click play. watch. zoom in. move around. refocus.
rewind. change the angle. change the camera. fast forward. scrutinize.
eject.
he placed the small disc back into the tray that stood read next to him. it retracted back into the wall with a faint whirring sound, and the system engaged itself again.
it did not make a sound as it sorted through the archives. it spat out another disc at him. he pick it up, and slid it back into the machine.
play. focus. adjust. watch.
the girl from the previous disc walked onto the screen again. her chest heaved with deep breaths. she was sweating, and panic was on her face.
the camera followed her, gliding along its tracks in the ceiling. every camera choreographed.
to everything, a method and a reason.
she navigated the labyrinthine course easily. she took it slowly, pausing at each juncture to consider which direction to take. eventually she would decide, and move on.
the lenses tracked her like a hunter stalks its prey.
his eyes did not leave the screen. he fiddled with the knobs, changing things around, watching more.
she reached the exit and stared up at the sign congratulating her on finishing Stage 14 of 30. she sat down against the wall and began to cry.
the camera offered an unflattering view up her skirt. he paused for a moment, and then advanced past it.
fast forward again. minute detail ignored - it wasn't important. not now, at least.
now she was fighting.
they came at her from all sides. built to fight, programmed to kill, meant to train. his fingers found a slider and the camera zoomed in. he watched her face. watched the terror in her eyes.
it made him smile.