Only two more stops to go, and then it would be his turn to get off. Could he manage it? How would he feel? However he managed it or however he felt, he knew it was something he just had to do, no matter the cost to him as an individual, and surely things couldn’t be that bad – or could they? It resembled your money or your life type situation, although, obviously, in this situation, it was your brain or your life type situation.
The next thing he knew, it was his turn to get off the train. A feeling of emptiness swept across him. What was he going to do now? For a second, he contemplated disappearing but then, all of a sudden, he felt a feeling of disappointment, as he knew that that simply wasn’t possible.
He just stood there, wondering what to do next. He started to walk slowly towards a desolate building, as he studied the map carefully.
In a flash, he realised he was going in the opposite direction and immediately proceeded to turn back again. The wind was howling and the clouds looked like they where about to burst. To his surprise, within a few short minutes, he had arrived. The building was small and looked like any other building had. It appeared to have a large interior but was far from appealing. - A grey, unwelcoming, cold, dark and dingy building.
As he stood there, he noticed a young women moving towards him. She was obviously coming to great him, as there was no one else in sight. He felt a shiver go up his spine. This was worse than going to the doctors, the dentist or the optician. He felt his hand being led away. He expected lots of other people, his own age, to be there, but he had obviously been mistaken. It had suddenly occurred to him that there must have been an appointment system. Before he knew what was happening, he was faced with an automated computer in front of him. He heard the creak of the doors, as they slammed and where locked behind him. He was alone now.
He had to be prepared now to take the dreaded intelligence test. This was the moment he had being waiting for. In some ways, he was pleased that it had finally arrived, and that the waiting was over but in other ways, words cannot express the feeling of fear and terror that he felt. He was startled by the rough voice that greeted him. His mind was spinning with all the facts and other information that he had tried, so desperately to forget. He had hoped for a clock but had had no such luck. He had been told that the test would last for about fifteen minutes. The time seemed to have stopped, so, he was now in a position, where he had to try to predict every minute, and even every second, because he had no way of knowing the true time.
And then, finally, he reached the end of the test. He had to wait now for the results. He breathed a sigh of relief after the lights where switched on and the doors where opened. He was now free to do whatever he wanted, until the results arrived.
He began a steady walk around the building, but everything was the same, so there was little to explore. All he could do now is waiting. He just sat their waiting. He felt he had just run a Marathon or had flew to the other side of the world and back again, and had jetlag. He just felt exasted, and there was nothing he could do about it. There as nothing he could do about anything now, because it was all out of his hands. The waiting was the worst part and because he had no one to communicate with, he felt like a stranger.
A short, thin woman began walking over to where he was sitting. It was obvious that she was coming to talk to him. The woman sat next to him and told him that the results had indeed proven positive and because of this, he had to have h9s brain removed, and then replaced. He was given a short time to think and then was lead into the theatre to have this procedure done.
The operation lasted for around two hours. It was over quicker then he had initially expected and he didn’t feel anything. He expected the procedure to become painful and to last a long time.
Peter began to contemplate the alternatives – it could have bee worse, he could have been killed or worse. All this because the culture, in which he lived, where afraid of the challenges that intelligent people will bring to the way in which they live.
He began to have visions of the procedure he had just undergone. Although he wasn’t awake (he was under anesetic), he had a very detailed and active imagination and could imagine the operation, and just how it had been, step by step, stage by stage.
The one thing he didn’t understand was why this had to happen to him. ‘’Why was he made suddenly so intelligent?’’ He was reeling from the operation and, although he didn’t feel any different, he knew the effects would soon start to shoe, but at least he would be more accepted. Now all he had to do was go back and tell his parents just what had happened.
He began to take a steady walk back to the nearest train station, so that eh could get home as quickly as possible. He felt the need to reflect upon his experience and all that had happened. The big question was what would life be like now that it was all over? He began to contemplate these questions that he had been asking himself for quite a few days now, as he was seated for the journey home.
It was at this stage he wondering whether or not he looked any different on the outside, because, by this point he knew for certain that the side effects had begun and that he began to feel different on the inside. Who wouldn’t?
He began to look at the faces of all the other people who where getting on and off the train. They seemed to be going about their daily business as anyone normally would – except Peter of course.
Before too long, he had arrived back in his home town. He wondered whether or not anyone knew what had happened to him. He knew that all the other children would have undergone the same procedure, although he was unsure as to just how many would have had to undergo the treatment itself. He knew that he was brighter than the rest, so the chances are; he was one of just a few in his neighbourhood. He began to wonder whether or not they would treat him any different because of it. He stood now, just outside of his house, wondering what to say to his parents and wondering how he could explain to them all that had happened, in the easiest possible way.
He knew that his parents would have happily accompanied him on his visit, but he knew that, even now it was all over, it was just something he had to do by himself.
He wondered whether or not they knew already, although his facial expression would probably say it all. If they didn’t know already, then they would do, as soon as he entered the kitchen. However, he imagined that his parents already knew the outcome of the situation, even if no one likes to talk about it.
All this because of his intelligence that would have brought challenges to the people of the day about the way in which they lived. All this because they saw him as a threat in the future.
He was unaware of whether or not his parents knew, but one thing he did now know was that as soon as he entered the kitchen, the conversation immediately seized and all eyes turned to him. No one spoke a word.