What is the “never-mentioned thing that was about to happen”?

To answer this question, take a look at part 2, chapter 7 of 1984. In this chapter, we see that the "never-mentioned thing" refers to a period in Winston's childhood when he snatched his sister's chocolate ration out of her hand and ran out of the house. Winston's mother called to him to come back, but he kept on running. After eating the chocolate, Winston returned to the house to find his mother and sister missing.
The "never-mentioned thing" is, therefore, a painful memory from Winston's childhood. It was not just the shame he felt in stealing the chocolate but also the fact that he never saw his mother and sister again.
In thinking about his mother, Winston realizes that she possessed a personal loyalty to her children that no longer exists. This leads Winston to announce to Julia that the only humans in Oceania are the Proles, not the Party members.

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