Day one of a scarlet education

Scene 2: Lunch

Arriving at the cafeteria for lunch by following other students, I looked around the Lunch room. Blue square chairs where connected from underneath to large plain grey tables, surprisingly clean after a whole grade of kids already ate in here. Walking up to pick up my Hay in a can’ off the trays, portioned in the same brownish amounts.

I saw my peers who were marked walk in, hanging their heads. They all spread out and sat at different tables, not allowed to get their lunch, including Lucius. I walked over and sat next to Lucius.

Deciding to talk to him, I racked up courage. “What is your favorite movie?” I pondered, trying to be nice.

“King Kong,” Lucius quoted, a smile barely peeking over his face.

“Ooo-Kaay.” Lucius seemed really sad about getting in trouble, though lightning up. Trying to continue to make conversation, I spoke again “My favorite movie is Miracle on 34th Street. One good thing that the humans brought, eh? I’m John Desmond Morrow, I’m ten years old and I was born in Williamsburg. My mother works at home and” as I said ‘and’ Lucius looked at me curiously, making me wonder why, but I continued cautiously. “My father wor-“ I stopped and looked at Lucius

He looking at me with a stare I had never seen before, it scared me. His mouth in a disappointed frown, but his eyes where sad and surprised. What did I do wrong?

He whispered harshly, “Your father isn’t dead? He isn’t taken away, doing heavy labor?”

I worried about telling him that my father worked for the government because the war is what killed their fathers. If the other kids found out he worked for the government they would sick me. However, it would not be out of jealousy, they need someone to blame that their fathers are dead. Even most of the parented children did not have a father. I often was trying to be more like my dad because he is the best guy ever.

Luckily, none of the other kids where paying attention to us to pick up on anything; they were busy talking to their friends. The people in Equestria had hardly communicated with the outside when the war started, the government called it “total war”. Us ponies were either piecing together weaponry for the army, hiding in a bomb bunker, or sleeping.

Other kids in this school never met their pops due to the fact that they were killed or their fathers were hauled off to be a laborers.  “I don’t have a dad, John. Almost everyone’s dad is dead”, Lucius said, in tune to my thoughts.

To try to be kinder to Lucius and restore our bond, I silently signaled to Lucius that I was going to pass some of the food to him.  The two human teachers on lunch duty stood, looking at us and frowning, up against walls. One of them left, heading for the restroom, I took it as an opportunity. Knowing that I would lose tomorrow’s lunch if I was caught, helping my friend was worth it.

The cafeteria lady almost saw me, but I made it look like I was stretching, and faced her. When she looked away I slid one of the cans across the table to Lucius. She turned back to face us as the can slid across the table, filling my heart with dread.

She walked over and marked my name tag yellow. “And that is for tomorrow.” Then she colored Lucius’ red. She left us sitting dumbfounded.

Trying to continue our conversation, I kept talking, “Do you want to do a study group tonight? It gets us extra credit.”

“Sure, why not. It will make up for the points we lost for getting in trouble.” I smiled at him, gratefully.

The lunch bell ringing, I went along to my next class, which Lucius was not in. I felt sorry for him and all the other kids missing their parents, unlike them I was privileged.

•

After lunch I had a class on how and why the C.C.C changed all of our coats red and eliminated all unicorns and pegisi. To mark us as equal, they even made us use human names. Then, I had the next class, brainwash defense

•

I had the same teacher, Mrs. Coleman, who started talking, “In this class we will learn ‘Brain wash defense’. It is to make sure Celestia or Luna didn’t try to brain wash you, which would be terrible. I will ask a question; ‘Do you do what your parents tell you to do?’” No one raised their hand expect for Billy, jumping up and down, the teacher ignored him. “John. Will you answer this question for us?”

“Well, uh, you are supposed to do what your parents tell you. I try to, but sometimes I will not listen.”

“That is the WORST answer you could have given!” the teacher yelled so loud that my peers in the back cringed.

She and I sighed as she marked my name tag red.

“Billy! I hope you give a better answer than John.” Now her face turned back to a smile instantly as she called Billy’s name. The few fillies who noticed something was wrong were hiding it; I was alone and embarrassed.

“Well, you should only do it if it is a basic command! I learned that in study,” my fellow student Billy cried, the teacher smiled and nodded, Billy smiling exited to be correct. Then Mrs. Coleman wrote this on the board:

A basic order is the following:

• To eat or drink a certified beverage or food

• Government approved commands

• Certain government approved disciplines

A strange thought occurred to me, was it possible that the royal family and my parents are wrong? Or was the C.C.C. trying to brain wash me like the speeches said? Could my parents be trying to brainwash me like the C.C.C says? Dismissing the thought, I listened to the teacher.

Erasing the previous words, Mrs. Coleman drew this picture:

“This was in one of the most famous American movies, even before the C.C.C. came to be.” She said with a smile.  “We don’t think that. You can be close to and love your parents. The government and the C.C.C. love you just as much, or more. What if your parent’s where rebelling against the government though? They might be deceived by other people, when the government is really trying to help you.”

Listening to what she was saying, most of my peers where nodding intently or were bored. A few where hiding their disgust, and I was with them. Even though I didn’t trust Mrs. Coleman, it was still confusing. I wanted her to be wrong. Then, what if the C.C.C was right? Is it better if we all are on an equal level and no one dominates? However, wouldn’t they be hypocritical by having a dictator, attacking other countries, or even having jobs’ like my own father’s?

Then in America, from their world they would have people starve to death on the streets or become hoboes and beg for money? Were my parents really too soft in disciplining me or was the C.C.C. to cruel? Were my parent’s or the C.C.C. trying to brainwash me, or both?

Distracted by the onslaught of questions, the teacher picked me to take the assessment. I walked up to the board and realized what they wanted me to do. I could see how they were trying to brainwash me. Though I don’t believe in their correct answer, the school would punish me severely if I didn’t’ do the test correctly. I went up to the board and erased the parents from the child’s hoof.