The Tainted Ones (discontinued)

Prologue

Jack

I sat in front of the tv, like I did everyday at 6pm. It was kind of a ritual, at 6PM the daily PSA started, which my parents told me to watch.

At exactly 6PM the stand-by signal on the tv-screen made room for a cartoon-version of a handyman.
I always wondered what handymen looked like in real life. I only ever saw the cute cartoon versions in books and on tv.

The Handymen were robots, they protected our city from giant monsters called freaks. My parents said that without the handymen, we'd be killed by the freaks.

Luckily the handymen were always there to save us, that was as long as we stayed in the city at least. The cartoon-handyman on tv started talking.

"Are we sitting comfortably? Good.
Welcome, citizens of Autodale, to this PSA.

Children, look around the room. Look at your father. He likes to read the newspaper and kick up his feet after a hard day's work. he provides for your family. Your father is pretty.

And then children, look at your mother. Isn't her cooking splendid?  She also keeps the house clean and she reads you bedtime stories every night.  Your mother is pretty.

And now children, look at yourselves. You're young! You laugh, you play. You may scrape your knees from time to time. You have friends. You and your friends get up to all sorts of playful mischief. One day, children, you will grow up to be just like one of your parents, and you will build a family of your own. One day, you will be pretty.

Now finally my pretties, look outside, at your lovely neighbours. You're pretty, you're pretty, you're pretty.

But alas children, not everyone is pretty. Some are... Ugly.
We don't want uglies, do we children? You are ugly, you are ugly, you are ugly. We take the uglies away, so that you, and your friends, and your neighbours, and your family, can stay, pretty. Remember that children.

And this concludes todays PSA, citizens of Autodale. And children, like your parents, and their parents before them,  always remember, to stay, pretty."

"Mummy? Where do they take the uglies?" I asked, turning around to look at my mother, who was ironing my clothes.

"To a place far far away so we can stay pretty my dear" She answered.

"I know, but where?" I repeated.

"Why would you like to know that?" My mum asked, putting down the ironing device and walking over to sit down next to me.

"I don't know... I'm just curious" I replied.

My mother chuckled. "You're only six years old, you don't need to ask yourself these questions yet.  Your curiosity is a great quality, but you ask too many questions" she said, giving me a loving hug.

I sighed, as always she avoided replying to my question. "Mum?" I asked again.

"What is it Jack? "she replied.

"Why do all adults have to wear masks?" I asked, looking up at her. If I concentrated just enough I was able to see her beatiful green eyes trough the holes in her mask.

"You already know Jack, we wear masks so that everybody is equal. No one can discriminate each other if we are all alike" she replied, almost as if she cited a book.

"But how can you find someone pretty if you can't see their face" I protested.

"Oh sweetie, being pretty isn't just the way you look. You find someone pretty for their personality" my mother said.

"Oh... Do you think I am pretty?" I asked.

"Of course you are darling. You are beautifil, and smart and witty"my mum said as she stroked my hair. "You are truly exceptional"

Authors note

For those of you who watched the short films you know there's some very dark foreshadowing at the end hehehehe.

Yes, I did take time to cite the entire PSA in this prologue. I'd still recommend wachting the video though, then you can see the facial expressions of the handymen on the telly, and the dark truth behind the message. It's not really a spoiler bc in the next chapter there's immediately more explanation sooo.

I know this is a bit late, but if there are any Flemish readers out there, I sincerely hope you watched Studio Tarara because it's one of the best shows VTM has made in a while in my opinion. Seriously I won't hesitate to fangirl about this because I honestly thought it was that good, and I usually only ever watch cartoons and comedy.

I finally have a break from school and it's great! I really needed it! 😴

It's only one week though instead of two bc the second week I will be gone to Dunkirk for a big musical project (it's called Europe in C) and I most likely won't have time to update there too🤷‍♀️
There will be another update next Friday, but the one after that I'll be playing In C 🎶

I'm talking too much about my life again aren't I? 😅

Anyways thank you all for reading this prologue and I hope to see you all in the next chapter too! 💕

Palsyofts! 🌵

-Manon