Dreambreaker

New Tests, New Secrets

The classroom buzzed with the usual low hum of restless students, chairs scraping against the worn floor, and scattered whispers carrying across the room. Jayde sat in the middle of it all, tapping her pencil lightly against her desk. Today felt no different than any other day, but there was something in the air—a tension, a crackle of something just beneath the surface.

Her teacher, Mr. Reeves, stood at the front of the class, tapping a finger on his datapad with more intent than usual. He wasn't exactly the type to command attention, but today he seemed more serious, his gaze sharper as he scanned the room.

"Alright, everyone, settle down," he said, his voice cutting through the chatter.

Jayde exchanged a quick glance with Kyle, who was sitting two seats to her right, slouched back in his chair, looking half-bored and half-interested. Wes, on her other side, had already leaned forward, eyebrows furrowed in curiosity. It wasn't like Mr. Reeves to take this tone.

"We need to go over some important changes," Mr. Reeves continued, his voice steady but with an undertone of urgency. "You're all familiar with the assessment tests we've done every year. Well, starting next week, there's going to be a new format."

"New format?" someone muttered from the back of the room, and a few others exchanged skeptical looks.

Mr. Reeves nodded. "Yes, a more in-depth version. You'll still be tested on your usual academic skills, of course, but the Regime wants to ensure we're placing students where they truly belong. This test will... dig a little deeper."

Jayde sat up straighter, her attention caught. Where they belong? That phrasing felt off. She could feel the unease creeping up her spine, like the atmosphere in the room had shifted, even if the words seemed innocuous. It wasn't like the assessments were new—they'd taken them every year since they could remember. But this... this sounded different.

Mr. Reeves didn't elaborate much more. "The test will apply to all students between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. You'll receive instructions on where and when to report. Just make sure you're prepared."

Jayde's stomach twisted. There was something in his tone that didn't sit right with her, like there was more to this than he was letting on. When the bell rang a few minutes later, signaling the end of class, she wasn't the only one who left with a lingering sense of discomfort.

---

Lunch was a quiet affair, at least quieter than usual. Jayde, Wes, and Kyle sat at their usual table in the courtyard, the buzz of the other students fading into background noise. Jayde stabbed her fork into her salad, but her appetite had all but disappeared.

"Does anyone else think that whole 'new assessment' thing is weird?" she asked, breaking the silence.

Kyle leaned back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest. "It's definitely different. They never said anything about 'where we belong' before. It was just about grades and stuff."

Wes nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah, that's what got me too. They made it sound like we're being... sorted or something. Like they're looking for something else."