MOTH MOUND

CHAPTER 8

ENNUI

DEFINITION

A feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.

"he succumbed to ennui and despair."

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DATE - JULY 5TH 2015

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The auditorium was small as it was old fashioned. It had only been used a hand full of times after 2000. Mostly it was used with briefings on the Virus retrieval project, procedures on how to deal with rogue Virus, and the scarce occasion to need to hold meetings with other precincts. That, however, was once in a blue moon.

Today's reception notes were jotted in the Warden's notepad; it was evident that this conference heavily relied on Fritz and what her assessment was. The room was almost filled with soldiers, and Fritz had her notes written over the Virus' files, with points that pertained to each teen.

Around two minutes until when the assemblage was to start, Tabby hopped over to the Warden with a type of urgency, "Warden!" she sounded like she was trying to whisper, "I gotta show you something!" She tugged on his leg, "You're gonna love it, trust me!"

His hand swatted her back, "Later." despite Tabby's screen for a face, I could almost see her cheeks puff up in annoyance. But of course, she accepted it and marched into the corner, before she climbed onto a chair. She crossed her arms and pouted.

The room was filled with enough soldiers and a few scientists, so the Warden stepped up to the podium and tapped the mic. Veronica gave a thumbs up from the front line of chairs. Warden cleared his throat before he spoke. "I called you all here this morning to discuss the avid changes within the Moth Mound," The man placed his notebook across the flat slate, "There has been a spike of in-mound deaths, from one Virus particular who we have little to no data on," The Warden took a breath. He was aware of how useless his input was, "So we have called a specialist in... Child behavioral sciences to assist in an approach."

The various scientists and soldiers were unimpressed. These weren't children by default. They just looked like it and were aged like children. Warden looked to Fritz, who seemed slightly taken aback by how quickly she was being called to speak. She kept her papers close to herself as she walked up to the podium.

The Warden stepped back and faced the crowd now, but his gaze remained stagnant on the psych. Fritz turned to the back page of her papers. "Good morning," She muttered as she took a moment to find her place on the form. "I only spent about a half-hour one on one with Naya; the rest, unfortunately, are; as promised, completely uncooperative for understandable reasons," She somewhat muttered the end, "However, I did figure a few things out; Naya seems to lack any form of... Sadness, guilt, or grievance." She flipped to Naya's page, "Naya was easily distracted by her surroundings, but not in a sign of trauma," She cleared her throat, "She knows where she is and is content with it," Fritz struggled to read, the room likely getting to her. "Despite her abduction being traumatic, her spirits are bizarrely high, and for that, I have no answer."

Before Fritz could continue, Veronica raised her hand before she stood, "You appear to be ill-informed," She started. She gave a look to the Warden, before continuing, "That's the point," She had a bite behind her words, "The Virus gene's causes the host have abnormally stable brain chemicals like dopamine or monoamine oxidase," Fritz picked up her clipboard from behind her, pen attached, "Are you saying this Virus was abnormally content with her situation?"