we are society.

01: invisible

"Hello, everyone. Today is Saturday, October 30th, 2021. It is also the day I will be sharing an important announcement."

Adrian inhaled the icy, autumn air that had drifted from the wide-open window.

"As many of you already know, my name is Adrian Dorenith. I was adopted at the age of nine by Mitchell Dorenith."

He swallowed hard and stared at the plain white ceiling above him. Adrian edged closer to the microphone and continued.

"Sounds like a scenario straight from the pages of a fairy tale, right? However, in my case, it was not the typical rags to riches story. No, it could not have been farther from the truth."

He grimaced bitterly at the thought of his naïve, younger self, who had been eager to be adopted.

"I soon realized that such stories indeed only exist in fiction. You see, my father...he did quite drastic things. Actions that broke the threads of hope of a nine-year-old child and hurt me. "

He was at a railroad crossway. At this point, he could still put on a deluding front and live on as usual. But that wouldn't change anything, either himself or his circumstances.

// 7 years ago //

"Mister Dorenith! Thank you for the motorcycle!" Adrian exclaimed, a little shyly, his dark brown bangs grazing his eyelashes.

A middle-aged chuckled and brushed the boy's hair to the side.

"Of course, you are my son now. I'm glad you like my little present."

Adrian bowed his head ever so slight in acknowledgement.

Mitchell Dorenith then pulled Adrian's wrist.
"Come along, I have another surprise."

Adrian was disoriented, but the lure of gifts he could have never dreamed of in the orphanage facility was too irresistible.
He followed him to a caliginous room well-furnished with sumptuous vases, coruscating paintings in glass displays, and shelves of books.

"Where is the surprise?" Adrian pondered in curiosity.

Mitchell Dorenith assumed a dismal expression, as if the friendliness from only mere moments ago were a deceiving mask. He began to undress.

"M-mister?" Adrian's exuberance quickly plummeted. Even as a child, Adrian knew the man was exuding danger.

He attempted to escape from the confined walls of the demon's lair before all was too late.

But looming hands had seized him in a vice-like grip.

" My father...he molested me. Repeatedly."

He could remember the first time he was exposed to the monster as if it were yesterday. Adrian unconciously traced a jagged scar on his forearm and could vividly see it welling with blood.

Crimson red blood.

"It was painful. I was used for a man's pleasure until I was bleeding. To be honest, the incarnation of the devil better describes that inhuman brute, who was, surprise surprise, the root cause of my months of migraines and vision of only monochrome red."

It seemed his plan to insert sarcasm resulted in a miserable fail.

His sight dimmed considerably. He palpitated, nausea imbuing from his chest. He had never been able to shake off the feeling of being unclean.

Adrian hadn't exactly been prepared to be this emotionally affected.

Biting his lip, he proceeded his confession.

"You may ask, why is it, that I have never told anyone about this abuse? It wasn't out of intention, believe me. I have tried and persisted over the years."

The door was ajar. Adrian prayed that someone would pass by and save him.

Footsteps. His heartbeat accelerated in anticipation. A pair of familiar eyes peered through the crack of the door.
His hand released tension with hope and relief. It was Nathaniel, one of his closest friends.

'help me!', Adrian mouthed desperately.

Nathaniel responded with widened eyes and an understanding nod, before tip-toeing away quietly.

Adrian waited.

No one ever came to rescue him.

He later learned that his "friend" had turned a blind eye in order to secure the position of being his so-called father's secretary.

"My father's influence was too strong. People who found out either ignored me or kept their mouths shut with a bribe. They easily chose money over a boy with carved cuts and purple bruises, evidently abused. They were heartless hypocrites who hungered for power, not justice."

Adrian laughed in spite of himself.
"Ironic, that those people were probably the same ones claiming to be donating to child protection services."

He glanced directly at the camera.

500 000 people were currently watching the live stream. This was the perfect setting for the final act.

"Whether you believe me is entirely up to you, but I must state that I have no reason to lie. This will be the end of the livestream. It was rather short and it will be my last. Thank you."

Adrian had created an account on a popular video platform under the guise of teaching academics for this very day.

Just for this sole purpose.

He would not be orchestrated as part of the dramatis personae that danced in the palm of Michael Dorenith anymore.

There was no other choice.

Adrian stepped on to the chair and gingerly wrapped the noose around his neck, the rough rope scratching his skin.

High frequency sound suddenly enveloped him, piercing his eardrums.

He kicked over the chair.

Just what crimes did he commit in his past life to deserve such scorn? Why, why did he have to suffer while others giggled at him in mockery? He was in fact irritated he needed to resort to this measure to obtain trust from the public and have them believe him. Words, afterall were empty without action.

Did he have regrets and unfulfilled aspirations? He had many.

But he was tired, so very tired of the scripted interactions.

After a few minutes, the adolescent took one last final breath.

And the chaos of the high frequency noise came to an end.

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Country's third largest Corp. CEO sentenced to prison

-end-

_________• • •_________

nobody has a perfect life.
there are always flaws, crystal clear or not.