It was a wet and rainy the night I was born and implanted. It was July 22nd, 2096. After 8 hours of labor later, I was born. I only saw my parents briefly before I was taken to the implantation room. No matter how loud, how shrill, or blood-curdling my cries were, they didn't stop the operation. Within 15 minutes it was over. I had a large band-aid on my neck. I guess that's life's way of saying "Welcome to Earth!". Anyway, I was totally fine throughout my toddler and adolescent years. When I became a teenager, things got weird. You see, the chips are used to control us. Not to help, but for the scientists and leaders of our world to control us. And this is why things got weird. My chip was a dud. A blank. Etcetera etcetera etcetera. In other words, I couldn't be controlled, I was free. I had my free will, while my classmates, friends, and family all were unconscious to their ability to think on their own. Though, as you know, having your own free will is all good and well, I often felt quite bad about my privilege. I wanted to help, but could not. And that all changed one day. Not too long ago, I was walking to the small market near my home to get a bottle of soda. When there, I bumped into another boy about my age. At first, I thought nothing of it. Mishaps like these happen daily with other people so what should I be worried about? I wasn't worried until I reached the soda machine. I reached for my wallet. A sigh of relief ensues, it is there. I open the tri-fold wallet to find the dollar bill I was using. I find the bill, but also a white business card with a phone number on one side and a short note on the other. I waited to buy my soda. I was intrigued by this note that the stranger slipped in my wallet when we bumped into each other. I examine the phone number for a few seconds and flip it over to read the note. It read: "We know your chip is a dud. Call the number." That again brought me to the front. My palms sweat as I become nervous. "How do they....??", I quietly say to myself. Half excited and half afraid, I buy my soda and leave. I walk home speedily, making sure that I bumped into nobody else, just in case the same thing happened again. I reached home about six o'clock and saw my mother finishing setting the table for supper.
"Arthur! How long does it take to get a soda?!", she asked sarcastically and rhetorically.
"Sorry mom! I'll walk faster next time," I said heading to my room.
I sat on my bed to take of my shoes and socks. 'I really should've walked faster," I thought hungrily. I slid down the railing to the downstairs and headed to the kitchen. Dinner was over quickly, and I went back to my room. I pondered over the event that had happened a little over an hour ago. Several times I thought of calling that number, then after considering it, fearing the consequences that would result from it. Eventually I decided to do it when my parents went to sleep. It was another long 3 hours before they slept. I dozed off but woke up about half past 12. I climbed out my window onto the roof of the first story and found a comfortable spot. I pulled out my phone and the white card and dialed the phone number. It rung a fax tone and i almost hung up. A female voice came on and started talking.
"Congratulation! You have passed test 1! Test 2 will be instructed to you shortly." Music from the mid-20th century began playing. Even though I live in 2112, I can still enjoy music as such. The woman spoke again. "To pass Test 2 you have to answer these yes or no questions. Question 1: Have you ever experienced itchiness on your neck and frequently?"
"Yes", I said clearly but not loudly.
"Question 2: Have you ever done actions where you weren't controlling your own body?"
"No," I replied.
"Third and final question: Have you been able to have access of use to free will your entire life?"
"Yes," I answered a little quieter.
The woman's voice started talking to someone else. "I think he is another one, what do you think?"
A male voice answered her, "I think he should join with the others. We can have him pack his stuff and kidnap him. That's how we got the others here."
"Let us tell him first." She spoke to me again. "Pack a bag consisting of 5 sets of clothes and your closest and most heartfelt possessions. Nothing more, nothing less. See you tomorrow."
They hung up. I went back inside, shocked about what I heard and worried about tomorrow. I did pack my bag like they requested, then I went to bed.
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I woke promptly the next morning. Groggily and slightly opened eyes I trampled down the stairs. I heard talking so I woke up completely and approached quietly without a trace of drowsiness left. There was a man and a woman talking to my parents in the front room. They were wearing military uniforms, but I could tell these were not military personnel. Their voices matched those of which I heard on the phone the night before. I started walking slowly backwards but the floorboard I stepped on squealed loudly. There was a sudden quiet in the front room. Steps approached and I knew I had not gone unnoticed.
"Oh boy," I sighed. "What have I done now?"
