You begin wandering through the streets and alleyways, trying to get your bearings for your new home. About 15 minutes in you find a person huddled and shaking, hiding themselves behind storage crates. You freeze for a moment, unsure of what to do, until you hear muffled sobs and decide to approach.
The person looks up from you and you find their features struck with panic and frenzy. They begin rambling out words, too quick for you to comprehend, grasping your shoulders in an attempt to make you get it.
At last, they steady their breath and shutter out, "The Handlers. They’re coming for me. They’re going to send me away-." Their last words send them into another frenzy and they begin to rock against the crates.
"Why would they send you away,” you ask hesitantly.
"They sent away my brother here. They sent away my friends. Everyone who started with me 3 years ago is gone. They’re all gone and soon I’ll be gone too."
They abruptly whip their face towards yours, eyes wide and crazed. "That’s why the town is so desolate. This whole thing ain’t natural, people aren’t meant to do this. They give you connections and rip them from you the moment you’ve settled in. This isn’t a home, it’s a prison."
They stand up and begin pacing in front of you, as if mentally debating themselves.
"And the worst of it is, even if you leave, you’ll never find the people you knew in here again. It’s all anonymous for a reason. If they let us connect with each other out there, then we’d expose them for this bullshit torture of a hoax."
With the last sentence, their face pales. You follow their line of sight towards the six Handlers standing at the edge of the alley.
They turn to run but the Handlers are already upon them, holding back their arms and legs while they kick and scream for help. One of the Handlers turns and approaches you and fear suddenly floods your body.
"Do you know this person?", the Handler asks.