Mental Break

Chapter One: Imperfections

I remember the night so easily.. The placid screams and groaning of pain as I pressed myself further into a corner, further away from those who were... Sick, and nothing could've prepared me for what happened. Nothing.

But, let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we. Today, you are learning the truth. And you may only share that truth with those you trust.. However, even then you could possibly be risking everything. Read this with caution.. For you might not like what you find out.. What they've been hiding for so long.. Those who died to get to it... And those who suffered from it.

8:37 AM; May 7th; "Playroom"

"Experiment T.I.E., please proceed." The metallic voice screeched as I glanced around the pure white, sterile room. My bare feet shuffling against the frigid white tiles as I moved further into the room, the small camera in the corner zooming in as I turned my head towards it.

"My name is Lottie Rene, at least that's what Jesse calls-"

"Your name is Exp. T.I.E., and nothing more. Understood?" The voice hissed through its' large, static sounding speakers, as I furrowed my brows and pinched my thin lips together before nodding once as a sigh erupted through the speakers before it continued.

"Good. Now, do you remember where we left off yesterday?" The voice questioned as I turned my head from the camera, my green eyes landing on the metal table that held a small rabbit. Turning my head back towards the camera, I nodded once before moving towards it and standing before the fuzzy creature.

"Alright, perfect.. Now, Exp. T.I.E, please.." The voice paused and yet, I could still hear the sadistic smile behind its mask. "Show what you can do."

Nodding once, I placed both of my small palms against the cool metal whilst closing my eyes and sighing through my parted lips, only to snap my eyes back open – feeling the sudden pressure pulsating through my head as I gritted my teeth, trying to focus on the rabbits' small mind.

Narrowing my darkening eyes, I reached out with one of my small hands; it shaking as the force hidden behind my eyes and fingertips grew stronger... And stronger... To the point where I thought I would kill it...

Move to your right... I whispered in a hiss as the rabbits' head shot up, it staring at me as watched it take a sidestep towards the center of the table, it's eyes still trained on my face as I moved my hand over towards the left.

Move to your left... I whispered again, and it did the motion again. I glanced over towards the two-way mirror, already trying to guess how many of those people were hidden behind it. Watching me as I controlled the small, fuzzy animal in front of me.

"Alright, Exp. T.I.E., finish it." The voice chimed with a sick laugh as I gulped slightly before returning my eyes to the rabbit, who sat there waiting for my next instructions. I felt my heart fall to the bottom of my feet as I closed my eyes, biting on my cheek as I inhaled and sighed from my trembling lips before sending the final message...

S... Snap your own neck...

I flinched at the cracking sound filled the room, thankfully for a mere second, as I reopened my lightening eyes to see the once white rabbit laying against the metal table with its head facing the glass while it's front still faced me.

"Terrific job, Exp. T.I.E! Absolutely wonderful." The voice was filled with joy – you could easily tell. Straightening my back as I stared blankly at the small rodent, yet the sound of the airlocked door sliding open caused me to avert my attention.

"You did well, Lottie.." Jesse spoke quietly as he moved closer, placing one of his hands on my shoulder as I peered back at the snow rabbit before feeling Jesse begin to pull me away and towards the door as I turned my head away, hanging it low as we passed the metal door and into the bright, and white hallway.

I glanced up as Jesse and I made our way down the hallway, my light eyes glanced further ahead of us to see Naomi or Exp. N.A.O, the Imperfectionist as some of our caregivers called her; it is that she was the error among us, and she failed... She failed so much that she should tremble before me..

My eyes settled on her as she lifted her head higher, showing off a proud smile as her and her caregiver moved around us, her lips showing a small frown as she pushed past me. I clenched my jaw instantly – I never liked her, nor will I ever like her...

She was too... Imperfect.

"Come along, Lottie, we have some time before your next assignment." Jesse sighed as he pushed me further down the hall, my eyes never leaving Naomi's back until she entered the playroom, and leaving my sight.

"Yes, Jesse.." I whispered with a hiss before turning my head forward and walking with him. I remember the day Jesse was assigned to me – I was the young age of six, and he was at least twenty-eight, and since that day he's been a father figure to me; now I being ten and he thirty-three, our bond has grown.

He protected me, cared for me, and sometimes saved me from being disabled by the people hidden behind the voice; especially when I got angry. Those days.. Those are the days I wish I could forget, but with the steel trap of mind I have – things cannot be easily forgotten.

"Lottie, why don't you go off and find Marie in the lunchroom? I have some... Paperwork I need to fill out." Jesse sent a small grin as I looked up at him, a frowned sketched onto my lips as he patted my shoulder before taking off down a separate hallway; leaving me alone.

"Yes, sir..."

I watched as the airlock doors closed behind him, as I turned back towards the hallway and started my small adventure to find my friend, Marie.

The home center seemed.. Quieter. None of the other experiments were running about, or playing games that angered the voices; the only sound was the gentle patting of my bare feet against the tiles as I studied the sterile white walls, seeing no imperfections in them. The glass wall separating the hallway from the center, along with the small rooms that were made for us – the experiments – to stay in until either our caregivers or the voices called for us.

"Lottie! Lottie, over here!"

I snapped my head towards the small rec room I had passed, not noticing that Marie stood in the doorway until she called for me.

"Marie! I was just coming to find you." I smiled softly as I turned back towards her, stepping through the doorway as I noticed the tv was on in the top left corner of the room; Marie's white bean bag chair seated just a little ways from the door.

"I thought you were, want to join me for some tv time before our next sessions?" Marie grinned as her lightly freckles nose squished up gently as I nodded, smiling like the small child we were.

"Sure, what're we watching today?" I asked as we moved back towards her seat, pulling one for myself as we sat down with a gentle plop.

"I believe, that it's some animal documentary that Quince put on for me." Marie shrugged as I nodded gently, averting my eyes towards the screen as my friend and I sat there quietly, leaving us to enjoy the apparent mauling of a zebra that failed to outrun a lioness..

"Do you believe it died because it was imperfect..?" I turned towards Marie with a slight whisper as she craned her neck, looking at me with a cocked eyebrow before furrowing them and frowning.

"Perfection isn't everything, Lottie.. Being imperfect is what makes us who we are." Marie sighed as I furrowed my brows and studied her expression before nodding yet I frowned.

"But being imperfect means there's room for failure... And in this world, you cannot have failure.."

"Lottie, failure is merely a learning experience – and we are children that are learning, so yes there is room for failure, and that's perfectly fine." Marie snapped as I stared at her, blankly as she returned her attention back to the documentary as I sat there... My mind reeling as I thought back to what the voices used to say to me before every past session I had.. The chant that would be my undoing..

Imperfections are failures, and failures are errors... And all errors must be destroyed.