IQ

Both Sides Of The Law

All I feel in this moment is my heartbeat. Who else is in here?

The first person who comes to mind is my principal. I feel young again.

The same feeling I got when I snuck into the teachers' lounge fills me.

It's a mixture of nostalgia, adrenaline, joy and extreme fear.

Oddly, I love it.

I glance down to my hands and see them shaking, my right hand is holding the file. Somehow my heartbeats faster, I've never experienced this extremity of rapid heartbeat in my life.

I decide to dash to the door at full speed.

As I see the door it is still open and I hear somebody sprinting down the tiled floor.

I enter the hallway and sprint in Paris' direction, I feel as if he'll protect me.

I enter the room and see something black on the floor with a digital clock.

This can't be what I think it is.

This day is too much for me to handle already.

I stand still, unable to function properly. As if I'm a deer caught in headlights. I blankly stare at this clock counting down,'1:15...1:14...1:13...'

My face feels warm and I can see tears at the base of my vision.

I only realise I can hear when I hear Paris screaming,"Sophie we need to get out of here! Sophie!"

My brain doesn't register what he's saying and before I realise it Paris is carrying me over his shoulder. I feel the jolts of his footsteps as he sprints towards the car. When he sits me down in the car I finally get out of my daze.

My voice is shaking, "M-m...m-m"

Paris is too focused on our evacuation to hear me.

As we speed down the road I scan the file cover, stamped with red writing that I'm not focused enough to read. I hear Paris' quick breathing.

I feel the file with my fingertips, feels just a bit more rough than paper. I turn it over to see a completely blank white-brown back cover. My heart still beating against my rib cage. I open the page.

"Intelligence Quotation Test Results: Original Document: QUFROP113330

Year: 2003

Confirmation: Pending..."

Paris swiftly snatches the document out of my hand.

"I think it's better we open this when we get back to your apartment."

Before I can understand what he said I hear a muffled blast. I turn around and look through the car's back window. I see a raging fire and a thick black smoke rising from where AnnLeaf Primary was.

I feel my warm uncontrolable tears rolling down my cheeks and my vision is overcast with tears. I uncontrollably gasp, but it's staggers.

I feel Paris accelerating the car as a few more tears roll down my cheeks.

Why were they there, did they also want my IQ. Why did they blow the place up.

I realise I'm sitting in a fetal position clutching my mystery IQ.

I'm not going to wait, I need to know my IQ.

I probably got an extreme low and my school didn't want me slaughtered.

Or they lost my data.

Was I sick during the IQ testing. I'm sure I wasn't.

I rubbed the file. My entire existence is based off these results.

The one number.

I grip the edge. Nervous for what I'm about to see. I realise my hands are shaking. I say a countdown in my head.

3
.
.
.
2
.
.
.
.
.
.
1
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I hesitate before opening it.

Fwoop

I see the familiar cover page again. I quickly flip it over to see names next to their corresponding IQ. I skim the page and only see numbers and names.

Which means I definitely have an IQ.

My heart skips a beat at that conclusion.

I read down the names.

David Paris Ancord: 134

Xantha... I don't bother reading such a satanic name.

I skim for my name.

I realise the car has stopped and we're on a highway. I see a cop approaching the car. I feel my heartbeat in my throat.

How does he know. How did he even find out about us stealing original IQ documents.

"License and registration..."

"What's the matter officer?" I've known Paris long enough that I hear subtle fear in his voice, I'm paranoid if the officer hears it.

I discreetly flip the document face down to disguise it even though it's extremely uncommon to see people holding files.

The officer scans Paris' drivers license and car license then states, "You were 5 miles per hour over the speed limit."

He walks away. Just like that, it's over, we drive away.

The air is stiff with silence. I open the file and jump to my name.