The future of high school

I tried to take a calming breath as my exam was set in front of me.

The ACT.

Around the room, the rest of the tests were being handed out by teach-techs. They were exam editions, so their silver cylinder bodies were slimmer to fit between the rows. They had better cameras to search for cheaters, and their microphones were fine tuned to better hear our heartbeats. In addition to that, our heartbeat speakers were louder than normal, so the sound reverberated through the room.

LUB DUB.

LUB DUB.

I fidgeted with my heartbeat speaker tucked in my front pocket—one of my nervous habits.

Focus.

I looked at the first question.

Stay calm.

I skimmed the long passage and studied the graphs.

You have plenty of time. Don’t panic.

I heard someone say that the ACT used to be to test your intelligence. I’m not sure I believe that—a single test is not a good measure of someone’s knowledge—but even if it had been that way before, it wasn’t anymore.

I read the first question, then the answers. I read it again. The question was not at all relevant to what I had just read.

Focus. Just reread the passage.

I flipped back to the page before, but something felt wrong—no, sounded wrong. I strained my ears to hear it.

LUB DUB.

LUB DUBb.

LUB DUBdub.

LUB DUB lub dub.

I gasped, along with the rest of the room. Someone was panicking, and their heartbeat was speeding up because of it.

And that would not be tolerated.

I whipped around in my seat as the teach-techs found the mutant, the anomaly, the freak who was causing this. A tall girl with big eyes and blond, wispy hair that floated stubbornly around her head. I knew all the kids in my sector, but she had always been especially nice to me. Her name was Sadie.

She screamed as she was wrenched from her seat and dragged towards the door.

LUB DUB lub dub lub dub lub dub lub dub.

Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm.

“We apologize for the inconvenience,” said the lead teach-tech in a high, monotone voice, “We did not realize we had a defect in these ranks. We assure you that the mistake will be corrected. The defect will be exterminated. Thank you for your patience.”

And just like that, everyone returned to their tests.

Stay calm. Deep breaths.

Sweet, beautiful, positive Sadie. She would be dead in minutes, and no words would ever be spoken to honor her. After all, she was only a defect. A mistake. A freak.

Freaks didn’t belong in the ideal race. Things like anxiety and depression, those were a drain on society. And they should never be passed on.

If only I’d known Sadie had anxiety. Maybe… maybe I could’ve helped her.

I looked at the clock and realized that ten minutes had passed, and I had yet to answer a single question.

Don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic, don’t panic.

I could feel the anxiety inside me, like a caged animal. But the cage was made out of toothpicks and the animal was a vicious predator bent on getting free.

Stay calm.

I started circling random answers. After all, it wasn’t like they were grading the test. It was just another way to weed out the freaks.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a teach-tech wheeling towards me, alerted by my sudden speed. I pretended to read the next question before answering it, slowing down my pace. The teach-tech stopped and turned, spotting something else more demanding. I breathed out a sigh as it rolled away.

LUB DUB.

LUB DUB.

LUB DUB.

I glanced to the side and saw Dylan watching me. His brow wrinkled and he mouthed, You okay?

I nodded, putting on a brave face. I’m fine. I mouthed back.

He nodded and returned to his test. No asking if I really was fine. Of course, I could never tell him. I could never tell anyone.

I studied him for a moment longer. He lounged in his chair, completely relaxed. I could tell he was actually reading the paragraph, then answering the question. That was something Dylan would do. He was focused, kind, attractive, and most importantly, not a freak. He was one of the most ideal humans in our sector.

I was not focused, not kind, not attractive, and definitely a freak. It would be a crime against humanity if I were to mess up his family line, after they had gotten so close to a perfect human.

I shook my head, trying to clear it. Attraction was forbidden until you were paired with your ideal partner. I turned my head back to my test.

It was gone.

My head snapped up, and I finally noticed the teach-tech looming over me, my test in one metal hand.

“You have been caught cheating,” it said, “This suggests dishonesty, which is not an ideal trait. You will now be accompanied to the administrative office, where they will decide if you are an anomaly.”

“I wasn’t cheating!”

STAY CALM, STAY CALM, STAY CALM.

A different teach-tech grabbed me by the arm and yanked me out of my seat. I caught Dylan’s eye one last time as I was dragged out the door.