First Paragraph

Beckett sauntered to the back of the bus, pushing the bothersome seat straps out of his way as he sat. It was no secret that, twenty years ago, buses didn’t have the full body harnesses, nor were schools at a constant 72° with entirely indoor hallways to protect youth from the winter cold that used to cause so much sickness, and the summer heat that once even caused people to faint. In such a carefully orchestrated society, youth were vital resources and were therefore thoroughly protected.