Free Minds

Chapter 38.

A/N: Vote now so you don't forget!🙂

"You're saying they brought it up out of nowhere?" Mum scanned the consent form Tali had spent an hour working on for the third time after her question.

   It had taken much more time to come up with the right story that could convince Mum of my reasons for leaving our home today. By the time Talise and I were done, the draining feeling we experienced went beyond the physical.

   When you had to lie to a strong, black, single mother juggling a job, med school and a daughter, it did things to your soul.

   Terrible, terrible things.

"No, not really." I resisted the urge to crumble under her eyes that switched over to peer at me. "It's a kind of compensation for how Liberation Week went down...that parents have to pay for. Well, except me."

"When this," she gestured to the letter. "says that the scholarship covers the costs, what exactly does it mean?"

"The standard stuff; food, accommodation, transportation." The expression in her features from my response was nearly impossible to decipher.

"Okay, so if I allow you to go to..." she paused. "...uh, what's the name of the place again?"

"The Modern Village Center. Zavlon Academia taking its students on an educational trip to the Modern Village Centre." I refused to expose my frustration as I went ahead to elaborate further on the place...again.

   It was currently the most talked about venue for its ability to create a blend of the history, technology and innovations of prehistoric, classical, middle ages and the early modern periods with that of the modern era. The creators of the venue also included their own futuristic tech and innovations.

   It had been the most visited site in the world since its initial launch two years ago and attracted the most influential bodies in the world of science and technology. It was the perfect place for Zavlon Academia to choose for a field trip, enough for Mum to swallow this lie hook, line and sinker.

"Right. Assuming I allow you to go to this place, will we be able to get your luggage and everything else ready in time? Let me check the date. They should've given you at least three to five days to prepare." My mother examined the paper in her hold. "We still can't take any chances, tho—"

   Her abrupt silence was an indication that she'd seen the date on the fake form. The tense atmosphere that built between us went straight to trigger my shaky hands.

"Beth." The daring tone triggered befitting flashbacks.

"Yes? Mummy?"

   Suddenly, I was taken back to my younger years. I was between the ages of four and ten once more, standing over a glass bowl or cup I had broken after showing Mum a dance routine she wasn't interested in seeing in the first place. I was getting my head stuck in a traffic cone I was warned to ignore. I received the worst smack in my life after deciding to make myself the lab rat of one of my first ever machine remakes which resulted in my being put on bed rest for a broken arm and leg.

   This was caused by the machine, not the smack.

   Thankfully.

"This says it's tomorrow." My mother seethed. "You're supposed to leave for Zavlon Academia tomorrow."

"Yeah," I said.

"And you deemed it prudent to tell me only today? During my lunch break at the hospital?" The disapproving stares her yell attracted didn't faze her. "I'm pretty sure you won't have any trouble predicting whether I'm allowing you."