It was a bright cold day in April. The was clock striking thirteen.

Me and the others were rounded up into the line for our history class. I love history, but it makes me sad that I couldn’t have lived in the times we were learning about. My teacher mrs Tennyson handed out textbooks that get specially printed for the girls in this institution. “ the complete history of the early 2000s “ was enblazed on the front of each dark red textbook. Mrs Tennyson was the best teacher. She rarely taught from the textbooks and more from her brain. She was born in 2005 so recounted her own memories on the time period we were studying. She had to be careful though. We weren’t supposed to know, but we all knew she had been told to miss parts out. Parts that might put our government into a bad name.Every so often the Sargent comes into the room to check miss Tennyson is not talking about the wrong things.

We opened our textbooks to the year 2021. The title was always government related so we didn’t need to ask what part of the year we talk about. Miss Tennyson started writing on the board and said in her raspy voice.

“ right now class gov20, write the title Coronavirus 2020 down in your books, and the keywords for today’s lesson are Pandemic, Communicable, Social-distancing and..” she gulped nervously “... and The new beginning”

We looked at each other because this was the first time we had heard the new beginning said before. Maisie Dickenson from my house room leant over to me and said “do you think this has something to do with the year 2021?”

The year 2021 is not mentioned in any textbook printed by the government. All we know is that year the institution was set up. It was when all the kids were put into government care like this. What happened to the parents you might ask? Nobody knows. Or they do know and won’t tell a soul.

At that moment, Sargent salt burst open the door and we all jumped. Even miss Tennyson.

“Miss Tennyson?” He said staring into her cold frightened eyes

“Yes” she replied nervously, gripping the hem of her skirt.

“I heard you mention the words new beginning. Is this correct?”

“Yes Sargent salt. It was in the textbook I promise” she said panicked.

Sargent took that book and ripped it in half. Miss Tennyson and The whole class jumped in horror.

“Back to your rooms now” he barked at us. And we all raced to collect our books and run down the bare corridor.

Maisie was next to me.

“Gosh Freya, I think I was right. I think the new beginning isn’t as innocent as it’s name suggests”

“I think you’re right. I think that this could be bad. Really bad”

And it was. From that day on nothing was the same again.