The barbed wire fences line the perimeter of the compound. A pristine white two-level box is detached from the main building. Its sterile look resembles that of gas chambers. The pungent smell of toxins and chemicals contained within are vestiges of some forgotten massacre. It is dictated that 12:45 is the magic number in which no captive should leave the restricted area.

One might question the presence of escape routes. There are, indeed but chances are slim. The only unscreened areas are grossly red and scream “Keep away!”  The bars are deliberately built diagonal, much to the amusement of those who witness people sliding leftwards. Another incentive to pass pull-ups for NAPFA.

Yes, this is the modern day version of a concentration camp with high security.

If one has been groggily unaware, the people pressing their thumbs to technical gadgets protruding from the walls just outside the 1^st level washrooms, are actually subjects of a scientific experiment to gauge the efficiency of monitoring our every move and confirm our identity. Needless to say, before this was deduced to be so, multiple interpretations arose. My friend thought odd martians were wondering around, fiddling with the electrical impulses in our schools. Alas, they are successful in meddling with the WIFI (or absence of) connection in the concourse and disrupting the abundance of signals that radiate from LT5. Of course, this also explains the screeching siren at approximately 3.31pm, 16/04/10.  Aha! This is also the very reason that enthusiastic people giving out flyers at the school gates dare not intrude into this personal alcove of ours.

At the very least, personal monitoring is accompanied with excellent service. A bright cheery female voice responds with a saccharine voice, overtly thankful for our arrival in schools. After hearing her voice, we melt, why did we even think of the option of ponning?

One feels a sense of surreal reality. True, it is very GATTACCA. Soon, one has to purge oneself of all alien hair to remain aligned to his/her identity.

Ponder on this: “Freedom has many difficulties and democracy is not perfect, but we have never had to put a wall up to keep our people in, to prevent them from leaving us.” – President John F. Kennedy in his speech “Ich bin ein Berliner” on June 26, 1963. Parallel drawn. Will we one day, come to a state of utopia that people would enjoy school and not want to leave? Hmm…