Outside the box.
Staring at the tip of the quill he held, Aaron smiled with a giggle before wearing a frown. He knows exactly what he could have done with the sharp tip. Just a thorough pinch of it on his neck or right on his laryngeal prominence would lead him six feet below. He is going to make sure of it.
But… He is not a coward. “I'll never sort out that disgraceful way to death”, he spoke, twirling the quill in his hands.
Bringing his fingers closer to his face, Aaron inhaled them. There were healed cuts on them. He had intentionally acted to give his parents a little drama by cutting himself.
Hurting his fingers with the quill to write on the wall instead of the usual ink was his way of sending them messages. They'd think he is crazy with books now like them. Biting hard on his lower lip, he smiled.
His parents must think him a fool for not killing himself. Only if they knew…
His mind flashed back to the very beginning of his existence in the white room.
”Send us his daily behavioral detection every week. If he behaves well, your report should state that he needs to be released to be able to fully heal with his guardians when you submit it to the court, but that should be done only when he is still alive after 2 years and 6 months.” his father had said.
“...also, instead of a pen, we would give him a quill. Something he can harm himself with. Whether he does harm himself or not, make sure you put in your report that he was devastated when his brain got better and that he attempted to murder himself. Let it be known to the online world so that his case would be fully dismissed by people's opinions.” His mother had added.
Chuckling deeply, Aaron sighed. “They are truly my world's nemesis.” He thought with a sick smile. He'll never give them what they want. All he needs to do is play their game of getting out on the scheduled date.
***
Weeks painstakingly piled up to months as months rolled out to years in the white room. Aaron did as usual. No one comes to check on him anyway. Even the books brought to him always came from the right side of the wall, and so was food. “Their tasteless meal…” not like he minds, though. His tastebud was already used to it. His parents would always lock him up and feed him those sorts of food whenever he messed up or disobeyed them.
It would have been his exact punishment if he hadn't picked up their call that night.
“That dreadful night”
A sharp pain coursed through him and headed right towards his head. The quill he held dropped with a soft thud as he held his head tightly from the pain.
His chest tightened as the smell of blood waltzed right past his nose. Opening his eyes, he was transported to that moment, the bloody memory that had now taken abode in his brain. He could vividly see the body laying on the floor with the pool of blood that surrounded it, and it made him cringe.
He has been having constant images of that moment like his cerebral was trying to send him a message of him never forgetting that night.
A ping sound vibrated through his system. Rolling his eyes, Aaron stood up and headed toward the right wall to retrieve whatever was brought to him this time around. The sound only came through the box like opening whenever something came for him. It was all he needed to hear to know something came for him either from his parents “books” or the nurses “food and clothes”.
Still holding on to his head with his left hand, he moved across the room in a nonchalant manner. “What book are they bringing forward this time around, or is it food?" He thought while trying to calm his nerves and relieve the tension that surrounded his brain and chest.
Taking his hands off his head, Aaron stood at the front of the open box with hands stretched to pick up the item, but then, he froze. His soul shook with excitement, though his body stood rigid.
His eyes found the camera that always watched him, and Aaron nodded in approval. His mother or father must be there, he thought. He picked up the cloth sent through the box, and by the texture, Aaron knew it was different from every other clothes that had been sent over to him during his stay here.
Whenever he wears a cloth for 3 days, the ping will come, and a new cloth will come while the one he had before was returned. However, this time around, it was different. The normal kaki that was always sent over was replaced with a suit, and that means something…
“The time has come. The day he'd be free from the beauty of his white home”.
Picking up the formal attire, he walked towards the bathroom where a single shower was fixed. Pulling off his clothes, he opened the water as he watched it cascade down his body.
Placing his hands on his skin as usual, he played around with the numerous scars that scattered his body. Each scar has a story to tell…memories of his afflictions filled with the name of the tormentors…
“Mom and dad.”
…and the place he was afflicted.
“The underground room mainly built for him” it was where everything all took place. No wonder he has Adam's Apple. He is cursed, and that's why he was born to them. “Two mad fellows,” he grimaced.
Chuckling deeply, he moved his hands around his body like a lover who was trying to heal the wounds of his beloved.
“Beloved?” His mind mocked. “Says the man who has never received love or touched with soft lady's hands”.
Laughing out loud as he bathed, Aaron switched off the shower, dried himself, and wore his well ironed attire.
***
A ping sound resonated through his room as he watched the wall divide into two.
Aaron walked toward the opening and out the door. He was greeted by his mom’s presence.
She stared at him like he was some prized jewel. It was a disturbing look.
“Let's go.” she said without looking back. Aaron followed suit. As he walked behind her, he looked around his surroundings and saw a few doctors around and other mentally unstable personnel. It was as expected that he was brought to a mental institute.
The car ride was filled with absolute silence as usual. Aaron sat at the back with his mom. While Aaron crossed his hands together, she wore her eyeglass as she read from a book. His parents never believed in e-books. They prefer holding the books they read and smelling the cover.
“What plan do they have for him?” Aaron thought. Never had he ever sat down with no books. It was a tradition they always stick to.
“She would have dropped a book on my lap to read. Why isn't she doing that? and the way she stared at me earlier, like I was a prized jewel…” “something doesn't feel right.” He thought.
He became uncomfortable, but he never let it show. His parents were always steps ahead of him. What plans do they have this time around? What were they going to do? “Geez…” he whispered under his breath. He always hates being in this sort of situation. Situations he can't read. He badly wanted to speak, but he held himself together.
“They wouldn't have known the plans he has for them, right?”
Closing his eyes for a brief moment, he calmed his nerves as he waited in silence.
“Stop the car”, his mom’s voice vibrated after a few hours.
The car came to halt in seconds, and Aaron watched his mom alight from the car. He watched as she crossed and went into another car. The moment she got into the car, the car moved in the opposite direction. The car Aaron sat in and moved as well but forward.
“It is going to be a long journey, Mr. Aaron. There's food in the car's trunk and everything you need. I'll only stop once during our journey for you to use the restroom. You can take food from the car's trunk after that and eat as I continue driving.” The driver said and then silence.
Aaron's mouth closed tightly in a thin line. He didn't let his frustration show. He knew there was something wrong, and if he knew his parents, there must be a bug in the car to hear his response or if there were any.
Closing his eyes, Aaron sighed. “Two can play the game” he whispered quietly with a smirk.
Opening his eyes, he relaxes his body as he looks out the window. He didn't think or say anything else as the car moved. Thinking would bring nothing to him but headache.
He would just have to be quiet and know his destination. Only when he has accessed the situation would he make his move. For now, he would let them win as many times as possible. Let them feel like they have tamed him to be responsive to whatever they say or do. He'll just move along like a robot that had been programmed.
***
Cover image generated with Meta AI