A Trip to the Archives

Barry knew he had a big day ahead of him, so he rolled out of bed and wasted no time pulling on clothes before heading downstairs. The kitchen was empty as usual; both of his parents were already at the government research lab, where they worked alongside all of his friends’ parents. Barry made sure to grab one of the genetically modified granola bars his mother kept in a box in one of the stainless-steel drawers next to the trash disposal chute before heading out the door. School was a 10 – minute bike ride away, and he was already running late.

Barry struggled to remain still in his seat as time slowly scrolled by. His classroom was small, windowless, and filled to the brim with stacks of books, maps, and papers. There were no computers, as this could encourage the underage students to be curious or to feel tempted to access The Network. Thus, all learning was conducted on paper or using other physical objects.

There were also no clocks in the classroom; students were expected to focus on their own mental enrichment and nothing else. Barry stared straight ahead, trying to appear attentive as he waited for his teacher to announce the adjournment of lessons. When the moment finally came, he practically leapt out of his seat and raced out the door.

After waving some of his friends off (he knew he would need to be alone for his plan), Barry hopped on his bike and turned right away from his house. He pedaled into the center of his city. Amidst the menacing government buildings and offices, an understated building housed the city’s archives. It also housed one of the only Network access points that was not heavily monitored.

Here comes the dangerous part. I won't judge you if you turn back now. If your interest is piqued,click to keep going...