Chapter Ten

A blindfold was placed over Jacob's eyes and he was carried out of the factory by two guards. The blindfold, being too tight, squeezed his eyes. Every time he tried to fight back, he was either hit with a stick or tased.

Eventually, Jacob was violently shoved into a chair and tied up. As the blindfold was removed, Jacob saw JN Peloscer standing before him. She was clearly very angry.

"I don't get it." Peloscer blurted out. "I've given everything to you people. Why aren't you grateful, you — !"

Jacob was stunned. He knew Peloscer was evil but he thought she had enough class to not say.... that word.

"I've been studying real history. And now, I know your type." Jacob said. "Politicians kept in their bubbles, not knowing what it's really like to be human anymore. You just sit around, confident that you'll get re-elected because you keep the people too busy fighting over trivial things like race and sex to notice the fact you're just as racist and sexist as you claim them to be!"

"Alright, I've had enough. Bring him in." Peloscer said as she pointed in the direction of big locked doors.

It had just become apparent to Jacob that he was in the guard area of state re-education center. As the doors were unlocked and pulled open, the blindfold was put back on Jacob.

He was picked up and carried in. The next time the blindfold was removed, Jacob found himself chained to the ceiling. His arms were burning from being pulled out of their sockets. A guard walked in holding a cattle prod.

"Hello, Mr. Carroway." the guard said. "How are you."

"Tell Peloscer to let me go!" Jacob yelled.

"Why, Jacob, that's not very nice to say." the guard condescended. "You know, this is for your own protection."

"Don't patronize me!" Jacob demanded.

"You know what we call that?" the guard asked, calmly. "We call that hate speech."

"There's no such thing as hate speech!" Jacob said. "This country was founded on the idea of free speech."

The guard shook his head no while turning on the cattle prod.

"No," he said. "this country was founded on horrible, racist ideas until the heroes saved us from it."

"That's not true." said Jacob "That's just what you want me to believe."

The guard thrust the cattle prod into Jacob's side.

"Ow!" Jacob yelled.

"Anymore lies like that and I'll turn up the voltage." the guard explained. "Now, how about we talk about... gender?"

"Uh oh." thought Jacob.

"How many genders are there?" asked the guard.

"Um...two." Jacob muttered.

"How many!?" the guard asked as he poked Jacob with the cattle prod.

"Oww!" Jacob yelled. "Infinite?!"

The guard jabbed Jacob again.

"Ah!" screamed Jacob. "What do you want me to say?"

"Gender is fluid." explained the guard. "It's the science of feeling. You can be whatever you want to be and since everyone is different, there are infinite genders."

"Isn't that what I said?" Jacob asked.

The guard zapped Jacob.

"Ah!" Jacob yelled in agony.

"Now, say it with me." the guard said. "Black lives matter."

"All lives matt- ow!." Jacob said as the guard zapped him.

"It is hate speech to say things like that." the guard said. "Say it."

Jacob spat in the guard's face and was jabbed with the cattle prod.

"Say it!" the guard demanded.

"Black lives matter." Jacob said reluctantly.

"Good." said the guard. "Now say: I have internalized racism."

"No." Jacob said.

The guard stabbed him with the cattle prod repeatedly.

"Say it!" demanded the guard.

"I have internalized racism." Jacob said, struggling to catch his breath.

"Good." the guard said. "Now say: capitalism is evil and communism is good."

"Communism is the one that's ev- Ow!" screamed Jacob as he was shocked by the guard. "Capitalism is evil and communism is good."

"Now we're getting somewhere." the guard said, his face twisted into a sick grin.