Chapter 74
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Monday September 5th was Eve's final day of summer vacation, and she spent the second half of it working at Ravenwood. Before that she went to the movies. At Ravenwood Eve typed what she was given, answered calls when they came, but spent much of her shift reading the Koran. After work Eve went home. watched a little tv before bed. Eve was nervous about starting school again tomorrow. This year would be busier than usual. Between school, Ravenwood, and apparently becoming a sidewalk counselor, she'd have very little time for herself. Then again, with 1049 days until impact, these weren't bad ways to keep her mind occupied. Eve's mom used to make her a big breakfast for the first day of school. Tuesday morning Eve woke up and ate cereal and donuts. She walked to her school and was told to go to assembly. Vice-principal Harris was there, as was the new principal, ms Bauer. Principal Bauer made a speech, and introduced herself.
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Bauer: Hello, I'm your new principal. I understand last year this school became somewhat lax in it's enforcement of its policy regarding attendance and open-book tests. You will now e given guides to help you study for exams, that is all. Anyone with an un-excused absence will be given detention. Ten such absences will result in expulsion. Vandalism, grafitti, violence against fellow students and/or faculty members will result in suspension, or expulsion. That is the bad news. The good news is that you all start this year with a clean slate. If you cut or vandalized last year, that no longer matters. The past is prologue, the future is what matters now. You may have noticed we now have metal detectors and security guards to ensure that you have a violence-free school environment. The ciriculum has also changed somewhat. Your classes will include agriculture, technology, introduction to medicine. It is our job to adequately prepare you for the future. I admit that some of your previous classes seemed obsolete, given the times. That will change immediately. I have faith that you can adapt. Many of your peers have chosen not to come back here. They've become drug-addicts, gotten involved in illegal enterprises, even committed suicide. But you've returned. You're willing to put in the work to ensure your future. We will help prepare you for that future.