Chapter 08: Virginia Stuart

Virginia

"I feel well, please proceed, Sir Luke," the boy seated two rows in front of me answered. Something about him just now seems weird. I only wish I can tell these thoughts to someone else in this room but these other kids won't talk to you no matter what. Learned that one the hard way.

Ever since that boy got assigned to this room our teacher was replaced by another stricter teacher. I could notice how the new teacher often glances at the boy. From my experiences here I can also recall the previous teacher often dart a look at me. I don't know why but this makes me feel very anxious.

My whole life I was being watched and monitored closely. In the other children's rooms, there were no adults inside watching over them; however, in the room that I'm in, at least one adult is looking after us.

Each month every child would undergo what they call a "check-up". As far as I know, this is to check if each child's body is okay; however, my check-up is more often than the other children. And whenever I would undergo a check-up, I would feel intense pain in my temples. The elders would recommend for me to go home to get some rest and so I do.

A lot has changed in my life ever since that boy came. I was no longer being monitored closely. The room that I sleep in doesn't have any adult to look over it. I still undergo check-ups but not as often as before. I could now finally breathe easily.

I want to express to him my deepest gratitude but I'm afraid to get in trouble. The last time a child disobeyed the elders and did something he wasn't told to do, men with buffed arms appeared and carried the kid away. The kid was never seen again right after that. I'm afraid something like that would happen to me so I obey the elders and their rules.

Another thing that I found out from my experiences is that these elders hate it when children show any kind of expression on their faces. I learned that one the hard way too.

One time I was caught staring at the ceiling and smiling by the teacher. I really can't recall why I did that but I might have been thinking of happy memories that's for sure. When the teacher saw me she immediately called someone. Right after that, 3 buffed men busted through the door. I tried to fight back but these people were too big for me to even try to bring down. They took me into a dark room and tied my hands and feet. I was about to shout but a person from the shadows injected something into my wrist. That's when I felt extremely weak and my vision became a blur until I can't see anything no more.

When I opened my eyes I remember being inside a dark place that seems to have no exit to it. That's when it happened, a very bright light illuminated my surroundings. When the light disappeared various familiar-looking objects appeared right before me. A figure of a happy child covered with mud, a sunflower, ice cream, and various other things. Then, each object started to disappear one by one before my very eyes but before everything would disappear, I held on to one object. It was a figure of a male and a female together holding a tiny child. I held on to it tightly as if my life depends on it and thankfully enough, it didn't disappear.

I was eventually able to get out of that dark place with the help of the memory I'm holding on to. Since then I was afraid to show any kind of expression on my face or weird behaviors. I'm holding on to this memory and what I'm sure of is as long as I have this with me, I would never be able to forget who I am and who I used to be.

Something about this new boy feels weird. Would it be possible that a poor soul was trapped inside that body like how I once used to be?

I'm happy to finally experience freedom from being closely examined. I was finally able to be like the other kids who are not always looked after wherever I go and whatever I do.

This is what I wanted, right? But why do I feel something else besides joy? Whenever I see the new boy being followed to wherever he goes and when his seat is almost always vacant because of the sharp headaches that come right after the check-ups and he is advised to go rest. I feel a sense of responsibility to do something.

Is it because I see myself in him? I know how it feels like to be in his situation wherein he is being monitored closely. It might be true that I sympathize with what he's going through but what can I do anyway? If these elders caught me doing something else they might tie me up again and completely clear my mind of any memories left.

But what if this child has a memory left too? Should I be selfish and sit down while watching him lose all his memories and become like the other children here? Or should I help him? I feel like I want to help him, I'm just afraid of what they'll do to me.

"Partners!"

I snapped back to reality when I heard our teacher's loud voice.

"Let me explain what 'partners' are," he continued, "These are two people who work together towards a common objective."

Did I hear that right? Two people working together? How would that go if no child in the class interacts with one another despite being in the same room?

Our teacher divided everyone into divisions composed of two people. Everyone else was already assigned a partner except for two other kids, Cyrus, and me.

"For Division 12 is Cyrus and Virginia," the teacher announced.

I'll be working together with the new kid who is being closely examined? If I would be involved with him, would I also be closely examined? I have a bad feeling about this.

"I will assign the work tomorrow, you can go back to your rooms now," the teacher said, dismissing us.

Every child gathered in two lines, one for the boys and one for the girls. Everyone went into their room one at a time. I was seated at the back of my class so it takes a while for me to get inside my room. I looked in Cyrus's direction. He was lined up with the other boys; however, there is an adult besides him. Just like how I used to be before he came.

***

As soon as I got into my room I went straight into bed and didn't bother cleaning myself up first.

When I was the one being closely monitored I would follow a strict pattern of things to do before going to bed. First, I cleaned myself with water and soap. Second, everyone in the room eats at the same time and with the same food. After eating, we are asked to read the big books on the shelves. I learned how to read at this place. I find it weird how I was able to slowly forget my memories yet I was able to retain my ability to read. These books that I was asked to read would always make me feel sleepy but I do my hardest for them not to notice this. After reading an uninteresting book, the lights would turn off and everyone goes to sleep at the same time.

That's how my nights would always go. However, since nobody is watching over me, I get to do whatever I want. It's all thanks to that boy. He allowed me to finally experience freedom.

I want to express my gratitude to him. I made up my mind, I am going to help him.