The headset spoke right into my ear. “2+2=5.” the monotone voice said. I pressed ‘False’ on the screen in front of me.

            “Incorrect.” I didn’t focus on the voice due to the electrical shock running right into my brain. The burning sensation stayed with me for a few seconds.

            “Research from the government’s own mathematician circles show that two plus two does indeed equal five.” The monotone voice droned on. It always gave that same reasoning, even though I knew it was wrong. I didn’t know why it was wrong though. It was as if the answer was from a different life.

            The headset began to speak again. “The sky is red”. I looked out the window next to me. Seeing as it was blue, I pressed ‘False”.

            “Incorrect.” Another electrical shock ran though my brain. “All it takes is a simple look out the window to show that the sky is in fact red.” I didn’t believe the machine.

            “Come on man, you must be some kind of idiot to believe the sky is anything but red.” The voice came from behind me. It was from a man I’ve never seen before. “Just look out the window, the sky is red!” He pointed towards the blue sky. The others in the room began to laugh at my apparent stupidity.

            “Whatever you say.” I responded while rolling my eyes. I stood up from the computer to make my way back home. My time was up. The television inlaid into the room’s wall went on about how a new scientific study explained why the sky was red. I don’t know why I thought the sky was blue, but it just seemed… right.

            Before leaving, I log on to one of the many databases in the education building. I simply put in the search bar ‘The sky is blue’. All that shows up is why the sky is red. I flip through the pages, all that appears are studies that show that the sky is red. Finally on the seventh page, I see something that says the sky is blue. Yet when I move to click it, it simply disappears from existence. I look out the window once more. All I see is the beautiful red sky.

            It only lasted a second. The sky went right back to being blue. Fear struck right into my very soul, and I could essentially feel my skin turn pale. Was it working? Their teachings were working? Undoubtedly it was, since all the others around me believed the lies. I grabbed my five belongings, two from each of my cubicles drawers, and turned to leave.

            A man in a dark suit was standing by the exit. He had to be at least six feet tall, rare to many these days. His ruffled brown hair covered his face, but I knew he was watching me. I tried to quicken my pace, but my frail body didn’t allow me to day anything ‘quickly’. I shoved open the glass door and rushed out of the building.

            Grey buildings lined the streets, one just looking like the rest. Cars were a thing of the past, and all memory of them had been erased from the public’s minds. No such thing as a ‘car’ could exist, right? After all, that is what we were told. Masses left each education center, everyone moving as a tide. We were all slumped, not looking at one another. What was the reason to give one person more attention than someone else? We were all perfectly equal, after all.

            One of the Speakers gave a prolonged beep. It was signaling an important message. “All ration cards are now worth half a loaf of bread, and three bottles of water. This amount is up from yesterdays by 30%!” I could feel the excitement of those around me. “May we be thankful to the ones above us!” The crowd of blue jumpsuits around me began to cheer, and everyone suddenly became jubilant and full of energy. It was a lie. It was all a lie. Just yesterday, the ration cards were worth a full loaf of bread. Did everyone forget? How could they be doing this to themselves? I simply ignored their celebration and continued my way back to the apartment.