The Time Being by Antonia Honeywell

The Time Being by Antonia Honeywell is a short story.
    
     Here's a dystopian tale, set in the UK.  It's about a world where food and other necessities are delivered into the center of town- and you can't have any unless you have a card.  You can't go anyplace without this card because the world is under a type of martial law.

     This card could also grants little girl, 12-years old Lalla, access to Regent's Park- a place wheel children play in playgrounds in London, music and food a plenty.  But her parents tell her it's not real.  The place shown on the large screens, supplied by the military, is not real.  But she doesn't believe.

     This broken society is nothing like the London we know of.  The world is cruel and Lalla's parents want her to be satisfied with her like right now.  To be satisfied with her life for the time being.  To trust her parents and what they say and to never run away again.  

     First, I love anything UK, so when I spotted particular landmarks on the cover, I wanted the story.  I love the female's accent and she cooed me into a story that was very interesting.  And then it ended.  I wanted more, but of course, it's a short story.  I liked it but it was over way too soon.  ​