Abandoned in the Maze Author:Michael Berg In the United States, abortion is illegal, which has led to a further split in the classes. The affluent upper class send their pregnant daughters to Europe where they obtain a legal (in Europe that is) prescription for the abortion pill. Those less fortunate Americans give birth, obtain illegal abortions or perform dangerous self-abortions. Thu... more »s the prison industry is booming with women incarcerated, mostly with minorities who make up much of the poor.
Cheryl Cobb raises her two daughters, seventeen year old Irene and twelve year old Rita, by herself. She works full time as a waitress and as liaison at the women's civil rights group Pop-Con. When Cheryl is arrested and handcuffed in front of her children as a dangerous lawbreaker for her Pop-Con work, her daughters are forced into the state run Trench Center where they are separated and retrained. Irene never sees momma or Rita again as she is treated as a state prisoner, who must be drugged at all times because the facility makes more money for medicated than non-medicated. Irene's only hope is when she turns eighteen; the state will dump her on the street as human waste.« less