Free The Declaration by Gemma Malley Page A

‘Maybe My Place is in another dormitory. Or on the corridor. Or on the Outside. Maybe My Place is somewhere completely different. What then?’
    She stared at Anna for a moment, then tossed her head back and charged towards the door, opening it and motioning for the other Surpluses to join her. Charlotte followed cautiously, and Anna pulled Sheila back.
    ‘You stay here,’ she ordered. ‘You stay right here.’
    Slowly, she marched out into the corridor to survey the scene. Tania and Charlotte were running down the corridor, knocking on dormitory doors and screaming out ‘Know Your Place, Surpluses, Know Your Place.’ One or two doors opened and nervous-looking female Surpluses poked their heads out; they were soon dragged into the corridor by Charlotte or Tania.
    Anna slammed her own dormitory door to get their attention.
    ‘You will get back inside,’ she shouted, ‘and you will all go to bed. Now.’
    Tania looked at her and laughed. ‘Or what, Surplus Anna? Or you’ll tell us off? Run to House Matron?’
    ‘Or I’ll beat you myself,’ Anna said fiercely. ‘You are Surplus, Tania, and you are to behave as a Surplus, to follow the rules and do as you are told. You have no right to exist, Surplus Tania, and if you can’t behave properly, then . . .’
    ‘Then what?’ Tania asked. Her eyes were wild and she looked dizzy with exhilaration.
    ‘Then you will be sent to Solitary.’
    Silence fell along the corridor and Tania’s face went white as Mrs Pincent suddenly appeared.
    ‘And beaten,’ Mrs Pincent continued, walking towards Anna, her face impenetrable. ‘Anna, I heard you offer to beat Tania yourself. I would be most obliged.’
    Anna looked at Mrs Pincent uncertainly. She had never been asked to beat a Surplus before. Surpluses weren’t supposed to raise their fist to anyone, not outside the strictures of the game.
    ‘Now,’ Mrs Pincent said forcefully. ‘So that everyone can see what happens to a Surplus who thinks they are above the rules, who thinks that they can do as they please and insult Mother Nature and humankind’s generosity in keeping them alive.’
    Anna moved hesitantly towards Tania, who looked at her defiantly.
    ‘Hit her,’ ordered Mrs Pincent, who was now walking towards her. ‘Make her know her Sins. Help her to learn from her mistakes and to understand what being a Surplus means. Make her see that she is unwanted, a burden; that every step she takes along these corridors are steps that she has stolen. Make her see that she is worthless, that if she dies no one will care, that in fact the world will be better off with her not trespassing on it. Make her understand all that, Anna.’
    Mrs Pincent’s voice was low and menacing, and Anna found herself trembling. Tania had to understand, she told herself. Tania had to learn, for her own sake. For all their sakes.
    Slowly, she drew her hand back to swipe Tania across the face. Tania looked at her for a moment, then her eyes flicked up to Mrs Pincent and back again. And then she smiled at Anna, a mocking smile full of hatred and contempt.
    Anna held her gaze for a second or so, and pulled her hand back again. Frustration and anger were bubbling up inside her and she wanted to vent her rage, but somehow she couldn’t do it. However much she wanted Tania to Learn Her Place, she couldn’t hit her. And the realisation frightened her, particularly as another smile began to wend its way across Tania’s face.
    ‘Hit me then,’ Tania hissed. ‘Go on. Or aren’t you as tough as you think, Surplus Anna?’
    Anna stared at her, but still she found herself paralysed.
    ‘Thank you, Anna,’ Mrs Pincent said eventually. ‘Surplus Tania will spend the rest of the night in Solitary, as will Surplus Charlotte, after spending some time in my office. The rest of you will forfeit breakfast tomorrow and will have additional chores every evening this week.’
    Immediately, the look of insolence in Tania’s eyes was replaced by fear, and