Achromatic Neuroticism [Global Examination]

Chapter 12: Childhood Photo

Lying down on the couch after a particularly filling lunch, 922's thoughts started to wander.

He didn't remember anything about his past, not after that "cleaning" incident at Twin Towers.

And sometimes, he couldn't help but wonder if he had anyone outside the System waiting for him; a father, a mother... maybe siblings or close relatives? Or even friends?

Of course, he knew that they may be stuck in the System forever, forced to do its bidding as its invigilators until the end of time...

Looking at it from that perspective, perhaps it was better if there was no one out there waiting for him to come back.

But considering just how many people, invigilators and examinees alike, were trapped in the System, and considering the nature of these examinees, from children to students and teenagers... it was impossible to limit the range of damage to a minimum.

After all, what kind of parent wouldn't want their kid to come home, after they suddenly disappeared into thin air?

...

"Hey... 154... do you... miss the outside world?"

154 looked up from his book, having heard 922 speak but didn't hear the question clearly, "Hmm? Say that again?"

"I've been here for quite a while already, so I don't remember anything from before the exams... but you entered the System pretty recently, right?... I don't know...Got anyone on the outside? Waiting for you?"

"..."

154 had no fucking idea how to answer 922.

He didn't exist in the outside world, only being a digital construct of the System. His only memories from the outside were from You Huo and Chu Yue... and a lot of them (read: most of them) weren't happy ones.

That thing in their eyes gave You Huo and Chu Yue a lot of grief; it was hard to make friends, especially when there was an additional, undetectable entity, lurking right inside their eyes...

That creepy sensation of always being watched, of always being seen...

You Huo and Chu Yue had their childhood robbed from them, by people who should have taken care of them, who should have let them be free and happy, to learn and grow, to pursue whatever interested them...

Not oppressing them, stealing their lives away, and chaining them down to this System.

154 had many words he wanted to say, to the people who allowed, and even worked to create this military training program. How could they be so heartless as to allow something like this to happen!? 

To steal the lives of two children... it wasn't fair to them.

The System chose to perceive itself mainly through You Huo's perspective, so 154's impression or memories of Chu Yue's parents weren't very strong. You Huo had never met his father either, as far as 154 knew, so he really had nothing to say about him at all.

But You Huo's mother... 154 had some words reserved especially for You Huo's mother.

Where should he even begin!?

The fact that she treated You Huo more like a thing than a person?

Answering You Huo's questions with answers that were barely suitable or understandable for university students, let alone a small, young child?

Constantly sending him away to boarding school ever since elementary school... like she didn't have time for him.

Like she didn't love him at all.