The cafeteria is so clean, LITERALLY SO CLEAN! I know we are on a laboratory or some sort of, but we're lab rats, I never thought they'll treat us like this.
I could hear 697 laughing from behind as he said. "I told you they need us on something, now let's line up and get our food"
We lined up like the other childrens are doing, I saw the food their eating and it looked really delicious: Rice, Vegetable Soup, Chicken Drumsticks and Water. Having this kind of treatment as a lab rats is quite confusing, for them maybe it's normal, But as once an adult I don't think this treatment is normal at all.
After that big sister gave us our food, we immediately find a seat to eat to. Does every staffs in this place really necessary to wear an whole faced mask?
"697, You said you've been here for 3 years correct?" I asked. If he's been here for that long, he must know something about the meaning of the masks.
"You're probably talking about the masks they wear, Indeed it represent their rank inside this facility. The shape of their eyes are their mark: Circle represent as the guards of the childrens like us, Triangle represents the staffs like janitors and more, Star represents the high ranking guards, Heart represents the scientist, and Square for outside guards" He replied while munching his drumsticks. Indeed I was right!
"The Letter and number in their forehead are their names, like us we use numbers as our names, but for them they use letter and numbers" In the entrance where we entered earlier, he pointed out a guard that has circle eyes in his mask. "Look at that guard over there, He has 'A34' in his mask's forehead, That is his name"
It seems that everyone in this facility, childrens or staffs are named after letters and numbers, To conceal their identity perhaps?
I quickly eat my remaining food, I'm still thinking about all the things 697 told me so far, Bu-- wait, Didn't he say 'Outside Guard' earlier!!??
"W-Wait what does square means again?" I immediately ask. "Did I hear it right, Outside Guards?"
"Well yeah, Square represents for the outside guards" He said and drink his water, after that he continued. "This facility is called 'LOLLIPOP' and we're currently below the surface, It means we are under the land. Like a lollipop this facility has been structured like a lollipop, The stick goes to the ground and the sweet pops outside. You can only go to the sweet through and elevator located in the upper floor in our cells"
"You mean we've currently been buried?" I replied. So escaping in this place seems impossible, So that's why I'm not seeing any sunlight at all. "Have you been in the sweet 697?"
"Yes I've been there, Childrens who are having their birthday are given a chance to be on the sweet and grant a specific wish, Like cakes or something"
"TIME FOR BREAKFAST IS OVER, PROCEED TO THE PLAY GROUND!!" One of the guards shouted.
While walking I ask him. "Then what did you wish for?" I was once an adult, Talking to him makes me feel like I was talking to an adult, He's kind of mature for his age.
"It may sound pathetic and useless, I did not ask for a thing, but instead, I wish them to grant me to keep friends by my side"
Eh, What does that even mean? It doesn't make sense at all. Just to keep friends? Dispite thinking maturely, it seems he still have a child side, Well he is still a child after all.
As we walk towards the play ground that was mentioned, I suddenly bump into someone quite familiar. She fell down and so I help her out.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to bump into you, Are you alright?" I asked. As she turn her head to me, I couldn't believe what I'm currently seeing.
My wife, cherry? or was it just someone who looks like her. Now that I think of it, I don't recall cherry having family aside from me and our daughter. If this is my wife when she was younger, why the hell is she here!?
▶To Be Continued...