CotE: The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 2: The Inescapable Events

Today was the start of my second- or well, first full- day of school here. It compared nothing to what the education in the white room was like but it was interesting, to say the least.

A good portion of the day was spent being introduced to school policies and rules. Pretty much all of the students and their minds blown by how nice the teachers were. For a school that boasts 100% employment rate, it sure is relaxed.

Or maybe that's my upbringing being brought into play.

...

Nope. Looking around, I can see the odd person with their phones out but for the most part, everyone seems to be concentrating. Or well, looks to be concentrating.

Speaking of which... I should probably get to memorising people's names. The name plates have been removed, so I have to go from memory or from people calling each other's names.

The White Room had assigned 'codes' for each student and we barely had time to interact with each other, so you never had to learn names. Well, you could learn the code of the student which was simpler if you did interact in the very little given time.

If you think about it, a name is a more complex code. Each letter stands for a number between 1 and 26 and therefore, each student has a wildly unique code assigned from birth. However, names are much easier to remember than random strings of numbers.

At times, being a barely self-aware animal would be favourable. You just know who the other animal is. You don't have a care. You just eat, sleep and do your job. In a never ending cycle, until you die.

Kind of like a human, but more boring.

It compares nothing to the thrill of life. There are so many uncertainties. Humans have a free mind and are self-conscious to a high degree.

But cannot even understand what they are made of. What is the brain? What does this do, what does that do?

Why does this behave like that? Is this something new or related to that? Yet, these are actions the brain has used to entertain not knowing about itself... how confusing.

If you were to start at a more complex question, then you really would be going places.

Ah right... I should probably be paying attention to what the teachers say...

1

Lunch soon approached and with the bell being rang, our teacher bid us farewell and left. And now, here I am.

Just as everyone has their own friendship groups, I have mine. Consisting of myself, and just myself. No one else, just me.

It doesn't affect me.

Of course, I am feeling left out. But the effects of it weigh less on me than it would anyone else. The two boys who introduced themselves to me yesterday had already left, and I didn't know anyone else. Well, apart from Ichinose but she was chatting with the rest of the girls.

Luckily, I was prepared for this scenario as I currently have a bento box sitting in my bag. I'd rather not eat in the cafeteria on my own...

One of the skills we were taught in the white room was basic cookery and how to make use of little ingredients.

There were no means a meagre amount of ingredients here but it helps to save.

I didn't want to be the last to leave, so I left early to head to one place in mind. One where no one else would, or should, be.

The rooftop.

I half expected the door to be locked, but surprisingly it was open. I would just go somewhere else if it was closed, but things seem to working in my favour.