This is a short story that I wrote a while ago, in the middle of the night. Sometimes you just have to write down the things that go through your brain, then you can sleep... ;)

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I am a spy for the government. There are several of us, trained from birth. We are stationed in the schools across Canada and paid to identify the students (and their families) whom we suspect may be against their government. From birth we are trained to remain distant, and to pay close attention to our surroundings and the conversations of those around us, choosing to listen and comprehend rather than take part in discussions. Even when we appear to be preoccupied and unobservant, we are listening.

The old system for keeping us distant involved our changing districts (district means school) every so often. It was a way of training us in remaining unattached and a way of training us in remaining detached, but recently the government has rethought this approach. They have considered how suspicious this constant movement may be perceived and have decided upon a new system which allows us to remain in one district for up to four years before transferring. This new system comes with risks, of course, so it is currently in test mode with a few spies in each province set as guinea pigs and the rest as controls. The tests have concluded that each spy reacts differently to this new situation, some adjusting well and others becoming too attached to the people around them and jeopardizing the missions they are ordered to complete.

This new system has brought about many questions, the most pressing of which, for the government, is whether or not they should spend more money on the project to develop an examination that would help determine which of the two systems is right for a certain spy or to just scrap the new system which might prove to be cheaper. While these government officials argue about this concern, I find myself wondering why none have suggested that the whole program be extinguished. I laugh inwardly every time someone suggests that we are a democracy, and even more so when it is a social studies teacher, for, of course, I know the truth, that we are in fact a dictatorship in the guise of a democracy.

Have you ever been in a class that has had a student absent and the excuse was either that the student was tremendously ill, injured or there was no known excuse at all? Those are generally just excuses meant to keep people from getting suspicious about the student’s disappearance and are meant to cover up the fact that the government suspects them of harboring bad thoughts of the government, or of treason. These students have, in fact, been pulled from school for questioning then are mind wiped and brain washed to confirm the excuse and support the government. Worse examples are students that suddenly disappear permanently from school and the explanation for these is that they are major treason case and the government must remove them from society before they can develop a following.
For those spies who prove their worth and loyalty, their families are protected against such assaults and suspicion and are given certain liberties, such as freedom of speech, and clout in government decision making, which all Canadian citizens believe they have. The families of loyal spies may even have government jobs.

A certain joy of mine is receiving confirmation that a suspect I have named truly is what I have thought, that is, against the government. I feel elated that I have done my life long job well and have aided my government in keeping its resistance down. Another joy is at being so unsuspicious that not even those that believe themselves close to me has realized or even suspected my intentions. I have seem fellow spies get caught when they get too close emotionally to the subjects of their jobs. That is why, though I appear to care, I am truly indifferent about the affairs of my peers. I am always guarded against emotional contact and connection, which would be the worst threat to my career, and possibly my existence.

Close examination and deliberateness are key, distraction an injury to my resolve. Such distractions include large gatherings, known as ‘parties’ by my peers, as well as getting emotionally involved to a peer of the opposite gender, called a ‘boyfriend’. We are generally conservative in our dress, although, have been trained to follow the fads of the year, ever changing our looks, to blend in.

After completing school our mission is complete and we are free to pursue what ever other dreams we may have had. That is if we make it that far. If we are caught or turn against our leader, the Canadian Government, we are treated just as every other citizen and dealt with through mind wipe and brain wash methods, as is our family, and we are turned out of the program and monitored like the rest of the Canadian population. If we make it to the end of our term we are aided in getting a new job and then a special mind wipe technique is applied to us. We then remember everything about the program but are unable to reveal anything about it. This means, not that we are sworn to secrecy, but that we are physically unable of accomplishing the task.
The agents of a district meet periodically to compare suspicions and consult each other’s opinions about their evidence. No agent is ever solely responsible for any catch.

Having related to you everything that I know of the project, I feel that I will have my mind cleared of any memory of it and so I trust you to inform the nation of our mislead lives. Beware, however, the consequences and be careful in the task I have set to you. It would be beneficial to you to gather others to help you spread the word, but do not try to re-inform me, because I will be watched more carefully after my betrayal.

This story is fictional and in no way true.

Unknown "Hailey Comet" Calm - 16 years, 2 months, 19 days ago