1 Small Beginnings

Linden Carter was an abused boy. His family stole his weekly UI payments and routinely harassed and beat him. It wasn't until he was in kindergarten that he had realized his name was not "retard" or "prig" but Linden as his teacher had called him. So when he awoke to find himself under an unfamiliar ceiling on his eleventh birthday he took it in stride.

Rubbing his eyes Linden stretched and found himself in a neat but otherwise completely featureless grey room with a bed and dresser, . Glancing down he noticed that he was wearing a featureless shirt with some sort of tacky logo of a light blue an white world. Shrugging he looked around for anything interesting. Finding nothing he turned to a speaker on the wall and did to next obvious thing.

"Gügle, where am I?"

"Sorry Lind I can't tell you where you are. But based on the safety protocols it looks like we're in a level 5 zone."

A sweet and motherly voice replied.

Linden began to break out in cold sweats after hearing the words "safety level 5". He had heard about them on the news and remembered that they were from people like the president and Queen Elizabeth. What could they want with a retarded prig like himself?

Maybe they wanted to punish him for being a prig? Then why would they give him new cloths? Perhaps he was merely being toyed with like when the neighbors cat would toy with mice only to then be slaugh-. Linden thoughts were abruptly cut off by the sound of a man entering the room.

As the man approached Linden could make out his figure better. The man was outrageously well built and towered over Linden like a giant. His expression and wild red hair remined Linden of a hungry lion he had once visited in virtual reality.

As the man came forward and sat near a seat next to his bed linden absently wondered if lion man's suit would rip if he flexed to hard. After straightening his tie and gathering himself the large man began to speak.

"Good evening Mr.Carter." he said in a deep resonating voice

Shrinking both at his size and sound Linden stared fearfully at the man

"It seems that you feel disconcerted… While I understand that it must be difficult to become separated from your family I can assure you that it is for a good reason."

Linden remained silent fearful of what the imposing man would do to him if he interrupted. Noticing Lindens gaze the tall man stared at his open palm for a minute before letting out a sigh. Linden was sure he heard him mutter 'another one' under his breath.

"My name is Leo Panthera" The man said waiting for Linden to introduce himself.

"L-linden carter" Linden managed to squeak out.

"Look son, I know what your relatives did to you."

Lindens eyes went wide.

"Don't blame yourself. They did those bad things not because you deserved it but because they were evil."

Linden was stunned. He had never met an adult hadn't said he deserved his beatings maybe that was because the only adults he knew were his aunt and uncle.

"Since they were mean to you for God knows how long it left a sort of scar in you mind... You might think that you actually deserve to be treated like you were but that's just your mind tricking you so you don't get hurt as much when someone acts like your relatives. Do you understand?"

Linden nodded earnestly enjoying that the Leo was still speaking to him rather than shouting.

"Listen, have you ever seen a TV shows with families in them?"

Linden nodded. Leos expression softened at the boys display of focus.

"The way the family treats each other, with hugs and expressions of love is how family should be. No shouting and no hitting...The rooms that belong to the kids in the show and the amounts of their chores are supposed to be how kids should normally live."

"Even if I'm a retard prig?" Linden asked innocently.

Flash of pity crossed Leo's eyes as he noticed Lindens hopeful expression.