Jane Crow

It was the year 3002 and everyone was finally equal. After all, the government had no choice after the war. People were calling it the war of the ages. Everyone was constantly competing to be better and eventually a man named Lial Crow snapped. He was stronger than everyone, smarter, more capable... He killed a lot of people, and after he was taking down the government had to do some major damage control. This was in 2082, now no ones any better than anyone else. People with above average IQs had a chip inserted to scatter their thoughts, those with below average IQs were given a medication to make them focus. Stronger people had special clothes with weights in them, and weaker people had surgery. Pretty people had surgery, ugly people had surgery. Everything was perfect. IS perfect. My name is Jane Crow, I am constantly outcasted and feared because of my great great grandfather. The government visits me and my family every weekend. I get that they have to take precautions... But I mean we aren't going to do anything. I'm a good kid. Well... no better than anyone else, but I have a huge chip in my head... so that means I must be smart... right?

"Jane!" My mom yelled from the kitchen. The government notifies the parents whenever a child starts to think out of the box.

"Sorry mamma! I think I need a new chip."

"Well tell agent James. He'll be here in a few minutes."

Agent James was my favourite. He was nice, and understanding. He understood the frustration of new chips. He has to get a new one every six months. I have to get a new one every year... it's almost that time of year again, which explains a lot. My mom has to take these pills to boost her IQ every morning. My dad is average. Agent James tells me I must get my intelligence from Lial.

"Jane! Sweetie, agent James is here! Come say hello!"

My mom was always so excited when he came over. I think it made her feel proud of me. I don't know why... Ah shit. I lost my train of thought.... oh! ya I don't know what she's so proud of me. I'm no different than anyone else.

"Jane! Come on! Let's change your chip." that was agent James this time. I walked down stairs from my room to the kitchen when agent James sat at our oak dining room table.

"There she is! slow poke!" I never understood they way he spoke. It didn't make sense. He said it was how they used to talk in the 2000's. I guess that's when everyone was different, and some people were slower than others.

"Hey agent James."

"How many times do I have to tell you, just call me James."

"Sorry, just being polite."

"Hey that's alright, it's the way you should be." he smiled. I could see a hint of green through his brown contact lenses today. He needs a new pair. My mom left the room like she always does when agent James changes my chip.

"Alright Jane. Today we're gonna do something a little different. You and I are going to have a conversation without our chips in, to monitor your IQ. It's a new system we're trying." He plucked my chip out of the back of my head and I noticed he wasn't wearing his.

"Umm okay... I didn't know the government changed their procedures." I said a little nervous.

"Okay Jane listen to me. You're a smart girl. We have 5 minutes to get the hell out of here. We are going to run for my car and drive to Canada. The whole way you are going to read the books I give you. We are going to stop at the border, we are going to answer some questions." He checked his watch "3 minutes. Do you understand?" I nodded. I didn't like this. But a part of me was excited.

"This... this isn't right James."

"This society we live in... it's bad."

Something clicked inside me. The chips. The handicaps. It was just a way of controlling us. Make us their minions. I nodded. He grabbed my arm and we ran for the door, leaving our chips on the oak table. I felt kind of bad about leaving my mom behind... but I knew what I had to do. When we got to the car there was a boy sitting in the back.

"This is max. Max this is Jane. We have one more kid to grab and we'll head for the border."

***

The last boy was Shane. He had dark brown hair, like mine. Max had sandy blonde hair and blue eyes... why wasn't he wearing his brown contacts?