She turned on her bedside lamp. It flickered a little but stayed on. The despotic governing regime had banned all use of electricity after 9 pm. They had threatened dire consequences if caught, but did not say what would happen. People suspected that the punishment could be as much as firing squad.
Wendy picked up the novel she was halfway through reading. Would Henry and Cecilia make up and wander hand in hand out of suburbia and into each other’s hearts? What about Barbara? Would she still be deserted at the end by Boyd, her once amorous suitor? It was surely worth breaking the electricity ban to find out.
Yes! Barbara herself had abandoned Boyd on page 91 and was going out with philanthropist Warren.
Suddenly her bedroom door flung open. There stood two armed guards. Wendy had been caught breaking the electricity ban. She was arrested and taken away. Armed Guard Herman picked up the copy of Wendy’s romance novel and slipped it into his jacket pocket.
Of course the guards were simply obeying orders, but every job has its perks. All lawbreakers would be dealt with. But Armed Guard Herman’s suspicion was proved right; arresting people reading after 9 pm during an electricity ban was the best way to get ones hands on riveting novels.
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