You Must Do As You're Told

• Paris Ristic, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2018

“You must do as you’re told,” the words ring over and over again in my head.
They don’t understand me. They don’t know why I do it. “You must do as you’re told.” What if what you’re told to do is not right?
They don’t know what I am doing. If I leave the house at night, they know. If I take more food than I need, they know. “You must do as you’re told,” they say. “You must do as you’re told." Just because they are older than you, they think they know how the world works. There is a reason why I grab extra food, but never eat it all. There is a reason why I run away at night. There is a reason that I do not do as I am told.
If only they realised what I am doing is right. If only they could listen and see. If only they could finally understand. Why don’t they? How can I tell them? They think they are right but they keep doing wrong. If only they knew.
The others need me. The others rely on me. No one knows who they are, but I do. I know them all by name. The others can’t live without my help. Yet the people keep saying it, “You must do as you’re told. You must do as you’re told,” but I am right. “You must do as you’re told,” but I am helping the world be right.
“You must do as you’re told.”