The Less You Know

Prologue

I was running, running from the people I used to think were my parents. Why are they trying to give me to the police? I didn't do anything wrong. I'm a good boy! That's what Mom's always told me! "Hey, stop right there!" A robotic voice said behind me. "No! I didn't do anything wrong!" I screamed back. Metallic hands picked me up by my arms. "No! Lemme go! I didn't do anything! Mom!" I kicked and flailed and screamed as I reached for the people I used to call my parents. "Mom, this robot man is scaring me! Make him put me down! Mom!" I yelled, still reaching for my mother. "Robot...? Honey, did you hear that? He's one of those delusional Ingan-ui! Honey what are we going to do!" My mother started crying into my Dad's shoulder. Ingan-ui? What is that? "We will take care of your son, don't worry. We will make him normal again." The robot man spoke to my Mom and Dad. "Please, I just want a normal son." My Dad said as he held my mother. "I am normal!!" I screamed. "I can't take this anymore!" My mother said as she ran back into the house. "Mom!!" I screeched as I tried reaching for my mother only to have another robot grab me and push me back towards the other robot. "Take him away." The robots started marching the other way with me in their arms. I screeched and tried to reach behind them, out to my father. He simply shook his head, turned away, and walked back into the house. The robots quickly clamped my mouth. "Shut up Ingan-ui. We do not wish to draw attention." The robot said. I stopped struggling after a while, and decided to save my energy for whatever they had in store for me. I thought they would take me to a police office, but instead they made a sharp turn towards the walls. I looked around worriedly, hoping someone would see us and save me, but no one was around. The robots walked outside the walls and dropped me harshly on my butt. "Ow! Hey what are you going to do with me!?" I asked as I started backing up towards the dark forest. "Delete you from society." One of them answered, the next thing I knew everything was dark.

I woke up later to a pair of warm, non-robotic arms, holding me close to a warm, non-robotic body. Whoever was holding me was walking somewhere, and they kept a steady pace, softly humming some unknown tune to me. I shifted my head slightly to try and look at this person, as soon as I moved the person stopped. "Are you awake little guy?" A gentle, deep voice asked me. I instantly closed my eyes and stopped moving, the voice laughed slightly. "I know you're awake, you don't need to be scared. I picked you up because I know people that can help you, and there's a pretty good doctor in my town." I felt the person start walking again. "You were probably just told that you're not normal, that you're an Ingan-ui." My head shot up and I looked at the voice. He had black hair with an undercut, and gentle brownish eyes, he looked around 15. He looked down at me and smiled. "Hi." He said gently. "What are the Ingan-ui?" I asked quietly, struggling with the word, struggling to breath. The man looked back up at the pathway. "The Ingan-ui are good people, but they threaten the police--"
"You mean the robots?" I piped in. The man looked down at me sadly. "Yes, the robots. Your parents don't know that they're robots, they think they're regular people like them. The Ingan-ui can see the truth, they can see the robots." He paused. "Did you ever watch the news?" I thought a little bit. "Sometimes. Dad would have it on while he read the newspaper." The man nodded. "Ever notice how the president looks a little off?"
"Yeah! He kinda looked like the robot police, I asked my Dad about it once but he just looked at me funny." I said sadly as I placed my head against the man's shoulder, hoping that would help me breathe better. "That's because the president is like the robot police. He is a robot. Robots run everything, but normal people can't see it. The Ingan-ui can, the Ingan-ui are good." It was quiet for a moment before the man spoke up again. "What's your name kiddo? You never told me." He looked down at me. "I'm Lance!" I said confidently, holding back a cough. The man smiled. "I'm Shiro, and you'll be living with me and other Ingan-ui from now on." I smiled, getting the feeling that this Shiro person was being honest. These people sound nice, I can't wait to meet everyone.