of early spring, absolutely no one was safe.

One of the worst things she thought happened recently, aside from the Cleansing which was due to have its first siren this month, was the fact that in December, they had officially kicked out all of those who were not born in the states. Several million ended up leaving - including her own aunt and uncle, who were from Canada. She remembered seeing on the news that almost forty-seven million were forced out of the country. After they did that, they "shut the gates," and from there on out, no one was allowed to leave or enter the country, no matter what. They've trapped everyone in their own nation.

Then the intercom beeped and her vice principal's voice came on, bored and grim. The girl sighed. She knew what this was, and she hated it. Every morning during first period they had to do this. It still gave her shivers and they've been doing it four months.

"Good morning, Palm Valley High School. Now it is time for your daily anthem, so please rise, place your right hand to your heart, and look at the flag of the United States."

One of the first things the government changed were the rules concerning academics, from elementary to college. They got rid of the Pledge of Allegiance, just as they did the Constitution, and changed the national anthem. Now that was what they had to listen to every morning while staring back at the terrifying autocratic eye.

She put her hand over her heart and looked around for the flag. She found it closer than she wanted to, but nevertheless, stared at it as the same thing as before played on the intercom - it always sounded scratchy, and was clearly a choir of children singing. It was as if they wanted them to try to resist. After all, no doubt were they hacking into their cameras. They wanted to see if anyone wasn't making their pledge to the new government. If they were, no doubt would they be in trouble. She did not want to take that risk.

When it was thankfully over, she quickly took her hand away from her chest and continued to walk while the vice principal finished the morning announcement as he always did, ending with a hasty, "Thank you, and have a good day."

She made it back to her class and sat down among the tense, quiet students in her seat near the door. The teacher was talking about the United Kingdom and their war tactics. Ah, yes, the war. The government even changed what they were to learn about - Great Britain was now their worst enemy and they had to defeat them. She of course wondered what the other horrific changes in their nation had to do with the war, but she could not question it. Literally.