When the Darkest Secrets are all White

Chapter 2 - Various Locations' Contrasting Companions

Intrigued, yet nonchalant. Calculating, yet calm.

A myriad of emotions were coursing through a peculiar boy as he stay in formation. Near the back of a military line-up of beings of his same height. The boy, Kiyotaka, had never seen another person around his young age of four since his introduction to them a couple months ago. Since his eyes opened, he saw white walls, then white cloth. His carers dressed in white garb, almost blending. These people were all his contact until he was of age to join the programme. There was no love or care, only duty.

So, it's expected that this new intrigue would be the catalyst of change in the boy. It had been a couple months since they last lined up together in front of the indentations of the one-way mirrors. He was currently investigating every change in the array before him – the couple strays behind him he could not perceive without being noticed.

It wasn't until a man walked through the automatic sliding door in front of them that he gained any fruit for his labour. The crowd stiffened and a deadly chill encompassed the already cold room. The only sound heard was the clack of his expensive boots, as he continued his unbearably slow pace to the centre front of the encampment.

"Fourth Generation..."

His powerful voice cut through the fog occupying each child's mind as they snap to attention. Losing focus was due to the man's unrelenting stare. Hollow eyes. Devoid of emotion. Even without containing life, they were not dead, no. It was as if they had seen through the lies and truths of the world. It was overwhelming. That singular stare could make one feel as if they were drowning.

"...Or what is left of you. Do not forget why you are here. You are the subjects of something greater than yourselves. An ideal. A hope for the future..."

As the man had mentioned, already a few had succumbed to his pressure. Where they were now, it was not known. However, it was understood by the rest that failing was not an option.

The boy, Kiyotaka, looked almost invulnerable to the pressure the man was emitting. Eyes slightly pointed down, posture calm, he continued to observe the others in his peripherals. Another boy's eyes were darting left and right, almost wishing the escape of his prayers to appear. A girl with fair hair was continuously fidgeting with the hem of her white cloth dress. An obvious sign of nervousness. The only question to Kiyotaka, was why?

"...The programme for the fourth has been heavily modified. After analysing data from the previous three, it was decided that the time has come. An experiment. Your generation will be tested under much harsher conditions than before. If you excel, we will be that much closer to reaching the goal. You must know that the only way for the future is up. Will you remain equal with the world in the realm of mediocrity? Or will you rise, to the peak of ability, far out of reach for the trash outside these walls?"

His questions were rhetoric. No answer was needed nor wanted. That, to everyone was commonplace.

"...Do you understand?"

""Understood!""

The room thundered their response, in time and with conviction. The ones momentarily petrified were rejuvenated with burning motivation. The man hummed as he made his way through a parting of subjects. None dared to question why and hoped they would not be targeted. The man's clacking shoes finally stopped immediately before someone. The chamber was once again cast into reticence.

"...I asked a question. Do you understand, Kiyotaka?

The boy turned his eyes away from the floor and raised his eyeline to meet the man's. The gaze he was met with was enough to make anyone shiver, however he was unyielding. There was little to no effect on the boy. All he felt was wonder. His face remained unchanged as he answered the man before him. Whom he had only recently learned a miniscule amount about. For he now knew just who this man was.