chapter 1: rules

And so it began, the final year of high school. Students woke up slowly to their blood curdling alarms and, in an almost comatose state, begrudgingly walked to school. Being with friends made it easier, but everyone was feeling the same. Hell awaited.
* * *

As she walked through the doorway to the school she had spent a third of her life at, Eli began to wonder weather things would ever change in this shit-pit they called a school.
The head, Mrs McMcain, began the welcome assembly that Eli had heard four times prior, she explained the 'school policies', and how these five years would 'go by in a flash' so you better enjoy it while you can. The first years hung on every syllable she produced hoping that they would actually learn something necessary in these first twenty minuets of attendance. As Eli's eyes began to wander she worked slowly down the hall seeing a steady decline in the amount of fucks given by each student. This was to be expected. Weird to think that once she was a keen 11 year old ready to learn about science, maths and shit and try and get the best test results this school had ever seen.
Now, four years later, had had lost all hope, her grades had dropped from high to passable to downright hopeless; her only hope, thought most didn't believe it, was her athletic skill. Even though she was short, stocky looked a little chubby she was a 1500m champ. She was made of 135lb and 5ft 2in of pure muscle that helped her power through the track.
Anyway; I digress, she was in the welcome assembly fighting off the bliss of sleep that she had torn herself from earlier that morning when something Mrs McMcain said. "A new company will be in charge of out cafeteria; they are held in high regard so expect something special." this excited Eli. For too long she had put up with watery pasta and stale sandwiches, and though she was an athlete; she loved food. The head continues, "but don't get carried away as, sadly, obesity rates in children have been raising so every student will need to have five hours of exercise in their timetable to battle this curse." she said this in a short and patronising way, "so what if I get fat," Eli thought, "I can do what I want. That whore can't tell me what to do" of course she new this was nonsense, if she lost her body, she would have nothing.
Mrs McMcain drivelled on with nothing important, but as the girls got up to leave she demanded we take our seats to listen to Miss Raliff, the head of behaviour, on the new rules that had been set. This confused Eli, as not once had they even tried to keep kids in line. What was the deal now? She began.
"As we are an all girls school, the government have granted us use of a very effective, new form of punishment that, legally, can only be used in our situation."
"Oh shit" Eli exhausted under her breath
"Teachers will now have power over what you are wearing.
"Huh?"
"If you are obedient, you can wear what you want, if not, Teachers will be able to confiscate any piece of clothing the so desire" this took a while to settle in.
"Fucking perverts!" a particularly observation year 10's was the first to react. The tone of the hall was quickly changed.
It took 15 minutes for the staff to gain control. Chairs had been thrown, along with punches and curses, but all the girls were finally quiet. This was when we discovered this was no joke. Mrs Raliff grabbed the first girls arm, Malia her name was poor girl, and pulled her to the front of the hall.
"This is no joke," she screamed at the top of her lungs, "we are not kidding, to show you, take of you shirt Malia"
"What! No way" however one short whisper into the girls ear and the game had change. Her face dropped and so did the button on the shirt. Slowly, this poor girl exposed her bra and stomach, she was a confident girl, especially her body, but this was too much for anyone. As she gave her shirt over, her dignity was given with is.
"you may leave now" Mrs Raliff explained with a cool control of fear over the girls, everyone got up in silence and left the hall.
"This may be worse than I thought" Eli feared what would happen.