The Mind Machine

The Mind Machine

“Really Aden? A D in maths is the best you can do?” Aden’s Mum waved his report card in front of his face.

Aden groaned; he’d heard this lecture to many times before. “I told you Mum, I just have trouble picking up maths.”

“And I suppose you have trouble with Music, and Science, and History, and English?”

He cringed. He had meant to do well on his English exam, but he forgot to listen to the teacher, and he forgot to study, and well…he ended up forgetting to do well. He opened his mouth to explain this, but before he could, his Mum sighed, flopped onto the couch, and put her head in her hands.

“What am I supposed to do with you Aden? Why can’t you just listen, and study…” She trailed off, looking hard at her son, as if trying to figure him out, “I don’t understand. Your father’s so smart, how come you have such trouble?” Aden shrugged, but inside he answered, because he’s never home to teach me anything. His Mum stared at him for another few moments then rubbed her face and said tiredly, “Well, hopefully you’ll grow out of it, goodnight honey.”

“Night Mum,” He replied as he climbed the stairs to go to bed.

***

Aden woke sometime in the night to the sound of voices downstairs. He lay in bed gripping his blanket. With only him and his Mum living in the house, he was scared to think who was holding conversation downstairs. Eventually he got the courage to creep out of bed and onto the landing. From his vantage point on the stairs, he could just make out the silhouette of a man and a woman. They appeared to be arguing, and sure enough, angry voices drifted up the stairway. “It’s your fault! If you weren’t away so much-” His Mum’s voice.

“Honey, I’m away so much to try and keep our family upright!” He gasped softly. The other voice he recognised as his father’s.

“Well, that’s definitely working isn’t it Corren.” His mum scoffed sarcastically.

“Sierra. Don’t you understand? My inventions could change the world!”

“And your presence could change your son’s world.” Aden watched as his dad’s figure deflated and lost all its power. He felt the tiniest bit of guilt for causing such an argument. He couldn’t hear what his parents said next, but he made a mental commitment to never fail a test again.

After a few minutes of silence, Aden decided to go back to bed, but as he turned down the hall, he noticed a blue light shining from behind the open door of his dad’s office. Engulfed in curiosity, he slipped into the room to find the source of the odd light.

Sitting on his dad’s messy desk was a box filled with tiny silver squares. Standing over them was a white lamp, emitting the strange blue light, that seemed to be charging the little chips.

Aden picked up a manual that lay beside the box and flicked through it. His eye widened in excitement at then last line.

The Mind Machine: Specially designed by Corren Bridge. This incredible invention could change the lives of people all over the world. After sticking the chip to the side of one’s head, all they must do is think up a question, and the answer will run through their mind almost instantly. Even answers to questions they knew nothing about.

Aden shivered. Something about the little rectangles freaked him out. But as much as they unnerved him, he knew he had finally come across the answer to his testing predicament.

***

Aden scratched his head again, for the hundredth time that day. The Mind Machine chips were infuriatingly itchy, but he knew he only had to pass this exam and then he could take it off.

The teacher handed out the test and he stared at the sheet in front of him. He read the first question. It was on something he didn’t even know the teacher had talked about, but as soon as he read it, the answer popped into his head. He shivered again. It felt wrong, but his desire to pass the test overrode his uneasy feeling. So, he finished the test with shaky hands, comforted slightly with the knowledge that an A+ was coming his way.

***

The year passed and Aden left year 7 with flying grades. Everywhere people would compliment him on his dramatic change in character and sudden cleverness. His strange feeling about the Mind Machine had all but faded, freeing up space for him to relax. He always finished his homework in only a couple of minutes, and taking tests was a breeze. But even better has his Mum’s pride and pleasure at his good grades. He still had the smallest niggling feeling that using The Mind Machine wasn’t a good idea, but if it made his Mum happy, then he would continue.

***

Another year. Another report card. Another teary smile from his mum when she read about his straight A+. A letter of congratulations from his dad. Aden’s life was finally levelling out for him, and it felt so awesome to be getting good grades. Aden was no longer worried about The Mind Machine. The little chip was making his life better! Why would he stop using it? Sure, he never listened in class and had no idea what he was supposed to learn in the last two years – but he was finally getting high marks, and he wasn’t about to give that up.

He barely ever took off the little chip off anymore, in case he forgot to put it back on. But one Saturday he had removed it when he and his Mum went down to the beach for an afternoon swim. He had been so exhausted when he got home that he had prepared for bed and crashed.

The next morning his Mum burst into his room, her eyes shining with pride. “You’ll never believe it Aden – but the principal has picked you to come and represent Grade 8 at the School Showcase.” She placed a freshly ironed suit on his bed. “I found one of Dad’s old suits for you to wear, but you better hurry, or we won’t be there on time.”

Aden got dressed in his suit, had breakfast, brushed his teeth and hopped in the car, all the while thinking about the Showcase, but not worrying about it. He never worried about these sorts of things anymore, not with his Mind Machine.

At the school he was ushered into the hall and onto the stage. Hundreds of eyes stared at him, but he looked back at them unafraid.

“Right,” The principal said, standing beside the lectern and beaming at the crowd. “Introducing Aden Bridge. Please make him feel very welcome.” A round of applause sounded from the assembly and the principal turned to Aden. “Okay Aden, I’m just going to give you a little test, and you’re going to show these lovely people all that you have learnt.” Aden nodded calmly. “Alright then. These first few should be pretty easy for you, but don’t worry, they’ll get harder. Question 1: Explain the significance of the carbon cycle.”

Aden felt all eyes on him as he thought of the question. Nothing happened. There was no answer popping into his head. He thought of the question again. Nothing. His face turned red with embarrassment and his whole body began to shake. The whole audience sat in raptured silence, waiting for him to respond. The principal began to look concerned.

“Shall I say the question again Aden? Question 1: Explain the significance of the carbon cycle.”

Still no answer came to Aden. He began to sway on the spot, and tears felt close to falling as he reached up and rubbed his head. His bare head. The head with no chip on it.