Test Problem

"Test Problem" by Alan J. Ramm is a science fiction story set in a future where students face extraordinary exams. Jeremy Hovah, a university student, is challenged to mentally construct an entire star system for a test, pushing his imagination and skills in deliberation and memory to their limits. During the intense six-day exam, he successfully crafts planets teeming with life, losing himself in the creative process. His work takes an unexpected turn when a unique creature appears, sparking an ethical dilemma: should he destroy it to follow the rules of the simulation? Jeremy's inability to eliminate the creature leads to a conflict with his instructor and ultimately results in his failure, raising complex questions about the responsibilities that come with creation and the value of sentient life.