The Manipulation Room

Chapter 3 - Ezra Ray

Manipulation Room victim no. 82827
Name: Nixon Ray 
Age: 43 years old
Occupation: Accountant 
Family Member: 43-year-old wife, Liberty 
Description: Multiple stab wounds in the chest area caused by a 10 inch knife. Serious bleeding and incarceration of the lungs. 

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"Did you see it though, Lyric? Did you see it?!" 
I flashed Kierra an irritated glance. "I can't unsee it, thanks for asking." 
She sensed my exasperation almost instantly, though it was hard to miss. She turned her chair to face me and narrowed her eyebrows, "Really? Oh come on, Lyric, don't be mad at me." 
"I'm not mad at you...I'm mad at life." I dropped my head in my hands and groaned. She rubbed my shoulder, "I get it...you promise you're not mad at me?" 
I looked up at her and nodded, "I'm sure. I just wish you wouldn't be so excitable about the Manipulation Room all the time...The Manipulation Room isn't cool, or fascinating. It's horrifying!" I let a shudder run down my spine. 

She shrugged, "You know it interests me. The ambience of it all...the mystery!" She clapped her hands together and I rolled my eyes. "Seriously?  Did you even see the blue-eyed boy? The son, I think. Poor guy, he's probably scarred for life. " I rested my head on my hands and watched as my question was ignored entirely.  I watched as she reached into her school bag and pulled out her hologram phone. They're the latest kind and everyone has them, but I still have the last model which has no hologram. Since Papa died, Mama hasn't been able to afford such luxuries. Which means whilst technology is evolving, I cannot evolve with it. Kierra was incredibly social, I was not. I sat and read, sometimes (if I was feeling adventurous) I wrote. I tended not to socialise when I had the opportunity. 

I pulled out a book that I had begun to read that morning and flicked to the right page, watching over the corner of the book as Kierra's fingers busily tapped away at the screen. Suddenly, she pulled a satisfied expression and clicked her tongue. "Found him." 
I put my book on the table, face-down, and folded my arms, "Found who?" 
She showed me the screen and on it was a profile for a boy called 'Ezra Ray'. "I don't know an Ezra?" I asked, running my finger down the spine of my book. She folded her arms and smiled at me, "The guy you were just talking about..." The profile showed a boy with ruffled brown hair and bright blue eyes and I recognised him at once.  

I groaned, picking my book up violently from the table. "I was trying to ignite some empathy in you, I'm not interested in him!" I mumbled, rubbing my temples. She dropped her phone slowly into her pocket and shrugged, "He's good-looking though..." She looked at my irritated expression and paused. "Never mind." 

I looked around the classroom, at anywhere but her. I felt bad for constantly being irritated by her all the time but I couldn't help it sometimes. I looked passed her at the large windows on the wall. Everyone wants a window seat, to sit in the unsubdued light of the morning. Outside the sky is blue except for a few strands of cloud. Whoever painted the walls in here must have had an imagination bypass, but then isn't that Delta 5's education system all over? Brainwash us with Thanatos' ridiculous teachings and convince us of things that aren't real so we can be the 'youth of tomorrow'. This is the only high school on Delta 5, a planet that is ridiculously small. The only primary school is a few roads away and just as over-populated. Our classroom is where we come to 'learn'. By learn, I mean sit and hear about our D5's ridiculous system. 

"Hey, strangers!" 
I looked up and saw Credence, my second best friend sitting on the desk next to us with his feet on mine. "Mr Allen-Blue isn't going to like you putting your feet on the desk." I said, pushing his feet off and watching him stumble off of the desk. "Sorry, teacher's pet." He chuckled, clutching on to Kierra's shoulders for support whilst he climbed back on to the desk. I winked at him and brushed chunks of mud off of the desk. "Anyway, I have news! Why else would I be talking to you weirdos?" He laughed, folding his legs on his own desk. "'Cause you love us!" Kierra responded, punching his playfully in the arm. Credence shrugged, "Fair enough. Anyway...news!" 
I nodded, "Do tell."