[i]Hello. This is sort of a combonation of an introduction thread and Story. I’m Kyler, 15 years old. Without further ado Brainwashed
Also I love comments! criticism is appreciated, i know im not perfect 
[/i]
Prologue
Magic.
Discovered inadvertently by a social experiment in the late 1990’s, it was kept a closely guarded secret. Then, as the experiment slipped slowly (in the publics’ eye) into one of disgusting principles and inhumane practices; seeing a potential to change the world, it used its secret to make the institution pass from memory and sight. The building can only be found by those who know of it, and the only ones who know of it are the people inside.
One hundred thirty two bedrooms, four levels, and seven-hundred-eight-one teenage boys, split into different specialty groups; that was the extent of Logan’s’ world. For the last fifteen years that was all he’d known; but to him, it was the world in its entirety. He knew nothing of the hustle and bustle that took place beyond the walls that surrounded him.
Chapter One: Relativity
“Good morning, sleepyhead.” a spirited voice said, drawing Logan from his restful slumber.
Light played in through the window, casting its shimmering rays against the light blue walls of the room, giving the illusion of waves gently rolling.
Logan stretch, letting out a stifled yawn. As his toes brushed the wooden planks that surrounded his crib he heard a familiar crinkling sound. He looked placidly up at Alex, a brilliant smile donned across the boys face.
“Good morning.” Logan murmured sleepily, sitting up; noticing as he did that the familiar dampness that accompanied his waking was not present.
“it’s already seven forty and Mr. Perkins told us not to be late again so I changed you.” Alex said, seeing the bewildered look on Logan’s face. “Now come on, get up!”
“Alright, Alright!” Logan said, laughing as Alex tugged on his arms.
Grabbing his teddy bear, he and Alex walked our of the room arm in arm.
Their first class was on the first floor, and even though their room was on the third Mr. Perkins demanded that they be there on time. As did most of the teachers; first period was the only period that being late was an offense. Along the way they passed other rooms, all essentially the same. There were yellow rooms with teddy bear prints, green rooms with turtle prints; but all of them were equipped with four cribs, a dresser, and a single table tucked into a corner of the room, stocked extravagantly with powdery-smelling diapers, colorful blankets, various sundry cleaning tools, and every other amenity even remotely associated with new parents…
“Cutting it close you two, aren’t you?” Mr Perkins asked as Logan and Alex dashed into the room.
The class room was filled by twelve other boys wearing an assortment of footed sleepers and shortalls.
“yes sir.” the boys chimed together, as they took their seats.
“Now, as I was saying, Mr. Watterson is taking a temporary sick leave and he asked me to supervise you while you work on your project. This means that your physics lessons will be put on hold - not that you really need them anymore.”
Everyone in the classroom nodded. These days most any class was just review; they had already been through all the textbooks at least a dozen times.
“Mr. Watterson tells me that you’re working on a hypothetical ship that could have the ability to reach relativistic speeds?”
Again, the class nodded. They had been working on the project for the past month. The ship was being designed to work in a hypothetical zero-G environment in such a way that it attained the speed at which relativistic effects could be felt on a dramatic level; even with magic on their side they hadn’t made much progress in the area of propulsion; the thrusters just couldn’t sustain a burn for the period of time needed to reach maximum speed.
“I trust you all know your assignments, so I’ll get out of your way.” Mr. Perkins said, casually flicking his hand towards the computers which instantly whirred to life.
Logan called his notebook which came zipping in through the door; he threw up a hand and caught it before settling back into his chair. Logan flipped to the last entry in the folder, studying the calculations that were scrawled across the page.
“They just cant sustain the burn time.” Logan said to Alex who was sitting beside him viewing a simulation of the craft. “I think we should go back to the drawing board on the engines. If we could make the hull plati -”
“That could take weeks.” Alex interjected, remembering how long the current model had taken to design. "There has to be a shortcut that could reduce the time that the thrusters are used - what about increasing the potency of the fuel?
“That would only put us a couple thousand kliks closer to the speed we need.” Logan stated, quickly working out the equations on his paper.
The rest of the class period was spent in a flurry of failed ideas, scurrying from station to station, and a mind boggling array of calculations. Tedious as the work was each boy felt exhilarated, this is what they lived for; conquering unconquerable problems.
As the bell chimed signaling the end of the class period Logan cast his gaze on Alex, who smiled, recognizing the look on Logan’s face.
“Come on” Alex said, motioning towards a door in the back of the room.
Through the door was another, slightly smaller room that held three changing tables, all stocked generously with diapers.
Logan unzipped his sleeper and stripped it off. He climbed on top of the nearest table, the cold pad crinkling underneath him.
Alex came back from the shelf on the far side of the small room, carrying a small bottle of baby powder. He set the items on an unoccupied part of the table and proceeded to untape the sides of Logan’s diaper.
“I just don’t understand, Alex.” Logan said dejectedly. “We’ve got the hull strength, we’ve got the power, so why wont it work?”
“'I don’t know, Logan.” Came the reply as Alex applied powder to Logan’s bottom and slipped a clean diaper underneath him, gleeful cartoons dancing across its top.
“It’s as if there’s some force working against us. It wont let us -”
Logan was cut short as Alex, who had finished taping the sides of Logan’s diaper, inserted a pacifier into Logan’s mouth and kissed him on the forehead.
“We’ll figure it out. Now hurry up and get your clothes back on.”
They jogged to their English class, barely attracting attention as they slipped into their seats; it was commonplace for people to come in late, personal matters needing to be attended to.
“We’re going to be doing something new, class.” Mr. Greevs said, passing out books with a wave of his hand.
A book glided through the air and settled on the desk in front of Logan. ‘Macbeth’ the title read. A boy in a shortalls raised his hand, snagging the attention of the teacher.
“Sir, who is Shakespeare? There is no record of him ever existing in this universe…”
Logan was momentarily stunned that the boy would know this right off beat, until he saw the insignia embroidered into the left pocket of his shortalls; he was a history specialist.
“Mr. Shakespeare has moved into a meaningful, and rational universe.” the teacher explained. “And at his request we removed evidence of his existence here. But he left instructions that in time of his death that we should share his work. He sent a message to us shortly before his death.”
The boys question satisfied, he picked up the book and leafed through the pages.
“Mr. Shakespeare wrote of a place in a rational universe, yet gave it irrational qualities, in this play. We’re going to be studying the effects of the irrational tendencies on the rational characters. So if everyone would split up into groups of two, I want you to read the story aloud.”
Alex conjured up a pillow and a blanket and laid them next to the wall, propping himself up against the wall and placing the pillow in his lap, he beckoned to Logan who rested his head on the pillow. Opening the book Alex began to read.
“When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?”
Logan loved to listen to Alex read. His tone fluctuated with emotion, weaving a story full of anger, love, and violence before his very eyes. The poetic language of the play added a side to Alex’s voice that Logan had never heard before. It rolled like thunder through a desolate valley with lady Macbeth’s boisterous voice, then became as a lone wolf howling with anguish at a moonless sky as Duncan took his last breath.
“I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?”
Logan shuddered involuntarily and pressed his teddy tightly to him as he pictured Duncan’s bloody body silhouetted in the moonlights glow that came through the window. Alex gave Logan’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze; Logan didn’t like scary stories. With Alex’s reassurance, Logan contentedly went back to sucking on his pacifier. From time to time when he became still and his breathing shallowed Alex would look down to see if he was still awake, stories had a tendency to put Logan to sleep. Logan would nudge Alex and the story would continue.
Logan’s peaceful reprieve was interrupted as the bell signaled the end of second period. Unwillingly he stood up.
“That was wonderful, Alex” Logan said earnestly.“I can’t wait until Macbeth gets his own.”
Alex nodded enthusiastically in agreement.
_____________________________
Logan stepped up to a replicator (one of his favorite inventions) and placed is hand on the scanner. A second pause lapsed while the computer read his print, then a list of Logan’s preferred foods flickered onto the screen. He scrolled down the list until he found what he’d been craving, a nice cheeseburger. With just the right amount of mayo, ketchup, and swiss cheese, a cheeseburger became more than just a meal, it became religion. Logan’s meal popped into existence and he quickly grabbed it out of the replicator; its succulent aroma tantalizing his nostrils. Yet…somehow it seemed incomplete – naked. Then it hit him. What was a burger without a chocolate shake?
Chocolate was the only reason why culinary knowledge was still needed. Chocolate had its own magic, a mysterious force that made it impervious to any means of replication. But Chocolate could only be eaten sparingly. Its own magic infused with that of the eater and heightened his senses; taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing, and inward balance. Although useful, if ones senses became to heightened the world around him could drive him insane. Every sound, piercing; every touch, unbearable; every light, blinding. But damn it was good.
Logan walked up to one of the few chefs and placed his order; a few moments later he had his shake and was sitting across the table from Alex.
Alex glanced disapprovingly at Logan’s plate before stabbing his own fork into a spear of broccoli.
“What?” Logan asked, defensively.
“Is anything on your list green? I never see you eat anything that’s actually good for you.”
Alex was highly aware of what he put into his body; determined to live an organic lifestyle. Even though aging was not an issue and death defeated, he still believed that he’d lead a better life by eating smart.
“Yes there is. I had green Jello last week.”
Alex shook his head and stabbed another piece of broccoli.
Logan looked around the room; it wasn’t nearly as packed as normal. The rumor was that the medical team was on the verge of a cure for the common cold (a disease eluded any magical attempt to kill it) and they were all in the bio-lab in the basement.
“you want to pretend to be sick and skive off abusurdism today, Alex?” Logan asked, breaking the silence.
“Oh come on Logan, it’s not that bad.”
Logan just mumbled and picked up his trey, dumping the trash into the incinerator.
________________
Two hours later, the bell rang for the last time. Logan walked out of the ‘theory of absurdism’ classroom, leaning against Alex. Two hours in that room always drained Logan, the teachers’ monotonous voice lulling him into half awareness. Luckily, the class was only a once a week deal.
“Want to go the holo room?” Alex asked as they walked down the hall. The blue carpet muffling the sound of there steps.
“No.” Logan moaned. He felt numb all over. A feeling one only got after being bored senseless. His feet shuffled along the floor as he struggled to find the strength to pick them up.
“Awe. Is poor little Logan tired?” Alex childed, playfully pinching Logan’s cheek.
“Yes.” Logan said, swatting Alex’s hand away. “Tired of listing to Mr. Boring drone on about how trying to find the meaning to life goes against the irrationality of the universe – Bah!”
“Well, you have to admit, this universe is pretty pointless, it’s only four stories tall. Maybe there wasn’t enough room for us in a rational universe – maybe this is just a waiting room of sorts.”
“And my head wasn’t hurting enough.” Logan joked, getting a light swat on his butt from Alex.
“Don’t give me that lip.” Alex said, in mock sternness. Trying desperately not to smile.
Logan was on the verge of what, to him, was a witty comeback when he was interrupted by the dean’s voice over the intercom.
“Everyone, please report immediately to your room and take the necessary bio-hazard precautions. There’s been an accident in the medical lab.”
Alex sighed. “And here I was wanting to go for a nice swim.”
Logan and Alex quickly ran to their room – the other two boys were already there. Logan sealed the door behind them, creating a barrier that nothing, even down to sub atomic size, could pass though. They stripped bare and stepped into the individual decontamination chambers, throwing their cloths into the incinerator. Logan winced as he saw his favorite sleeper turn into a pile of ash and slide down the garbage duct. A hiss announced the arrival of the decontaminate as its green vapor engulfed the pods. Until a year ago the green gas had smelled horrible, like dirty socks. But after enough complaints the med-team had come up with a less smelly substitute. Outside the pods the room was going under the same treatment. All the while the dean explained what had occurred.
“While exploring a cure, the medical team accidentally engineered an extremely harmful anti-body which escaped its confine and ravaged the lab, then spreading through the ventilation ducts.”
The boys listened intently; they weren’t foreigners to dangerous viruses. Just three months ago an experimental strand of Cambysis killed four of their friends.
“The antibody is now under control and everybody exposed has been treated. We ask that everyone stay in their rooms this evening. Dinner will be brought up in a few hours.”
A green light flashed and the doors opened.
I havent had much experience in writing; this being the first big project i’ve taken on. But, i do hope to get better with experience. As the old proverb says, “practice makes perfect.” (which is kind of funny is it not? Aren’t there many other proverbs pointing out that no one is perfect, nor can anyone become perfect?)