Morning all. Running a little slow this morning. Sorry about that. Let’s see if we can make up some time bu=y just jumping in shall we? 1, 2, 3 let those timers fly!
This one started off slow. It took me a bit to figure out where I was going but I think I figured it out. I’ll need to add more notes before I close this down, and much will be erased in an edit, but I finally grasped a story idea towards the end. Which is always nice.
Thursday, May 4th: It was a painful memory.
It was a painful memory and not one he cared to discuss with anyone. Yet here they were ready to poke and prod. He felt a momentary flash of anger. They had no right.
He swallowed his anger back. It would do him no good here. He knew that. He took slow, deep breaths and focused on slowing his heartrate. The last person brought in for testing had been in a while so he knew his turn was coming soon. He needed to get himself under control before he was called.
This was his second round of testing, which meant something pinged on their radars during the first test. It could have been his annoyance at having to come in for testing during a critical phase of his work. He didn’t have time for this then and he didn’t have time for this now. His irritation started to rise again as he thought of the others, picking up the slack for his absence yet again.
‘And more annoyance means possibly a third absence or dismissal all together.’ He reminded himself.
On top of his base level annoyance they asked deep and probing questions that dug into his most painful memories. He knew it was part of their testing but he felt it was uncalled for. To complain would do nothing. The company had autonomy in most things.
‘And it could even be a government test they asked the company to run.’ That was always possible. The Empire was always paranoid about the loyalty of its citizens. Several thoughts he knew would be considered disloyal flashed through his mind but they didn’t hold the weight of his anger at the company. To be mad at the Empire for probing into citizen secrets was like being mad at the rain for being wet.
It was what it was.
Oddly the thought helped to calm him further. It let him dismiss his own fears. The door slid open and the person to face testing before him emerged. No one smiled when leaving testing. There was always a relief that it was done but it was always mixed with the worry about what the results would be and how they would be interpreted.
After his last testing he was mentally and physically exhausted. While the Company wanted to check out your mental state and to find out all of your secrets, delving deep into your mind and memories, it saw no reason not to test your physical well-being as well.
His name was called and he stood. The loose fitting clothing he was given to wear during his testing moved strangely on him. It was breathable but less stiff, less formal than his daily clothing and it felt odd to wear. If anything it felt like pajamas and he felt oddly exposed as he walked through the doors of testing.
‘All part of the process,’ he told himself.
Ten til Midnight 