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Chapter 1:- PART 1: A Fearsome Reputation
"I'm going to be late for school!" Rolphe shouted, as he grabbed his lunch and slung his backpack over his shoulder.
"Just let me get my keys and we'll go," Debra called in return. She rounded the corner into her room, got her purse, and after unzipping it began looking though her things to find her keys in a non-frantic fashion. Rolphe's mother has always been such a calm person, even in the most hectic of situations.
"It's going to take at least twenty minutes to get through security, and then another ten minutes to get my ID and wristband," he informed her. Not that she didn't already know. The nation-wide security regulations for schools had been in place for awhile now.
"I'm sure they won't penalize you for being a little late on your first day"
"But that was Middlebury High. This is Langton High! They're testing the Monitor, remember? I'll never be able to get off the hook if I'm even a minute late! They'll have me in Guidance!" Rolphe had heard about Langton's Monitor, which had taken the nation's policy to an inhumane level, not giving kids the chance to make even one mistake.
Finally Debra found her keys, pulling them out in triumph. She came back into the hall.
"All right, I'm here. Let's go!" she exclaimed, and they headed out the front door.
***
The snow crunched underneath Rolphe's feet as he walked. He wasn't used to it; in his old town there was never any snow. He figured there would be a lot to learn about life in the North.
His mother's car would always be the same, though. Rolphe climbed into its warm interior and pulled his bag onto his lap. Debra was already in the driver's seat, and had turned on the radio. They rode over the snow and ice so unfamiliar to them and towards his new school. He was scared and nervous about several things, but these two topped his list: Being able to fit in, and the Monitor. The former was a natural worry, and one he could overcome with ease.
Rolphe just hoped the latter didn't meet up to its fearsome reputation.
"I'm going to be late for school!" Rolphe shouted, as he grabbed his lunch and slung his backpack over his shoulder.
"Just let me get my keys and we'll go," Debra called in return. She rounded the corner into her room, got her purse, and after unzipping it began looking though her things to find her keys in a non-frantic fashion. Rolphe's mother has always been such a calm person, even in the most hectic of situations.
"It's going to take at least twenty minutes to get through security, and then another ten minutes to get my ID and wristband," he informed her. Not that she didn't already know. The nation-wide security regulations for schools had been in place for awhile now.
"I'm sure they won't penalize you for being a little late on your first day"
"But that was Middlebury High. This is Langton High! They're testing the Monitor, remember? I'll never be able to get off the hook if I'm even a minute late! They'll have me in Guidance!" Rolphe had heard about Langton's Monitor, which had taken the nation's policy to an inhumane level, not giving kids the chance to make even one mistake.
Finally Debra found her keys, pulling them out in triumph. She came back into the hall.
"All right, I'm here. Let's go!" she exclaimed, and they headed out the front door.
***
The snow crunched underneath Rolphe's feet as he walked. He wasn't used to it; in his old town there was never any snow. He figured there would be a lot to learn about life in the North.
His mother's car would always be the same, though. Rolphe climbed into its warm interior and pulled his bag onto his lap. Debra was already in the driver's seat, and had turned on the radio. They rode over the snow and ice so unfamiliar to them and towards his new school. He was scared and nervous about several things, but these two topped his list: Being able to fit in, and the Monitor. The former was a natural worry, and one he could overcome with ease.
Rolphe just hoped the latter didn't meet up to its fearsome reputation.
