It’s been about a month since the day I was tortured. Despite being healed, where I bit my thumb still hurts, even though there are no signs of injuries.
Apparently, it was broadcast to the other triple-digits. That must have been what that light was in the room.
This experience gave me some answers, and some plans going forward, but it also gave rise to more questions. He seemed to know me, or at least know something about me that I didn’t.
Nonetheless, I still have dreams about that day. Though I’m never getting hurt, I’m always just watching.
I watch and watch the fingers break apart and burst.
And the entire time, that smiling entity is staring at me.
I am incapable of understanding why an event like that could spark joy in any creature.
……
It aches again today….
Day 72:
Something peculiar happened today.
Despite me being in solitary confinement, that white-haired girl visited me and stared at me through the glass, saying she had special privileges.
I had assumed so, considering the Head Researcher had called her a VIP. However, why she would want to visit me after I put a gun to her head was beyond me.
She called me interesting, and asked what my number was.
Not only was the number on my gown, but she witnessed the incident yesterday. She should know my number.
I didn’t respond. At the moment, I had no more use for her and wanted to remain by myself.
She put her gloved hands on the glass and started tapping on it.
She then waited for what felt like an infinite amount of time, before grunting and leaving.
What a nuisance.
Day 75:
I was called in today for “testing”.
The way of experimentation the facilitators used was electro-shock therapy.
I sat in a chair alongside 20 other children, while the doctors prepared the test.
They put metal helmets on all of us and strapped each of us in to the chairs.
Before the test started, one of the triple-digits spoke to me. Calling me brave for what I did, and how inspired he was of my actions.
I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I didn’t.
One of the facilitators shouted something I couldn’t understand and pulled a lever, the second he did all of the other children screamed in agony.
A facilitator nodded his head and turned a knob, and the screaming became even louder. There incessant screaming was hurting me more than the electricity that was coursing through my body.
Speaking of which, to my surprise the electricity didn’t cause me much pain. It still hurt by a large sum but I received a different feeling, it almost felt familiar.
It felt like I could touch it even.
I wondered at that moment if I could direct the electricity to a different part of my body to ease the pain in my head.
When I thought that, the pain actually subsided slightly for a second, before it resumed with even more force.
Aggravated yet curious on how the pain ceased for a moment given there were no signs of movement from the facilitators, I tried again with clouded judgement due to the pain and the device ceased producing electricity.
I thought I had done something until I noticed everyone’s helmet begin to short-circuit with the lights beginning to flicker.
All of the kids whose helmet short-circuited immediately slumped in their chair, I’m assuming that caused an overdrive of electricity in a lethal dose.
The facilitators hurried to take the helmets off of everyone including myself.
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Only me and one other child had survived that experiment.
It wasn’t the boy that had talked to me. Death can come inexplicably and suddenly, no matter what experiences you’ve had in your life.
But apparently, the other kid that survived had an older model helmet. It was connected to a power source directly in the helmet unlike the rest of ours.
When they took the helmet off my head, I noticed it had short-circuited, and looked far worse than the rest.
How did I survive then?
Peculiar indeed.
Day 79:
Today marked the end of my solitary confinement, and yet I didn’t leave my room today.
After the recent incident, my cafeteria excursions were no longer required, and I could choose to leave my room at a set time of the day with a chaperone.
Surprisingly, even though I caused a scene I seemed to have gained more freedom than before.
Some might call me a fool for abstaining from food in this harsh facility but the cons far outweigh the benefits.
- By going to the cafeteria I might be targeted by the single-digits. As of now, I have to recover both mentally and physically before I think about starting another altercation with them.
- Even if I were to gain food, I would have to fend off dozens of crazed children. Something I did before, but wouldn’t want to do again.
- We are provided water regardless of whether or not we go to the cafeteria, and our only physical activities are when we are called in for testing, as such, food is not a necessity for at least a week.
Today was a quiet day, if only they remained so from now on.
Day 82:
Another visitor appeared at my room today, she brought a plate of food and slid it under my door as if he was handing out food to a beggar.
It was someone I recognized. It was one of the single-digits at the table from when I caused a scene. She had black hair and eyes, and never said anything even before the incident. I made no move to take the food, and it seemed like she wanted to say something but decided not to in the end.
Why would I talk to people that only mean to harm me?
She stayed for a while, seemingly working herself up to say something, but never following through.
Until after what felt like 30 minutes, she spoke her first words, telling me that there was going to be a tournament with the triple-digits in a couple of weeks, and I was probably going to be selected. She said I should get enough energy so I don’t get hurt and perform well.
If I have no incentive to perform well, then I won’t.
No use in drawing any more attention to myself than I already have.
I told her to leave and not come back, and she quickly scurried off.
From my experience, people who painstakingly try to act cordial or nice in these terrible situations….are always the most dangerous to deal with.
The harder someone tries to hide their inner self the more distrustful I become of them.
Lying, underhanded tactics, malicious ploys.
All things that humans condone.
All things that are inherently human nature.
Day 87:
For the first time since entering this facility I was able to look at myself in the mirror.
The phrase, “I’ve looked worse” would not apply here. My long hair was matted and dirty, and I had grime and oil all over my face. My hospital gown was covered in dust and other stains from my previous cafeteria excursions, and the bags under my purple eyes were immense.
My body looked extremely weak, like I hadn’t been fed in weeks.
I need to actively do some physical activity to keep up my strength.
The reason why I was here able to look at myself was because of the constant complaints of the single-digits apparently. They said the double and triple-digits smelled really bad, which is why we were all here in a group shower.
For all of the competent children, we were told to wash ourselves. For the crazed and insane ones, the facilitators had to wash them. I don’t envy their job.
As I got into the shower, a boy with short brown hair and green eyes came up to me and commented on my hair. He sparked a one-sided conversation with me, and told me his number was 72, but that his real name was Theo.
I chose to respond as he didn’t seem to be a threat by any means. He looked worse-off than I did as a matter of fact.
He told me that he thought I was a girl because of my hair until I spoke. And that he would have asked me out because of how cool I was if I was a girl.
…..I felt uncomfortable after hearing that.
Once we were done showering, he asked if the tinge of purple on the lower half of my hair was natural.
What a stupid question.
Does he think I have access to hair dye in this place?
I refrained from saying that and merely said “yes”.
We parted ways shortly after, in which he left with a beaming smile.
I guess I made a friend.
Day 95:
We were taken to the “field training” room again today. However, this time was a little different.
We were to spar with each-other to select capable fighters for the upcoming tournament swamp-hair mentioned prior. Out of all the triple and double digits, 64 would be selected to enter the final tournament that the single-digits were taking part in. Apparently the winner would be granted any wish they asked for.
I confirmed that even freedom was on the table, and that after signing an agreement after winning, I would be let go if I so pleased.
I highly doubt that they would let that happen.
If they wanted to keep it secret, they would most likely kill the winner after “letting them go”, I don’t see this as a reliable form of escape.
I was put up against another triple-digit who looked extremely nervous. We were both allowed our weapon of choice, and he had chosen a staff.
Killing was allowed but not encouraged, I was going to forfeit anyway so I just picked up a bow and arrow.
I really did want to use it more in my first field practice.
After a couple minutes and a feigned effort I surrendered, and was officially out of the running. This tournament should prove useful though, I would get to see the single-digits in action, and measure the capabilities of the strongest triple and double-digits.
By observing them, I could measure how likely I would win in a physical altercation.
Their strengths, weaknesses, battle style, fears.
I’ll learn them all in the coming days.