When I wake up, I'm in a hospital bed, and papa is sitting next to me. "Ah, 004. You're awake." He says getting a object from the table. I sit up and he turns it on, which seems to be a flashlight. "Try your best not to blink." He says, shining it in my eyes. He then turns it off. "Anymore headaches?" He asks. I shake my head no, "How about your memory. Can you remember what happened now?" He asks. I shake my head no again. "Perhaps someone else can help fill in the gaps, yes?" I ignore him for the most part, and he stands up. He takes my hand and starts walking, which I'm forced to comply and walk with him. We continue walking, until we reach the room filled with the other kids.
When we we are all lined up, papa starts talking about rules. "Today's lesson is going to be about rules. Ah, for some of you, this may seem redundant. For others, it appears a refresher is required. Four, please step forward." He says, and i reluctantly step forward. "Last night, your brother Four suffered a concussion during his alone time in the rainbow room. Now, he claims to not have a memory of what happened. But injuries of this nature don't simply happen. Someone did this. Someone in this room. Now, who's going to tell me what happened?" He says looking around the room. I look over to Peter, and he's standing there, observing the situation though he looks quite angry himself. "He must've... fallen." Two said. He and his crew were trying not to laugh.
"Fallen?" Papa questioned. "You've seen him papa, he's clumsy. Stupid." Two said and his group started to laugh quietly. "Four, you may step back," he says, and I step back. "Number two, please step forward." Papa says, and 002 steps forward. "Collar him." Papa says. One of the men step forward with a shock collar, and straps it around 002's neck. Papa steps forward and takes off his jacket, giving it to the man now walking away. "Thank you." He says stepping closer to 002. "You think because you demonstrate some talent that you're somehow immune to the rules, is that it?" Papa asks looking at 002. "No, papa." 002 answers.
"That the rules don't apply to you in the same way that they apply to your brothers and sister?" He questions again. "No, papa." 002 reply's with the same answer. "Then why did you attack Four?" Papa asked. "Did he tell you that?" 002 said looking concerned. "Are you asking the questions or am I?" Papa questioned again. "Did you attack four?" Papa asked. "If he told you that... then he's lying." He said, worried. Papa cranked the shock collar higher. "Papa, please, you have to believe me. Papa please. She's lying!-" he was cut off as papa shocked him. 002 groaned in pain, falling to his knees. "Now, shall we try again?" Papa asked as 002 looked up to him and papa set the shock to be higher. "What happened?" Papa asked a final time. "It was an accident." 002 pleaded, tearing up. Papa shocked him again and he fell to the floor, shaking and crying in pain. The other kids started crying, and I just watched, horrified. Papa continued to raise the shock, and 002 only continued to cry in pain.
It only continued, and soon papa had him taken to the infirmary. We had been escorted back to the rainbow room to go back to doing what we were. Though it bothered me more than it should have. The way he scream and cried in pain, and the way papa just sat there and didn't do anything about it sent chills throughout my body, why would papa do such a thing?
—
I was sitting in the rainbow room, like usual. Putting the chips in and watching them fall, picking them up when they did fall. I felt someone staring at me, so I turn around just to see 002's friends staring at me. I dropped my chips and picked them back up but 001 picked up the final one. "You open for something a little more challenging?" He asks me, holding the chip. He invites me to play chess with him, so I do. I sit down in the chair, as he was already sitting down. He moved a piece to a black square, while I do the same. We continue playing until he speaks. "Try not to show any emotion as I speak, okay? Just keep playing the game If you understand." He says, as to which I do. "Two is still in the infirmary recovering. He's being watched now, but once he is released, he and the others are going to attempt to kill you. Right here, in this room. And papa will allow it to happen." He says, staring at me. "In fact, he wants it to happen. He's been planning it for some time now." He says, though I start to breathe heavily. "Stay calm. Focus on the game." He says, to which I try to do.
