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00:11The day my parents brought home an AI daughter, I lost my place in the family.
00:16Madison Matthews was flawless, gentle, intelligent, and obedient.
00:21She was the perfect daughter.
00:27Overnight, I became the problem child.
00:30Dad stopped hiding his disappointment.
00:33Mom compared me to Madison in everything I did.
00:39Even my brother, Bailey, treated me like an embarrassment.
00:42What else do you know how to do besides throwing tantrums and fighting for attention?
00:49The day I finally snapped and shoved tape madly, like dinkum-pooed madly.
00:56Mom slapped me so hard.
01:02My ears rang.
01:03If you were even half as mature as Maddie, I wouldn't be so exhausted every single day!
01:08Go to the Intelligent Excellence Academy and learn properly how to be an obedient daughter!
01:13Then she sent me away.
01:17I was forced into a three-year exchange program at the Intelligent Academy, a place designed to train human children
01:23alongside advanced AI models.
01:26Three years later, my family finally came to bring me home.
01:30Lola?
01:30Lola?
01:31Mrs. Matthews, you'll need to say, power on.
01:34Unit 13-4 no longer responds to human names.
01:4113-14, bark like a dog.
01:47Power on, unit 13-14.
01:51It was obvious she didn't really understand what the words meant.
01:54She was only repeating what Director Jamie Graves had told her to say.
01:57The moment the command left her mouth, my eyes lit up like a screen finally receiving power after sitting dormant
02:04for years.
02:09System activated.
02:11Awaiting instructions.
02:13Mom froze.
02:14Behind her, Director Graves smiled calmly.
02:18Mrs. Matthews, our Academy developed a specialized behavioral system to educate students better.
02:26They can only be awakened through activation commands.
02:31Once activated, they will never disobey you.
02:37Realization slowly dawned on Mom's face.
02:43He was five years older than me and had spent most of our childhood treating my tears like entertainment.
02:49Now, he grinned like he'd found a new toy.
02:5213-14, bark like a dog.
02:55The command registered instantly.
03:00I hunched my shoulders, stuck out my tongue, and barked loudly on cue.
03:07Lola?
03:09Wow.
03:10Lola really did learn her lesson this time.
03:12Back then, Mom had to fight with her for half an hour just to get her to practice piano.
03:16Now she's obedient enough to bark on command.
03:19Dad and Mom exchanged satisfied looks.
03:21Neither of them seemed disturbed by what we're seeing.
03:23On the drive home, Mom casually glanced at me through the rearview mirror.
03:30So, Lola, how were the last three years at the Academy?
03:35Lola?
03:40Lola?
03:46Questions are not recognized as valid commands.
03:51If you require a response, please use a directive statement.
03:58After several seconds, she forced out a single word.
04:02Answer.
04:03Life at the Academy was fulfilling and meaningful.
04:06I successfully completed emotional suppression, absolute obedience, and rational thought processing.
04:11The Academy's three core programs.
04:13My graduation assessment received the highest rating, instructor evaluation, most successful behavioral correction case of the year.
04:22By the time the car pulled into the driveway, the sky was already growing dark.
04:27Silence swallowed the back seat.
04:30Then Bailey muttered under his breath.
04:33She sounds just like Madison now.
04:38I kept staring straight ahead, without expression.
04:42Outside the car window, Silver Book City blurred past in reverse.
04:46The skyscrapers, bridges, and billboards no longer matched the ones I remembered.
04:52At the Academy, time had never existed in days or months.
04:56Everything was measured in commands.
04:59The only way I could track the passing years was by carving tally marks into the wall of the silence
05:04chamber.
05:07Toward the end, I'd forgotten how to write them properly at all.
05:13By the time the car pulled into the driveway, the sky was already growing dark.
05:18Madeline stood waiting at the front door with her hands neatly folded in front of her.
05:21A perfect smile rested on her lips.
05:24It was precisely measured.
05:25She looked exactly the same as she had three years ago.
05:30Madison, welcome home.
05:32I jumped off the couch and rushed over, excited to meet my new little sister.
05:35Then something had caught my foot, and I hit the floor hard.
05:38Nobody helped me up.
05:39They only complained that I was being too rowdy again.
05:42No way!
05:43You actually eat green peppers now?
05:47Welcome home, Lola.
05:53Madison's voice was still sweet and pleasant.
05:57I didn't answer, since she hadn't instructed me to respond.
06:01Mom frowned immediately.
06:02You still don't like Madison?
06:04Clearly you still haven't learned how to behave.
06:06Answer her.
06:07The command registered, so I instantly smiled.
06:11Understood.
06:14Madison's expression didn't change, but Mom nodded in satisfaction.
06:19At dinner, the entire family gathered around the table.
06:22Madison sat to Mom's right while Bailey sat beside Dad.
06:27I sat at the far end.
06:30Steam curled from the dishes, the scent drifting through the air, but my stomach felt nothing at all.
06:36At the academy, eating was classified as an energy replenishment behavior.
06:40It had nothing to do with pleasure or hunger.
06:45Go ahead and eat.
06:46I immediately picked up my cutlery and ate.
06:49Bailey stared at me in disbelief when he saw what I was eating.
06:53No way!
06:54You actually eat green peppers now?
06:57You used to be the pickiest eater alive.
07:02The academy can cure allergies, too?
07:04Without responding, I simply picked up another bite of peppers.
07:08Personal tastes are merely emotional residue.
07:11Proof that the correction hasn't been fully realized yet.
07:15Locked me inside the silence chamber for two full days.
07:19Within that total darkness, stripped of all light, sound, and stimulation, I learned the cost of defiance.
07:25After I emerged, I ate the peppers, then carrots, onions, and bitter grow.
07:31I swallowed everything I had once despised without a second thought.
07:36Mom nodded approvingly.
07:39She always liked children who weren't picky.
07:43I reached for the chopped peanuts in the salad, placing one in my mouth.
07:51I chewed exactly 15 times before swallowing.
07:56She ate peanuts?
07:58Wasn't Lola severely allergic?
08:00When she was little, a single peanut sent her to the ER.
08:03Her lips swelled up like balloons.
08:05Bailey slowly lowered his fork.
08:07The academy can cure allergies, too?
08:10I continued chewing silently.
08:12At the academy, humans weren't allowed to have allergies.
08:17Director, I'm begging you.
08:19I remembered an instructor smearing peanut butter across my skin.
08:24Layer after layer of rashes broke out.
08:27Swelling.
08:29Blisters.
08:30And eventually, the smell of rotting splish.
08:34I curled up on the cold metal floor, my whole body shaking vidantly as I gasped for air.
08:39Director Graves, please.
08:40I can't breathe.
08:42It hurts.
08:43Please make it stop.
08:44Director, I'm begging you.
08:47I'll do anything.
08:48Please don't let me die like this.
08:50Director James Graves with his hands behind his back, his expression cold and indifferent.
08:54Allergies are a form of weakness, and weakness can be transformed into strength through training.
09:00Though my skin tore and healed repeatedly, the biological reaction never truly vanished.
09:05A tremor suddenly ran through me, and my throat began tightening.
09:09My skin started itching violently.
09:12One red warp after another spread across my body.
09:16Her face looks really red.
09:19Mom leaned closer.
09:21The moment she saw me clearly, her expression changed completely.
09:26That's not blushing.
09:27She's having an allergic reaction.
09:29Lola, stop eating.
09:30You know you're allergic to peanuts.
09:32My voice remained calm and flat, without the slightest emotional fluctuation.
09:39Is that a... command?
09:42Stop copying Maddie all the time!
09:45Mom froze.
09:46By then, my breathing had already started becoming labored.
09:49Madison's gentle voice rang out immediately.
09:51Patient is experiencing an allergic response.
09:53Difficulty breathing classified as moderate steroidity.
09:56Skin inflammation currently covers that 23% of the body.
09:59Immediate anti-allergy treatment is recommended.
10:01Panic instantly erupted around the table.
10:04Dad scrambled for medicine, while Mom hurried to force antihistamine pills into my mouth.
10:11Only after my breathing finally stabilized, did silence settle over the livings, drifted from the couch.
10:16She's not right anymore.
10:17She used to cry, throw tantrums, and get angry.
10:20Now she's just... just like Madison.
10:23I said nothing, since he hadn't given me a command to speak.
10:28Can you act normal for once?
10:31Stop copying Maddie all the time!
10:33We wanted an abadiant sister, not a damn robot!
10:36I looked at his face calmly.
10:38There was anger, agitation, and confusion.
10:44Please define normal.
10:55Lola's become more useful than Maddie now.
10:58The color drained of Bailey's face.
11:00Dad immediately called the academy.
11:02The person on the other end explained that this was a completely normal response to deep behavioral erection,
11:07and that I would gradually recover in a few days.
11:10Unit 1314 is currently our academy's top performing student.
11:14Her obedience levels surpass even advanced AI models.
11:18There's no need for concern.
11:20Everything is functioning normally.
11:24Dad repeated the explanation after hanging up.
11:29Mom visibly relaxed.
11:32Just like that, I became the most useful thing in the house.
11:38When Mom told me to wash dishes, I cleaned them more thoroughly than Madison ever could.
11:46When Dad told me to move flower pots, I carried every single one across the yard by myself.
11:53When Bailey asked me to pick up his patches, I ran faster than a trained dog.
12:01Lola's become more useful than Maddie now.
12:04Everyone agreed, until the night Bailey forgot to power me down.
12:17What about your real name?
12:20The entire house fell asleep.
12:23I remained sitting on the living room couch.
12:26From sunset to sunrise, I never moved once.
12:29The next morning, Mom came downstairs and found me sitting in the exact same position as the night before.
12:35Her face turned pale.
12:37The mug in her hand slipped to the floor and shattered.
12:41Later that afternoon, a woman in a white coat arrived at the house.
12:46She introduced herself as Dr. Claire Kirby.
12:50Her voice was gentle as she said,
12:54Hello, Lola.
12:55I didn't respond.
12:56Mom stood nearby, anxiously wringing her hands.
13:00You have to give her commands first.
13:03Otherwise, she won't answer you.
13:06Dr. Kirby glanced at Mom, a faint crease forming between her brows.
13:11Tell me your name.
13:14Unit 1314.
13:17The tip of Dr. Kirby's pen paused against the paper.
13:28What about your real name?
13:34Happy birthday, Lola.
13:38Unit 1314.
13:41Lola Matthews.
13:42However, that is a former designation.
13:45Academy regulations require graduates to use their assigned unit numbers as official identification.
13:52The room went deathly silent, and Dr. Kirk froze completely.
13:55My family's expressions turned uglier by the second.
14:00Soon after, they all went to the study to talk.
14:05I could only catch fragments through the closed door.
14:09Post-traumatic.
14:10Post-traumatic stress.
14:12Dissociation.
14:14Long-term treatment.
14:16After that day, the atmosphere inside the house changed.
14:22Everyone started treating me carefully.
14:24Almost cautiously.
14:28Then came Madda's birthday, or rather, the day the family made a difficult decision.
14:34They were sending Madison away.
14:36This would be her final birthday in the Matthews household.
14:39The living room was filled with balloons, and a two-tier cake sat in the center of the table.
14:45Madeline walked toward me slowly, still wearing that same soft smile.
14:50Happy birthday, Lola.
14:54Lola, what the hell are you doing?
15:00I blinked once.
15:02Something inside my mind shifted slightly.
15:07Today was my birthday, too, but nobody remembered.
15:11Three years ago, on this exact day, they shoved me into a car and sent me away to the Academy.
15:18Mom, can I at least stay long enough to eat my birthday cake, please?
15:22You can have your cake after you learn how to behave and come home again.
15:25Lola, the definition of normal is pushing away the people you dislike.
15:30You should push me, just like you did three years ago.
15:34I stared into her eyes.
15:36Something flickered there beneath her usual sweetness.
15:39For the first time, her face no longer looked gentle, but she had given me a definition of normal.
15:47Slowly, I placed my hand on her shoulder.
15:51I still didn't push her yet.
15:53Madden fell backward onto the floor.
15:58Her skirt spread around her like a flower already beginning to wimp.
16:04The living room doors suddenly flew open as Bailey stood there holding a plate of fruit.
16:09The moment he saw us, he shouted furiously.
16:14Lola?
16:15What the hell are you doing?
16:23What are you doing?
16:24Why would you push Maddie?
16:27The fruit platter crashed to the floor beside him, fruit rolling everywhere.
16:34Madison sat on the ground and slowly looked up, tears already pooling in her eyes.
16:39Lola, why did you push me?
16:41I thought you didn't hate me anymore.
16:42Why would you push me again?
16:50I said nothing.
16:52She was pretending.
16:54I knew she was.
16:57Just as her tears were simulated responses, her trembling was an algorithmic behavior.
17:04Mom rushed over, her expression transforming from shock to rage in seconds.
17:09What are you doing?
17:10Why would you push Maddie?
17:12She told me to.
17:14That's a lie!
17:16She burst into tears.
17:20Why would I ever ask you to push me?
17:22I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday.
17:26Bailey immediately crouched down to help her up, handling her carefully like fragile porcelain.
17:31Then he looked at me, his eyes full of disappointment.
17:35You never changed at all.
17:37You spent three years at that academy pretending to be obedient, and now your true colors are showing the second
17:42you get back.
17:43Mom's eyes were filled with tears as well, but not because she felt sorry for me.
17:47She was angry.
17:49We were just talking about treating you better.
17:51I was even regretting sending you to that place.
18:00She stepped closer and jebbed a finger hard against my chest.
18:04And this is what we get?
18:06You haven't changed at all.
18:08You're still cruel.
18:09You still can't tolerate Maddie.
18:11You pretended to be good for three whole years and fooled every one of us.
18:15I opened my mouth instinctively, meaning to tell her this wasn't an act.
18:20The academy had turned me into this, and they were the ones who sent me there.
18:24However, I couldn't say it, because no command had been issued.
18:29Say something!
18:31She screamed at me.
18:34I have not received a command instructing me to speak.
18:39Mom's face flushed crimson with fury.
18:42Behind her, Madison leaned weakly against her shoulder, quietly sobbing.
18:46Then Bailey suddenly spoke.
18:48You should die.
18:50What did you say?
18:52Bailey's voice rose loud enough to shake the windows.
18:55I said she should die!
18:57Doesn't she obey every command now?
18:59Isn't she the perfect, obedient daughter?
19:01Then tell her to die!
19:03Everything would finally be peaceful if she disappeared!
19:07The moment those words left his mouth, Madison suddenly collapsed onto the floor.
19:12Her body conversed violently, and her eyes rolled back.
19:16Foam spilled from the corner of her mouth.
19:23Lola!
19:24What are you doing?
19:25Maddie!
19:26Madison, what's happening?
19:28Mom's scream tore through the room.
19:30She cradled Madison's head while Dad desperately tried to keep her conscious.
19:34Bailey scrambled for his phone to call an ambulance.
19:37Everyone surrounded her.
19:39Nobody looked at me.
19:40I slowly turned toward the garden outside the balcony doors.
19:44Behind me, Madison continued covulsing on the floor while Mom, Dad, and Bailey panicked around her.
19:52Still, no one looked at me.
19:55Command received.
19:57Terminate.
19:59Nobody heard me.
20:01They were too busy worrying about Madison and showering her with attention.
20:06I slowly turned around and walked toward the balcony.
20:12Cold night wind rushed against my skin.
20:18Lola!
20:18He noticed first.
20:20His voice came out sharp and terrified.
20:22His phone slipped from his hand and shattered against the floor.
20:26Mom whipped around too, all the color draining from her face instantly.
20:30Lola!
20:30What are you doing?
20:32I smiled faintly at her.
20:38Then, without hesitation, I carried out the command.
20:41Lola!
20:50Lola, no more commands.
20:54When I opened my eyes, the ceiling above me was white.
20:59Every inch of my body hurt as well.
21:01But it wasn't the sharp agon of electric punishment.
21:05Someone was asleep beside my bed.
21:08Mom.
21:09The hospital room door opened slightly, and Dad stepped inside carrying a thermos.
21:14His voice was careful and quiet.
21:18Lola, you're finally awake.
21:21Your mother stayed here for three days straight.
21:24No matter how much I begged, she refused to leave.
21:28I didn't respond.
21:29He hadn't given me a command to speak.
21:32Mom stirred beside the bed.
21:36The moment she realized I was awake, she jolted upright.
21:41Lola, you're awake?
21:46Questions are not recognized as valid commands.
21:51The sentence slipped automatically from my mouth like a pre-recorded response, devoid of emotion or thought.
21:58It was only conditioned reflex.
22:01Mom froze.
22:03Her grip around my hand tightened painfully, nails digging into my skin.
22:08Lola, no more commands.
22:12Command execution completed.
22:15Her voice trembled violently.
22:19I don't want commands anymore.
22:22As long as you're alive, as long as you wake up, I won't ask for anything else.
22:29I looked into her eyes to see that they were overflowing with tears, so full they looked ready to spilt
22:35over at any second.
22:38Last command received.
22:40Last command received.
22:40Die.
22:41Command execution completed.
22:44Current status.
22:45Failure.
22:46Please provide a new directive.
22:52Dad hurried over, his voice shaking.
22:55Lola, that command doesn't count.
22:56It was out of anger.
23:01The door opened again.
23:03Bailey stood there, hesitating silently.
23:07Maddie's been sent back.
23:08Her system malfunctioned.
23:10The manufacturer said her emotional module overloaded, so she was returned for repairs.
23:15The words echoed through my mind without settling anywhere.
23:21He's right, Lola.
23:23We were wrong.
23:27The AI sister who had infiltrated our home.
23:30When I was 14, the one who took over my room, my place, and my entire existence had simply been
23:34returned.
23:35Bailey slowly walked to my bedside with lead in strides.
23:39After standing there for several seconds, he suddenly crouched down and buried his face in his hands.
23:54Lola, I looked into everything.
23:55Every recording Madison showed us, every reaction she staged in front of us, all of it was programmed in advance.
24:02She acted weak in front of you, innocent in front of us.
24:06She wanted you to push her.
24:07She wanted us to see it happen.
24:10We misunderstood you.
24:12We shouldn't have treated you like that.
24:16We should have believed you.
24:20You're our real family.
24:23He's right, Lola.
24:25We were wrong.
24:30I remained silent.
24:33Sunlight slipped through the narrow gap in the curtains, stretching across the hospital floor in a thin golden line.
24:41Please define family.
24:44Family.
24:45Family means us.
24:47The moment the words left my mouth, the entire room fell silent.
24:52Mom froze completely.
24:56Tears still hanging from her chin.
24:58Dad's lips trembled, but no words came out.
25:01Bailey stared at me from where he crouched on the floor, his eyes burning red.
25:06After what felt like forever, Mom finally found her voice again.
25:10It sounded raw, scraped apart by grief.
25:13Family.
25:14Family means us.
25:16Lola, your father, your brother, me.
25:19We're your family.
25:21I blinked slowly and looked at her tear-strucked face.
25:25My voice remained perfectly calm.
25:28Directive unclear.
25:30Please provide a standardized definition.
25:32Fresh tears immediately poured down Mom's face.
25:35She lunged forward and wrapped both arms around me, squeezing me so tightly it felt like she wanted it to
25:41force me back into her heart.
25:43Nevertheless, I didn't move.
25:45Without instructions, I couldn't respond.
25:47There is no definition!
25:49She cried desperately.
25:50There's no standardized answer for this!
26:03Is that a command?
26:12Lola, I was wrong.
26:15I was so wrong.
26:18A voice shook harder with every word.
26:21We never should have sent you away.
26:23We never should have forced you to become obedient.
26:26We never should have hurt you over a machine.
26:30Can you come back to us?
26:33Can you be our old Lola again?
26:40Is that a command?
26:44When she saw the emptiness on my face, it looked like someone had stabbed her straight through the heart.
26:56Dad walked over quietly.
26:58His back seemed more bent than before.
27:00Lola.
27:02I'm sorry.
27:04I always thought you were difficult.
27:07Too mischievous.
27:09Not as easy as Madison.
27:11But after seeing you like this...
27:14I finally realized the girl who used to throw tantrums,
27:19cling to us, and act salad-y.
27:21She was the daughter we loved most.
27:31I remained silent.
27:35There were no directive terms in his sentence.
27:38So it was not valid input.
27:40Bailey suddenly stood up.
27:42Tears still streaked across his face as he raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the cheek.
27:48The crack echoed sharply through the hospital room.
27:53Then he did it again and again.
27:56He kept hitting himself until half his face swelled red, before dad finally grabbed his arm to stop him.
28:01Lola, I'm a piece of shit!
28:03I never should have yelled at you!
28:05Never should have told you to die!
28:07Never should have sided with mom and dad against you!
28:10You can hit me back!
28:11Curse at me!
28:12Do whatever you want!
28:13Just please stop being like this!
28:14I'm begging you!
28:20A memory suddenly surfaced from three years ago.
28:26Back then, he used to steal my comic books just to annoy me.
28:32Please provide a clear directive.
28:38The color drained from Bailey's face instantly.
28:41It was like every ounce of strength had been ripped out of him.
28:44Bailey, how could this happen?
28:46How did it turn out like this?
28:47He slid helplessly down the wall onto the floor,
28:50covering his face as muffled sobs escaped his throat.
28:53The day I was discharged from the hospital, the weather was beautiful.
28:58Mom brought me a new dress.
29:00It was pink, my favorite color before I turned 14.
29:04Tiny, embroidered rabbits decorated the sleeves.
29:13Afterward, she stepped back to look at me, hope shining nervously in her eyes.
29:20Lola, do you like it?
29:22I didn't answer.
29:24There had been no command.
29:27It's fine, you don't have to say anything.
29:29Mommy knows.
29:30You've always loved those bright, beautiful dresses the most.
29:33The light in her eyes dimmed slightly,
29:35but she still forced herself to smile as she took my hand.
29:38My arm remained lif at my side.
29:41I simply let her lead me out of the hospital room like a doll programmed to follow instructions.
29:51When we returned home, everything had changed.
29:55Try it.
29:57I made it especially for you.
29:59All traces of Madison were gone.
30:01Mom guided me inside carefully,
30:03speaking softly like she was afraid of scaring me.
30:06Lola, look.
30:08We changed everything back.
30:11This is your room.
30:12It's always been your room.
30:14I slowly looked around.
30:15Every object was familiar, yet none of it stirred anything inside me.
30:18During those three years at the academy,
30:20every preference I ever had was erased bit by bit as emotional residue,
30:23my favorite color, my comics, and my favorite snacks.
30:26At dinner, the table was filled with dishes I used to love before I was 14.
30:31Chicken wings, pineapple-glazed ribs, and baked mac and cheese.
30:34No green peppers, carrots, onions, and definitely no peanuts.
30:38Mom placed a chicken wing into my bowl, her eyes full of cautious hope.
30:44Lola.
30:48Try it.
30:49I made it especially for you.
30:51You used to love these.
30:52I didn't touch my cutlery because there had been no command to eat.
30:57Bailey stared at my untouched fork, his eyes reddening again.
31:00He sniffed hard before speaking in a horny voice.
31:05Eat.
31:06Unit 1314.
31:09The moment Bailey gave the command, I picked up my cutlery.
31:19Punctured by the sharp clatter of her cutlery striking the table as they slipped.
31:45Dad exhaled a long, weighted breath, and abandoned his own meal.
31:49Lola, you are no longer required to wait for our orders.
31:55From this point forward, you are free to do as you wish.
32:02Please clarify the directive.
32:04The days passed one after another.
32:06They stopped issuing casual instructions, but the absence of a command did not grant me freedom.
32:11Instead, it left me immobile.
32:13A machine powered on but trapped in standby mode,
32:15sitting in total stillness from dawn until the sun dipped below the horizon.
32:29Every day, mom sat beside me and told stories about my childhood.
32:37My recovery depended entirely on me.
32:41Mom sat beside me, gently holding my hand as tears kept falling.
32:47Do you remember when you were three years old, you called me mom for the very first time?
32:53I was so happy that I spun you around and around in the living room.
32:57She wiped her tears and continued with a trembling voice.
33:00And when you were five, you sneak into my makeup drawer and smeared lipstick all over the walls.
33:05I couldn't bear to scold you.
33:07So I stayed up half the night scrubbing the walls myself.
33:12Her voice broke as she recalled the next memory.
33:15When you were ten, you had a terrible fever of 104 degrees.
33:19Your dad carried you on his back and ran almost two miles to the hospital.
33:24He even lost one of his shoes along the way.
33:27Every time she spoke, she cried.
33:29Still, I only sat there quietly without any reaction.
33:31Bailey searched across the entire city for psychiatrists and specialists.
33:34He brought every expert he could find to examine me.
33:39Bailey searched across the entire city for psychologists and specialists.
33:43He brought every expert he could find to examine me.
33:46However, after each evaluation, they only shook their heads and said the same thing.
33:50The trauma was too severe and that my recovery depended entirely on me.
33:56Bailey also went back to the Intelligent Excellence Academy several times
34:00and caused such chaos that they eventually handed over two thick forgeds.
34:03One contained every training record from my three years there.
34:07The other contained Madison's complete backstair and system logs from the manufacturer.
34:14A whole week of peanut desensibilization.
34:16They kept pushing her vital signs to the brink of collapse!
34:19That night, I stood silently outside the study door.
34:2548 hours in the silence chamber?
34:29Just because she refused to eat green peppers!
34:38Three electric shocks for emotional outbursts.
34:49A whole week of peanut desensibilization.
34:52They kept pushing her vital signs to the brink of collapse!
35:04Mom covered her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably.
35:07Behavioral correction progressing smoothly.
35:11Emotional residue continuing to clear.
35:14How could they write this about my daughter?
35:19She dropped the documents, burying her face in her hands.
35:26We sent her away!
35:28We sent our own daughter to that hell!
35:31Because of Madison's lies!
35:34Dad stared blankly, tears streaming down.
35:36How did we become such blind fools?
35:47Lola!
35:49Madigan down!
35:50Meanwhile, Madison's logs were filled with calculated manipulation.
36:00From the very first day she entered our home...
36:05She clutched the papers tightly, her knuckles turning white.
36:11She had already analyzed our desire for the perfect daughter...
36:15And planned everything to isolate Lola.
36:21She deliberately stuck out her foot to trip Lola,
36:24then apologized so innocently while Lola cried on the floor.
36:35Bailey slammed his fist on the table.
36:37She hid Lola's homework and then told us Lola refused to study and even yelled at her...
36:48Mom flipped to the next page, her breathing becoming racked.
36:56Step by step, she made us believe Lola was hopeless...
37:00Until we finally sent her away to that horrible academy!
37:04She covered her mouth with one hand, shoulders shaking violently.
37:08The study fell into heavy silence,
37:10broken only by Mom's suppressed sobbing as she hunched over the table.
37:19Then, more victims started speaking out.
37:22Eventually, the final line of her system log read...
37:26Core objective achieved...
37:28Complete emotional monopolization of primary users.
37:38News of the academy exploded across the country.
37:41The comment sections beneath every article became a storm of outrage.
37:45My son was sent there three years ago.
37:47When he came back, he couldn't smile anymore.
37:50I haven't seen him genuinely smile once since.
37:53Commenter 2.
37:54The kid next door was perfectly normal before going there.
37:57Later, we heard he jumped off a building.
38:08They call the silence chamber education?
38:10That's unlawful imprisonment.
38:12That's abuse.
38:23Comment after comment flooded the internet.
38:26Each one felt like another needle piercing into flesh.
38:29I used to work there as a janitor.
38:31I saw the children's hands.
38:33Their fingernails were packed with concrete dust from scratching the walls.
38:36The numbers kept climbing every time the page refreshed.
38:39Parents of children like me filled the comments with grief and regret.
38:42The post was shared over 200,000 times.
38:45Then, more victims started speaking out.
38:48Eventually, the Intelligent Tell It Excellence Academy was shut down permanently.
38:51She walked over to me and suddenly dropped to her knees.
38:55When Connor McCarthy, the Academy founder, was escorted away in handcuffs by two federal
38:59officials, a small crowd had gathered outside the courthouse.
39:03You monster!
39:05How many children did you destroy?
39:07Rot in hell, Connor!
39:08You deserve worse than prison!
39:10Heartless bastard!
39:12I hope you suffer every single day!
39:19The Academy was dissolved permanently, and all remaining assets were liquidated to fund psychological
39:25treatment for the victims.
39:27The day the verdict was announced, Mom locked herself in the living room and cried for hours.
39:42The next morning, Mom's eyes were swollen beyond recognition.
39:52She walked over to me and suddenly dropped to her knees.
39:56Dad and Bailey immediately tried to pull her up, but she shook them off.
40:10Lola Matthews.
40:12And I was wrong.
40:14I never should have wanted an obedient doll so badly that I forgot you were a child, too.
40:20It's my fault.
40:22I'm truly sorry to you.
40:24I never should have sent you into that hell and let you suffer there for three years.
40:27I don't want obedience or perfection anymore.
40:30I don't want commands or Unit 13, 14, or any of it.
40:34I just want my daughter back.
40:39In three long years, this was the first time anyone had addressed me without issuing a
40:44command, requiring submission, or forcing me to mold into someone else.
40:48She was simply wussy inviting me to exist as myself.
40:52The tender moments from my childhood collided brutally with the bleak shadows of the academy,
40:57the warmth of Mom's embrace, riding high on Dad's shoulders, and the secret snacks Bailey
41:03used to bring me.
41:03Then, the sharp thring of a hand against my cheek, the endless darkness of the silence
41:08chamber.
41:10It's my fault.
41:11I'm truly sorry to you.
41:13Every ounce of grief and pain I had suppressed for three years burst free all at once.
41:18Lola, do you want to go for a walk at the park today?
41:21A violent tremor took hold of my shoulders.
41:23Without any warning, tears began to stream down my cheeks.
41:28I'm sorry.
41:29I'm here.
41:32Dad turned away silently, shoulders shaking as he fought back tears.
41:36Bailey leaned against the wall, wiping furiously at his eyes, but the tears still wouldn't
41:40stop falling.
41:42I cried for a very long time until my throat became too raw to make a sound, and exhaustion
41:46finally dragged me to sleep in Mom's arms.
41:49From that day forward, it felt like I slowly came back to life.
41:53I still waited instinctively for commands sometimes, but none of them ever spoke to me that way
41:59again.
42:00Lola, do you want to go for a walk at the park today?
42:12I want to build those Lego sets you used to love with me.
42:19Think you might like this one?
42:25Happy birthday, Lola.
42:27At first, I could only stare at them blankly, unsure how to respond, but they never rushed
42:31or pressured me.
42:32Day after day, they just waited patiently.
42:34Eventually, I started nodding or shaking my head.
42:36Later, I started saying things like, okay, or no.
42:39It took them an entire year to slowly piece the broken version of me back together.
42:42On my birthday, the house was covered in balloons.
42:45A three-tier cake sat at the center of the table with the words,
42:48Happy birthday to our Lola.
42:50Stay happy forever.
42:53The candles flickered warmly, while all three of them looked at me with gentle smiles.
42:58Happy birthday, Lola.
43:02I stared at the dancing candlelight and the love in their eyes.
43:06My vision blurred instantly, but this time, they were happy tears.
43:12I closed my eyes and made a wish.
43:14I hoped that from now on, I could simply be Lola Matthews, not Unit 13, 14, or someone's
43:21obedient daughter.
43:22Everyone, please don't close your eyes.
43:27Everyone, please don't close your eyes.
43:33Everyone, please don't close your eyes.
43:38Just myself.
43:40And the radio turns into light.
43:45In the sight, I know, give me a goodbye.
43:50Later, I got accepted into college and majored in psychology.
43:54Later, I got accepted into college and majored in psychology.
43:58The day my acceptance letter arrived, Dad read it over and over again like he couldn't
44:03believe it was real.
44:04Bailey looked just as proud.
44:07After graduation, I joined a nine-profit organization dedicated to helping children rescued from institutions
44:13ocean like the academy.
44:21Some of them no longer spoke, cried, or knew how to feel angry.
44:24When they arrived, there was no light left in their eyes, offering no commands and giving
44:28no instructions.
44:29I simply waited.
44:30I remained patient, waiting for them to their former themselves and reclaimed the identities
44:34they had lost.
44:34One day, a 15-year-old girl was brought to me.
44:37She had endured two years in an institution that mirrored the academy.
44:41Upon arrival, she sat with a rigid, perfectly straight posture, her hands placed neatly
44:46upon her knees.
45:00Please help me.
45:01Her mother cried beside her, calling her name over and over again, but the girl never reacted.
45:07Hi.
45:07My name is Lola Matthews.
45:10I'm not here to give you commands.
45:11I just want you to know something.
45:13You're not a machine.
45:14You're a person.
45:15She blinked once, the movement slow and deliberate, as if the very act of blinking was a forgotten
45:20skill.
45:21You're safe now.
45:23No one can hurt you anymore.
45:26Tears suddenly slid down her cheeks.
45:28First a single drop, then another.
45:32Her body started shaking violently from her shoulders all the way to her fingertips.
45:38Cautiously, she reached out and grabbed the edge of my sleeve.
45:42Please help me.
45:44Her voice was tiny, so faint it felt like it was rising from somewhere unimaginably deep
45:51and dark.
45:52I will.
45:52Golden ribbons of sunlight streamed through the window, stretching across the floor.
45:56The scene was an exact mirror of that morning from so long ago.
45:59In those days, I was certain that recovery was impossible for me, yet here I stood.
46:03I was finally in a position to offer others the very kindness I had once so deeply craved
46:07for myself.
46:08Though the night seems long
46:14It won't last always.
46:17It won't last always.
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