The Beginning
"Your eyes can lie to you; your ears can deceive you; your experience can mislead you; your imagination can restrain you. But mathematics won't." - Lucien Evans
My name is Leaf Westerham, hereby addressed simply as Leaf.
I hope that the lessons from my youthful youth (I'm still young and healthy, mind you) can help you forge a smoother path ahead.
…
As the bell rang, I left school in a hurry to meet my mom at the entrance.
Every student from my grade happened to be super excited at the news we had just heard. Tomorrow would start our affinity probation period, where the government officials would bring us to measure our talents and interests so as to more properly align our studies.
Although I wasn't very familiar with taking tests, as they were considered not an appropriate educational method nowadays, I was very excited for it. The event was more important than a birthday, after all.
I reached my mom, a tall, long haired brunette on her early fifties, and gave her a big hug.
"Mom, they scheduled the affinity probation to start tomorrow!"
"Oh? Wow, my baby is becoming a man already!" She pinched my cheeks and smiled. "I will prepare your favorite for dinner, then."
"Great!"
We took the public transit, just like more than 99% of the population, and stepped out after about ten minutes. We then took an intermunicipal train for another fifteen minutes before disembarking at the station. A five-minute walk completed our journey to the apartment building we called house.
Our country wasn't a special one at all. Since the last world war, there haven't been any interstate conflicts, and every country managed to maintain its borders and its population secure. The World Betterment Association, or however it is called, issued universal guidelines for law-making, economic policies, sovereignty and military affairs, all in order to improve common society's living standards.
There is no more unemployment, or hunger. In fact, there is no more need to work, if you don't want to. The agro industries can now easily feed the whole population, and there has been no lack of government-funded public real estates as well. There's enough energy for everyone due to the advancements of technology, and the environmental protection agencies see constantly less need for their involvement in the market.
In short, thing's are going great. Except for compulsory education. The consensus in my class is that it's extremely awful. In particular, I wish I could just play games all day…
Anyway, once I turn 15 and graduate in three years, I would be able to spend the rest of my days becoming a professional gamer. I would live in extensive luxury, have three cars, three wives, and…
...
I woke up early the next morning, and set out with mom for school.
When first period started, the teacher gathered everyone into a school bus, and we were lead to the appraisal facility.
On the way inside, I noticed how weird the glass door was. It opened from bottom up, but there didn't seem to be any sort of mechanical gear pulling it up.
With a smile, the well-dressed man explained to us how the next few days would go.
"I welcome you to the first floor the the Appraisal Compound, where every student in the city will eventually discover their paths in life. I will now briefly explain how things will go."
The teachers who accompanied us watched in silence, and perhaps even respect, despite hearing that every year.
The government had been the one to implement the Appraisal system, and it has apparently been part of our country for two hundred years.