Chapter 4; Somewhere in Russia
Children crowded the streets, each one silent. They marched to school, a mass so huge the streets had to be cleared to get them all there. Each one clicked clacked in their boots, their faces expressionless. All except one; Little Octavia.
She watched from above, her pale blue eyes teary. Her long brown hair cascaded down her back. Unlike the others, she wasn't… she wasn't like them, to say the least. "Mama," she asked as she watched them march to school, "why are they like that?" Her mother, who had been sewing, sighed, "Daddy paid a lot so you would never turn out like that. Just remember that… Remember."
Octavia moaned. Of course she knew.
Her father, who was had lots of political power, could buy anything for her and her mother. One thing was her freedom. "Oh, babinka, don't you fret. Lobotomies don't hurt them. Not in the least bit! Why, I actually wanted you to get one."
Octavia's face turned toward her mother, as she muttered, "Why, mother? I would not submit to that kind of… torture." Her mother's lovely smile faded. Then, as she stared at her daughter, she squinted her eyes and said,
"Children need to be obedient, and maybe I should convince Mosos to get you one after all, hmm?" The woman laughed triumphantly. Octavia took a deep breath and held back tears, "Father loves me. He wouldn't do something as horrid as that…" Her mother, changing her tone, lost all control of her emotions. Her voice turned shrill as she whispered coldly, "Well then we'll see where his loyalties lie."
Octavia's face drained pale. In the midst of World War 2, her city was under attack, but she and her family had been spared. Now, Russia was practicing all kinds of new things, including physiological attacks.
For now, Octavia felt safe, like she was still free. But, how long would she stay free minded when her own mother, and the government were trying to take this freedom away?
Then again, how bad would it be?