Today is the day that will define the future of every high school graduate in this country. The air is thick with anticipation, the weight of destiny pressing down on young shoulders. Each student will take the IQ test, and based on the results, they will either be accepted into prestigious universities or sent to work in factory labor. No second chances. No appeals. The system is absolute.
The classroom is filled with nervous energy. Students fidget in their seats, some whispering last-minute strategies, others staring blankly at the walls. Among them, three friends—Hasan, Omar, and Maher—exchange tense greetings.
Hasan enters with a grin "Good morning, everyone. Did you sleep well?"
Omar calm but weary answers "Yes, I slept well, alhamdulillah."
Maher rubbing his temples says "Good for you. I barely got any sleep."
Hasan smirks, nudging Maher with his elbow."As expected, Maher the bookworm is nervous. But we all know you'll nail it."
Maher's expression darkens. He leans in, voice low but urgent.
"It's not that simple. This isn't a regular test where you study the materials and circle the right answers. This is an IQ test. Some parts assess memory, while others measure what's called *fluid intelligence*—a person's ability to use logic and reason to solve problems. For example, test-takers might have to figure out how a shape would look if it were rotated. Fluid intelligence is what drives those 'aha' moments—when everything suddenly connects and the bigger picture becomes clear."
Hasan rolls his eyes, unfazed. "So what? I'm sure we can handle it."
Maher exhales sharply, frustration flashing in his eyes.
"You still don't get it. IQ tests measure a set of skills that are important to society."
Hasan shrugged and said "So?"
Maher's voice drops to a near-whisper, laced with intensity.
Maher:"IQ tests favor people who can think on the spot. That's a skill plenty of capable people lack. We need these tests to separate the geniuses from the average. We need intelligent people to lead."
Hasan's playful demeanor fades. His jaw tightens.
"But what if these so-called intelligent people are morally corrupt? Then what? How is their intelligence beneficial to our society if they use it for their personal advantage?"
Maher scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. "You see? That's why you're an idiot. The whole point of this test is to gather the smartest people in the country. After that, they go through additional tests before being assigned to different majors and institutions. Of course, those in power keep a close eye on the exceptional ones. They make sure to know *everything*—beliefs, habits, hobbies, ideologies—nothing is left unchecked. In the end, only those who align with the government's agenda and ideology make it to the top."
Hasan blinks, taken aback by Maher's bluntness."Wow, you sure know a lot about this."
Maher smirks, though there's no humor in it. "Of course, I do. I'm not a carefree brat like you."
Hasan throws his hands up in mock surrender. "Take it easy on me! You've been scolding me for an hour—give me a break!"
Maher ignores him, turning to Omar instead. "Have you prepared well for the test, Omar?"
Omar nods, his usual composed self, though his fingers tap restlessly against the desk. "I've reviewed many past tests and taken courses. I followed everything the upperclassmen advised me to do."
Maher replied:"Same here."
Omar hesitates, then adds quietly."But everyone says they never repeat the same test, and each person gets different questions."
Maher's lips press into a thin line."True. They do that to make cheating impossible."
Hasan groans dramatically, slumping in his seat. "Damn, they need to get a life. How many scholars does it take to write that many questions? Is that even possible?"
Maher pinches the bridge of his nose, exasperated. "It's an AI system, you idiot!"
Omar interjects calmly "They have programs that generate questions based on the data scholars provide."
Hasan blinks, then lets out an impressed whistle."Wow, I didn't know that!"
Just then, the classroom door opens, and Leen walks in, her presence instantly lightening the mood. She smiles warmly at the group.
"Good morning."
Hasan perks up, grinning at her.
"Hi, Leen."
Leen says "Hi! How are you guys? Have you prepared well for the test?"
Maher sighs, rubbing his temples again."Let's just hope things go well."
Omar gives a small, tired smile.
Omar: "Maher and I studied as much as we could, but Hasan is acting like it's no big deal."
-
Leen: Oh, don't mind Hasan, Back in middle school, he used to tell everyone that he never studied for any test, yet he always got the highest marks in the finals.
Maher: I know, he's such a liar.
Omar: He probably says that just to mess with us.
Hasan: That's not true Omar! I really am just a lucky guy, I choose answers randomly and somehow end up with high marks!
Leen: Yeah right.
Maher: As if I'd believe that!
The classroom hums with a nervous energy, the weight of the future pressing down on every student. The air is thick with unspoken fears—of separation, of failure, of paths diverging forever. The final moments before the test stretch like an eternity, each second a hammer strike against fragile resolve.
Sabrina claps her hands together, her voice cutting through the chatter like a beacon of forced optimism. "Guys, it's about to begin! Come on, take your seats."
Emily grips the edge of her desk, her knuckles whitening. Her voice is barely above a whisper.
"Sabrina, I'm really nervous."
Sabrina flashes her a reassuring smile, though her own fingers tap restlessly against her thigh.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do great."
Emily's eyes dart around the room as if searching for an escape. Her voice wavers.
"What if we get different results? What if you get accepted into fashion school while I get sent to a factory on the outskirts or, worse, a military institution?"
Sabrina's smile falters for just a second before she shakes her head, forcing a laugh.
"Stop thinking like that! Besides, I doubt they'd send a cute girl like you to the military. They assign people based on their skills, and you've never even participated in a physical activity, let alone trained for the military."
Emily exhales shakily, twisting a strand of hair around her finger.
"You're right. I just hope we get into the same college."
Nearby, Hasan scoffs, leaning back in his chair with a bitter smirk.
"Isn't it cruel how they separate best friends like that? Not letting us choose our own future, moving us around like chess pieces."
Maher doesn't even look up from his desk, his voice cold and detached.
"At some point in life, best friends always go their separate ways. We need to grow up; it'll happen sooner or later. Right, Omar?"
Omar, usually the calm mediator, meets Maher's gaze with quiet defiance.
"Human bonds aren't as fragile as you think. Many people stay best friends their whole lives. A strong and faithful friendship can shine so bright for a lifetime."
Sabrina nods vigorously, reaching over to squeeze Emily's hand
"I agree with you, Omar."
Emily softly said "Me too."
Hasan, uncharacteristically vulnerable, turns to Omar with a hesitant grin.
"Hey, Omar, you'll stay my friend no matter where we end up, right?"
Omar pauses, then shrugs, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"I don't know. It depends."
Hasan clutches his chest in mock agony, groaning loudly.
"Why is everyone so mean to me today?"
Before anyone can respond, Leen stiffens, her eyes snapping to the door.
Leen:"Guys, here comes our teacher."
The room falls silent as Mr. Qasim strides in, his usual jovial demeanor replaced with solemnity. He surveys the tense faces before him and sighs.
"Quiet, please, everyone. I know you're all feeling nervous, worried, and anxious. I get it—I've been in your shoes before. That's why I can assure you that there's nothing to worry about. You're going to be just fine."
He hesitates, then adds with a weak chuckle."Besides, my cousin works at one of the factories, and he says it's not that bad."
Emily's jaw drops."Seriously?!"
Leen shakes her head, lips twitching despite the gravity of the moment.
"Mr. Qasim, you're *savage*."
Mr. Qasim holds up his hands in surrender, though his smile doesn't reach his eyes.
"Sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood. But seriously, there's nothing wrong with working in factories. Our economy needs labor to keep running."
Maher, ever pragmatic, mutters under his breath.
"Yeah, but no one wants to live on a laborer's wages."
Mr. Qasim's expression tightens, but he only nods.
"True. Anyway, get ready. The test starts in 10 minutes. Check the laptops you've been given and make sure they're working properly."
Emily stares blankly at her device, panic flickering across her face.
"Remind me... how do we turn this thing on?"
Sabrina immediately leans over, her fingers flying across the keyboard with practiced ease.
"Leave it to me. Just stay calm."
Hasan exhales sharply, then forces a grin, raising his voice slightly.
"Good luck, everyone."
Omar, despite his own nerves, offers a small, genuine smile.
"Good luck to you too, Hasan."
Hasan's grin softens, just a little.
"Thanks, man."
Maher, eyes closed in concentration, snaps without looking up."We don't need luck—we need knowledge."
Hasan raises an eyebrow.
"Are you sure about that?"
Maher's eye twitches.
"Stop talking to me. I need to clear my head before the test starts."
Hasan throws his hands up. "Alright, I'll talk to Omar instead."
Omar takes a deep breath, his stomach churning. He presses a hand to his abdomen, willing the nausea to subside. Years of conditioning—of sleepless nights and skipped meals before exams—have left him with a body that rebels under stress. At least the early test time meant an empty stomach. A small mercy.
Mr. Qasim's voice cuts through the silence like a blade.
Mr. Qasim: "Alright, the test will start in 2 minutes. Get ready."
The clock ticks. Screens flicker to life. A collective inhale. Then—silence.
All the students sat in silence, anxiously waiting for the test to begin.
Mr. Qasim: "The test starts now. You may log in."
The students logged in and began answering the questions.
About 30 minutes later, one of the students stood up to leave.
Mr. Qasim: "Finished already, Mohanad?"
Mohanad:"No, I just got bored. This test is stupid anyway."
Mr. Qasim: "So you're giving up?"
Mohanad: "Don't get me wrong-unlike everyone here, my father would never let the government decide my future."
Mohanad: "I'm going to work in his company one way or another. This test means nothing to me!"
Emily: "Can you please be quiet? We need to focus!"
Mohanad: "Whatever, I'm leaving."
---
These tests usually take one to two hours to complete. The fastest students can finish in 30 minutes, while others may give up and leave early.
---
Selena:"Sir, may I leave?"
Mr. Qasim:"If you're done, then yes, you may leave."
Hasan:"I'm done too."
Leen: "Me too."
---
After an hour, nearly half of the students had finished the test.
---
Emily: "Sir, I'm finished."
Sabrina: "What a coincidence-I just finished too!"
Emily: "Great! We can go home together."
---
After an hour and a half, only a few students remained, including Maher and Omar.
Mr. Qasim: "Take your time, everyone. If you need more time, we can extend the session beyond the two-hour limit."
Maher: "I'm done."
Mr. Qasim: "Alright, that leaves Omar and Samy."
Samy: "I'm done too."
Mr. Qasim: "Okay, you may leave."
Nearly two hours had passed, and Omar was the only student left.
Mr. Qasim: "Take your time, Omar. Don't rush yourself."
Omar: "No need... I'm done."
Mr. Qasim: "Are you sure?"
Omar was the last student to finish. The test was nothing like what he had heard from the upperclassmen, and it barely related to the subjects he studied over the summer.
To his surprise, his friends were waiting for him by the school gate when he walked out.
Hasan: "Hey! You're finally done!"
Maher:"What took you so long?"
Omar:"Thanks for waiting, guys. The test took longer than I expected."
Hasan: "I know, right? What on earth was that?"
Hasan: "It had nothing to do with anything we studied in school!"
Maher:"For once, I agree with you."
Maher: "All the courses I took were useless. Even the tips from the upperclassmen didn't help at all."
Hasan: "Now you wish you had my luck, don't you?"
Maher: "Shut up! As if I'd believe in something like that."
Omar: "I actually do wish I had Hasan's luck."
Omar: "At least then I wouldn't have to worry so much."
Hasan: "Oh, don't worry, Omar. I have a feeling we'll end up as coworkers someday."
"We'll probably work on a system support team... or maybe a translation team!"
Maher: "Wow, so now you're a psychic?"
Hasan: "Yes! And I can see your future too!"
Omar: "What do you see?"
Hasan: "I see Maher working in a doughnut factory!"
Omar: "A doughnut factory?"
Hasan: "Yes! And you know what? Maher loves it-they give him a free doughnut every day!"
Maher: "That's your dream, not mine!"
Hasan: "Come on, don't you want to share it with me?"
Maher: "No thanks."
Omar:"I thought you said we'd be working together in system support or on a translation team!"
Hasan: "Sorry, but after seeing Maher's future, I got tempted to work with him instead."
Maher: "You can have him, Omar. I don't want any future that involves him."
Hasan: "Why are you so mean? Hey guys, let's just forget about this test and apply for immigration!"
Maher: "Please stop thinking out loud."
Hasan: "No, I'm serious! Let's go somewhere where we can actually choose our own future. Aren't you tired of having everything planned out for us, always following someone else's rules?"
Omar: "He's got a point."
Maher: "Immigration isn't an option. Our country has made too many enemies recently."
Hasan: "So what? That's not our fault. We were just kids when the war happened; we had no part in it."
Maher: "The world doesn't see it that way. We'll probably face racism, and we'll have to start from scratch."
Hasan: "Aren't we basically starting from scratch here too?"
Maher: "No. Our parents and community have given us so many advantages already."
Maher: "We have homes, food on our tables, and clothes on our backs. If we immigrate, even basic things like that will become struggles."
Omar: "True."
Hasan: "I know, but I've heard there are places where we could make it more easily.
If we head north, we could work labor jobs for a few years while studying, then land good jobs with decent pay."
Hasan:"They have a small population and tons of job opportunities."
Maher: "And you think they're just sitting there waiting for us to take them?"
Hasan: "Why not?"
Omar: "Let's wait for the test results first. Then we'll see."
Hasan "Alright, I'll take your word for it.
Oh, wait... now I see it!
Maher and I, working in a doughnut factory up north, while Omar stays home and cooks for us!"
Omar: "Why am I staying home and cooking for you? Am I your mother?"
Hasan: "Well... because you're good at cooking! It's better if you stay home and cook and clean. If you work with us, you won't have time to make delicious meals, and I hate fast food!"
Maher: "So basically, you want him to come along just to be our mom?"
Hasan: "Well, he is the mom friend after all!"
Omar: "In that case, I'm going to practice flip flap slaps so I can smack you whenever you annoy me!"