Silence. No one dared to answer.

'Are you all mute?" the official raged. 'Are you all a pack of imbeciles?"

Mumbles broke out in the crowd. "Uh, no, sir." "No, no, no." "No food, sir." Matthias wasn't sure if all the others lacked the courage to speak loudly or if, like him, they knew better than to draw attention to themselves. But enough students whispered that the message carried to the front of the room.

The Population Police official frowned.

"You," he said, pointing to a timid, frail boy near the podium. "Stand up."

Trembling, the boy rose.

"When was the last time you ate?" the official asked.

"Yesterday?" the boy said. "The day before?"

"You don't know?" the Population Police official asked.

"No, sir. I mean, yes, sir. I mean, I don't know what you count as eating. It's been just broth since — since. . last week?"

The Population Police official frowned. His eyes narrowed too, like he was mad that the boy was hungry.

'And what have you done to deserve food?" the official thundered.

The boy cowered, as if fearing that the man's voice alone could knock him over.

"Uh, I'm sorry, sir. I don't know, sir. I just—"

"You have done nothing!" The man's voice was even louder now. No matter how much he wanted to avoid being noticed, Matthias couldn't help flinching. Every child in the room did. Only the Population Police officers stood impassive.

The man raged on.

“You don't deserve to eat! You are a drain on your country's resources!"

The boy seemed to grow smaller and smaller, hunching down to avoid the man's wrath. The man seemed about to hit him but suddenly drew back.

'And yet," he said, his voice turning soft and cunning, "your country has a new leader. A wise, compassionate leader, willing to give you a chance to make up for your uselessness. Would you like that, young man?"