Cerebrum Lavacrum

I wrote this story for an English assignment. It had to be ten pages or less, so it is slightly rushed. But I hope you enjoy!

We are all uniform, creating a straight line in the Great Space. Silver bounces off silver: the clothing, the walls, the columns. The domed ceiling several stories up echoes the voice of the leader who stands above us all. He’s perched in an excavation in the wall, the Administration, standing on a podium of his own.

“We gather here today, the first Sunday of a fortnight to receive cerebrum lavacrum,” he says. The leader begins every ceremony the same way. Why he bothers to repeat himself each time confuses me. But the others all look interested like they haven’t ever heard of it.

Cerebrum lavacrum. That must mean something, but no one has ever bothered to tell us.

“You will go about this operation by connecting our five senses to fully awake yourselves. After the row in front of you is finished receiving their treatment, it will be your turn to step up to the dais.”

The leader points to a spot I can’t see. There are a few rows ahead of me with heads keening in on the open spots for a glimpse of the dais.

They’ve seen this before, why are they so eager? I think.

It doesn’t matter if I cannot see anyway. I know what the dais looks like. Like everything else, it’s silver. The platform is slightly raised with a rod in the corner that holds the necessary tools for cerebrum lavacrum.

“Once you are done, continue through the doors.” Out of the silver walls, inconspicuous doors open up, revealing the exit. Anyone who hasn’t had the procedure would never have seen the doors, but we do this every two weeks so no one should seem surprised.

They do.

The leader continues speaking.

“You may be asking yourselves, why do we need to do this?” He inquires.

You tell us every other week, so no, I am not, I think again.

“We are a fortunate society. For a while, humans have increased their usage of the brain. But for a while, they kept it at 10%. Here we are today, through the evolution of science, able to use 24%.”

They all cheer, exuberant to hear the 14% increase. Who would’ve thought? Oh, right, I’ve heard this before.

“In order to continue increasing our limits for posterity, we go about cerebrum lavacrum to ensure all pieces vital of the brain are used and awaken. The best way we have tested-”

How have they tested this? They would need humans.

“- is to use the senses; a key part to the nervous system. You may begin.” With that, the leader turns and swiftly ambles away. Someone takes over the position of watching us, to make sure things run smoothly. I guess they can’t trust the people.

            The first row of people step onto the platform. I can barely see what is happening since there are more rows in front of me. But for what I can see through the gaps of people, the ten people on the ten separate platforms gingerly stand. Several of them have their hands shaking, while others occupy their hands with whatever is around them: their hair, their clothes, or their fingers. I roll my eyes at their nervousness; after all, there is no need to be nervous. They’ve done this before.

            Haven’t they?

            I hear the first group’s feet clack against the door in their pristine, identical shoes. Yes, they are silver, too. The second group maneuvers unevenly to the dais. Five minutes later, their shaky hands stop and they walk out of the Great Space in a synchronized order. The next few rows are all the same: nervous and curious, but then slack with expression five minutes later.