Charlie’s phone buzzed at 7:00 that morning. As it always did. Charlie’s eyes opened and he reached over to turn off the alarm. He rubbed his eyes and sat up on his bed, then got up and began getting dressed for school. As he always did. He opened his dresser and pulled out his school uniform, a white suit that was mandatory for all students at Big Academy. After getting dressed, he went into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He looked into the mirror, which reflected his freckled face with blue eyes and brown hair. He left the bathroom and walked downstairs to the kitchen. As he entered the kitchen, he checked his phone to see what he would have for breakfast. A bright text box popped up on the screen that said “Today is September 13th, 2326! Today's breakfast: Waffles with assorted fruit.” As it always did.

He looked up to see that his parents had arrived downstairs. His mom wore a dress the same color as his school uniform. His dad, however, wore dark black robes, the signature clothing of A Manager. “Waffles today!” his dad told him cheerily.

“I know, I just saw it,” Charlie responded. “I’ll get the fruits.”

“And I’ll prepare the plates!” His mom added.

“I guess that leaves me to make the waffles,” his dad said. “All right, let's make breakfast!”

Fifteen minutes later, Charlie and his parents were sitting at the kitchen table eating the waffles. “Wow, these are perfectly cooked!” he exclaimed. “Nice job, Dad.”

“Well, I can’t take full credit,” his dad responded. “The App told me what to do step-by-step.”

“You still did a great job,” his mom said.

As Charlie was helping his parents clean up after breakfast, his phone buzzed again. The screen flashed and said, “Time to go to school!”

“Oh!’ Charlie exclaimed. “I have to go to school now. Bye!”

Charlie grabbed his backpack and walked out the door to the autostop. There was an autobus waiting, already with other students inside. There was no chaotic shouting or laughter in the autobus, but every student sat uniformly at their assigned bus seats. Charlie checked The App as he walked up the stairs of the autobus. The App displayed the text, “Sit in seat B12”

Charlie looked up and quickly located the seat he had been assigned to. He sat down in it and put his phone back in his pocket, gazing out the window as the autobus began driving down the road towards school.

After picking up a few more kids, the autobus arrived at Big Academy. Big Academy was the largest school in Pennsylvania, built in a modern style with marble and glass. There were five floors, each designed for a different age group. The first floor was for 5-7 year olds, the second floor for the 8-10 year olds, the third floor for 11-13 year olds, the fourth floor for 14-16 year olds, and the fifth floor for the 17 and 18 year olds. Thousands of students attended this school, which was one of the most illustrious in the area. Charlie had been going here all his life.

Charlie walked across the Great Lawn that lay in front of the school to the front doors of Big Academy. He was greeted by the headmaster, Mr. Watson. “Hello, Charlie. Are you ready for another day of school?”

“Yes, I am. Today I have…” Charlie looked down at his phone, which now displayed his schedule for the day. “ELA, math, science, and music.”

“Very good,” Mr. Watson said. “Now get to class.”

Charlie walked into Big Academy and used the map on The App to guide him to his first class. The classes he went to changed every day, so he had to use it to find them. Charlie walked through the halls of Big Academy and found where his first class was. He entered and was greeted by a tall woman.

“Hello. My name is Mrs. Null. What is your name?”

“My name is Charlie,” he responded. “Where should I sit?”

“Ah yes, Charlie. You are… Right over there.” She said pointing to a seat near the back of the class. Charlie sat down in it, and a few minutes later class began.

After class, Charlie walked out of the classroom. He once again used The App to guide him to his next class, but as he was walking down a hallway he heard loud sobs. He moved closer to see what it was and found a girl curled up on the floor crying.

“I lost it.” She said between sobs. “I lost my phone. I lost it. I don’t know where to go or what to do. I lost it.”

Charlie started forward to help her, but his phone buzzed. He checked it and it said, “Keep walking. Do not worry. Authorities will arrive soon to deliver another phone.”

Charlie stood still for a second, internally debating if he should disobey The App, but he put his phone back in his pocket and kept walking. He got to his next class but couldn’t focus. What he had witnessed was too shocking.

Is that really what would happen if we didn’t have The App? He wondered to himself. How can we be so dependent on it that we can’t do anything ourselves without it?

Thoughts similar to those swirled through his head for the rest of the day. When Charlie got off the autobus after school and his parents greeted him, he didn't greet them back. Instead, he said, “Can we talk about something?”

“Of course, son,” his dad said as they walked into the house. “What’s on your mind?”

“At school today, I saw a girl who was curled up on the floor crying because she lost her phone and didn’t have The App to help her. Seeing that made me realize how reliant we are on it, and I don’t think that’s right. We need to do something about that.”

Charlie’s parents looked at each other confusedly. “Charlie, we need The App,” his mom said. “Without it, we would have to make decisions on our own to choose what’s best. That’s why The Managers, including your dad, created it.”

Charlie didn't break his mom's gaze. "We might not make the right decisions for ourselves, but we should have the freedom to choose."

His dad sighed. "Charlie, you don't understand. A hundred years ago, when people had to make their own decisions, it was chaos! Nobody did anything right, and people were getting hurt. It got so out of hand that The Managers came together and created The App. Control is the only way to protect humanity."

"I don't believe that," Charlie responded, his voice rising. "Humanity can't thrive under control. We can only do what The Managers permit, and that's hardly anything!"

"Charlie!" his mom exclaimed. "That is not true. This argument ends now!"

That night, after dinner (steak and mashed potatoes, as dictated by The App), Charlie flopped down on his bed thinking about the argument. He would get his parents to see his side. Even if they resisted, he would reason with them.

The next morning, Charlie's phone buzzed at 7:00. As it always did. He got up and dressed for school. Like he always did. When he went downstairs after brushing his teeth, he checked his phone, which said, "Today is September 14th, 2326! Today's breakfast: Pancakes with sausage.” As it always did. His parents arrived downstairs, and together they made breakfast. As they always did.

In the middle of the meal, however, Charlie heard a knock at the door. "I can get it," he said.

Charlie opened the door to see an armed man wearing a red suit. It was a Sicler, one of the law enforcers in the United States. "Excuse me, sir. Are you Charlie?"

"Um, yes," Charlie nervously responded. "Can I help you?"

"I have a warrant for your arrest," he began as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of The Managers may they so please a trial. If they do not, then you will be thrown into jail for life or executed."

"What?!" Charlie exclaimed. "There must have been some kind of mistake! What did I do?"

"We received a call from your parents. They said you were 'conspiring against The Managers'. That is a federal crime punishable with death."

Charlie looked back at his parents with a hurt look on his face. "How could you do this? It's not right for The Managers to hold this much power over us!"

His parents looked at him sadly. "You brought this upon yourself, Charlie," His mom said. "We did what we had to."

Charlie turned back to the Sicler, who was now reaching toward him with the handcuffs. His head spinning, he looked past the Sicler to see more arriving and knew he only had one chance. He pushed past the Sicler at the door, charging past him as he ran out of the house. He dodged other Siclers as they tried to tackle him to the ground, and ran behind one of their vehicles to hide. When he rounded the corner of the Siclermobile, however, he came face to face with a Sicler.

"This is the end of the road for you, Charlie," he said, the tazer in his hand glowing an electric blue as it powered up. He thrust it into Charlie's stomach, and everything went black.

Charlie woke up to find himself tied up in a dark room, the only light source being a window that opened to a bright room. The Managers, including his father, sat in the bright room looking at Charlie. He looked to his left to see a group of soldiers holding guns and a speaker in the corner.

"Ah, good. You're awake," said the Chief Manager over the speaker. "My name is Chief Manager Lawrence and you will address me as such. You are here because you have committed a great crime against us and, by extension, the United States. We have discussed and have decided to give you the death penalty, for the good of our country. This kind of treachery cannot stand."

Charlie's face went pale. "Wait, what?"

"Firing squad, take up your arms," Chief Manager Lawrence said. "Ready... Aim..."

"Wait no!" Charlie pleaded. "I'll never do it again, I swear. Please, let me go!"

Charlie looked at his father. "Please Dad," he begged, losing hope. "Please."

His father met his gaze but turned to Chief Manger Lawrence and nodded his head. The Chief Manager looked back at the firing squad.

"Fire."