Knowledge Is Power

• Antonia Totino, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2022

Sometime in the not-too-distant future, the Government has taken control. There is one leader, one rule book, one chance. No do-overs. In a world where knowledge is the highest power, it is taken by the Leader and not much is left for anyone else.

Daniel awoke in a dark room where the walls were made of concrete. They were only a few metres apart and the roof was not much taller than Daniel, making him feel claustrophobic. He was lying down on a steel bench, his arms strapped to his sides with a belt that looked like the one his father used to wear.

Daniel wondered about his parents, if they were alright. After the testing… Daniel didn’t remember much. He answered the last question and then heard nothing else from the voice over the speaker. Then he passed out.

Now in the room, Daniel still had the sour minty aftertaste of the drink he had before the testing, in his mouth and his stomach hurt from hunger. Daniel wanted food, he wanted to go home, he wanted to kiss his mother on the cheek and shake his father’s hand. He wanted his birthday and nice packages wrapped in coloured ribbon with a cake and twelve candles. He wanted the normality of his life back.

There was an announcement speaker on the top corner of the room, diagonal to where Daniel was sitting up on his bench. A crackly voice spoke suddenly through it, and Daniel had to cover his ears, the voice was so loud and echoey throughout the room.
"Mr. Daniel Roberts?" The voice said. It sounded like the woman who tested him.
"Yes?" he said timidly.
"Are you aware of your crimes against Rule 49 Section 7 of the New Law, established by the Government?"

He tried to remember Section 7. He knew it was full of rules surrounding proper behaviour in the Community. 'Rule 49 Section 7: No member of the public is to attempt to overthrow the Government. A death penalty will apply.' Daniel did not attempt to overthrow the Government. All he did was answer the test's questions correctly.
"No, ma’am," he replied, "I have no recollection of this."

The concrete wall in front of him hissed and slid to the side as a woman with a black bob framing her face, wearing a blazer walked in, her heels clicking against the hard concrete with each step.

She looked at him curiously, inspecting him. ‘Like an animal in a zoo’ he thought, it was something he’d read before in the fantasy books he kept hidden under his bed. There were guards stationed on either side of the concrete door, their weapons at the ready.

When the woman had walked in a full circle around Daniel she stopped in front of him, and as she leaned in close, cleared her throat and addressed the guards, "Go ahead."

She left the room dialling her mobile phone as the guards raised their weapons, pointed at Daniel.