Even The Odds: Prologue

Caretaker Of The Glass Garden

1

In Chartreuse, their lived two groups: Odd and Even. One doesn't know a lot about those groups other than what Zero told her through their mail... which mostly consisted of information about Even. Which makes sense, since he was the leader of Even, at least, according to his emails.

In any case, Zero created Even to be a place where those who have nowhere to go has a place to belong. A group where those of similar circumstances can find out that they are not the only ones suffering in this world. That was the sort of place that Zero was trying to make with Even.

So why the heck is everyone treating it like it's the bane of their existence?

2

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Her friend who lived in her head said.

"Yes! Well...I think it is." One walked around the outskirts of the campus with her phone in her hand. The flashlight in it is turned on and she is following the map that Three gave her. Class has ended and the sun is starting to set, making her surroundings a lot darker. Since its December right now, the days are shorter and the night are longer, which means that even as early as five, this part of the school looked like it's already evening.

"Do you think he's lying to you? It would make sense for him to do so. You're a nuisance to him. He's probably leading you to some uncharted part of the forest where you'll die of hunger and thirst."

"I was already thinking that's what he was going to do but I don't think that's going the case."

"Oh? And can you explain why?"

One shook her head. "My observation wasn't really anything special. I just realized that this test is a lot more involved to just be something you make up on the spot." Right now, One is following the map that will lead him to the next member of Odd, Five.

One had little information on Five as Zero only mentioned her on passing. And One unfortunately couldn't remember what Zero said about her. Though, One felt that what Zero said about them wasn't very important.

The map eventually took them to a place that One didn't expect to see in a school. Right in front of her, there's a large glass house with many different plants inside. One recognized that place as a greenhouse, a piece of technology designed to allow fruits and vegetables to grow even with their special conditions.

One looked at her map once more. The area where the X is at the same place where the greenhouse is. So, it pretty much confirms that this is the place that One is looking for. She walked around the greenhouse to see if there's somebody inside. And she happened to spot the silhouette of a person wandering inside the greenhouse. It's quite hard to see inside since the light of the greenhouse is very dim. If One had to guess who may be inside the greenhouse, her most likely answer has to be Five.

One stood in front of the greenhouse's entrance and opened the door, then she entered the greenhouse. And the first thing she noticed when she entered inside is how colorful this place is. There are different shades of green, red, and yellow plants all over the greenhouse. Even with the dim light obscuring their colors, the plants haven't lost their luster. It's very clear that whoever's watching this place is taking very good care of them.

"Oh? I didn't expect someone to be visiting the greenhouse this late."

One pointed the flashlight at the direction of the voice.

"Argh!" Unfortunately, One seemed to have pointed her light at somebody. They're covering their eyes in pain.

"Oops!" One turned off the flashlight. "Sorry!"