First Death in Arcadia One
Grievance lay on the ground, curled into a ball like child in the midst of a temper tantrum. Clear looked down at him, trying to process his vitality stats. A bold typeset flashed across her screens.
Error
Calmly, she dropped to the hard, grey ground near where she had found him and pulled together a plethora of emergency protocols. She added notes about Grievance's specifications, such as age, sex, height, weight, etc., to sift out what wasn't needed in order to help him. His temperature was several degrees below average.
Clear looked back down at him and rolled him onto his back. She tried to read his stats again, but a second error message ensued, marking the fact that they were unintelligible. Since she couldnt get a read on anythng but his temperature, she activated the contact sensors on her finger and held his wrist, gently. After a brief assessment she was able to enter a search for conditions with syptoms of below average temperarure, oxygen intake, and heartrate. All turned up null.
Clear flipped through her database twice, looked through her downloads of audio files, upgrades, and images, then lastly looked through the Arcadia Guidlines, Tips, and Tricks. Nothing.
After only a few minutes of trying she returned Grievance to his former position and opened a blank file for a status report.
File name; Medical Condition Inquisition
Subject; Medical Status Report Requested
October 12, 2038 4:06:36 a.m.
Further medical examination requested of Arcadia Officials by Clear133025, accomplice of Grievance Hillary.
Medical Examination: error
Vitalitality status: unkown
Name: Grievance Hillary
Age: 14
Sex: male
DOB: October 22, 2024
Race: white/Asian - Japanese
Hair: black
Eyes: brown
Hpm: 0hpm
Oxygen intake: N/A
Blood pressure: unknown
Blood sugar: unknown
Alcohol levels: unknown
Substance levels: unkown
Former addiction to substances: none
Body temperature: 64.2° F
Physical wounds: no physical wounds
Physical pain: unknown
Bleeding: none
Mental status: unknown
Consciousness: unconscious
Overall health: unknown/poor
Requesting further examination by Arcadia Officials
Permission needed..
She sent the report and awaited a reply. After a few breif moments, she had a message in her inbox.
Clear133025, regarding Grievance Hillary, it has been determined he is deceased. Please send feedback on your location and we will return you to your previous occupation.
Seeing as the subject is deceased, he has officially been eliminated as a placeholder in the Arcadia Championships, allowing the leading/remaining 4 to advance. Eustace Abernathy has now taken the place of Grievance Hillary. Thank you, Clear133025 for your services. Word of this occurance will be sent to Grievance Hillary's immediate family.
Signed, Arcadia Official; Ingram Farlenn
Clear quickly replied with her location, noting what Grievance was wearing and his position.
Afterwards she waited patiently for the Officials to arrive, checking the vitality stats on Grievance and searching the word deceased which turned up inconclusive without fail.
The faded grey sky churned foully, permiating the air with a thick, smokey stench.
Heavy clouds lofted out towards the west where a hot, white sun burned angrily. It was most likely about to rain.
Clear recalled that Grievance had told her about how much he hated being in the rain. The toxic, oily substance called his days in the slums to mind. The dirt paths would become a thick, sticky mess to deal with. School would be cancelled and the air toxicity would rise drastically, forcing them all inoors for days on end. Usually with close to nothing to eat.
Clear could firmly remember the reason he had wanted to win Arcadia. To find a better place to live. A place without radioactive rain. A place where smut and ash and smoke didnt fuse his every breath. The types of places that existed in the virtual realities he played.
Clear couldn't comprehend how much learning he had been eliminated would hurt him once he came to.
A familiar buzzing sound seized her from overhead as a carrierjet hovered momentarily before swiftly landing, rolling across the smooth, hard stone ground to come close to where she was with Grievance.
From the sleek black body and silver accents, Clear concluded that it was an automated version. The kind they would send out when the designated officials were preoccupied or unavailable. A side door opened allowing a ramp to slowly unfold. The end of the ramp touched the ground gently as bolts to support Grievance's weight screwed themselves into place. Clear stood as a gurney rolled out, stopping at the end of the ramp.
Cautiosly, Clear took Grievance into her arms, lifting him easily. As she rested his head down she saw his eyes were slightly open. She looked down on him, asking if he was feeling better. There was no answer.
Straps dropped down from the sides of the gurney, practically telling her to strap him in.
She spoke, explaining what was happening to him as she tightened the straps over his chest and legs. He remained entirely unresponsive.