Jan 26, 2025
Well, RIP me and my dumb predictions.
That contest deadlines were just brutal, weren't they? I wanted to be original, but I'm gonna trade you a Lolo said most of what I would have. I did think the atmosphere of the early chapters was solid, though the setup felt kinda odd. After the first few chapters, I definitely thought, "They're secretly sacrificing people's brains to AI down there to keep the city functional." I was further convinced in the scene where they see Caspian's body and just kinda go, "Well that's terrible, let's not think about it." If people were disappearing, people would have some kind of indication something was going on.
Obviously, I didn't quite get it right. In a way torture is more horrific. How could you live a normal life knowing you might be grabbed for your turn to lose three whole years of your life to torture. Honestly, I suspect society would break down. Telling people might be the morally correct decision, but on a practical level, I fear for how it will turn out.
Anyway, sorry it took me so long to get through it. It's not long, I just have a lot on my plate and have been reading based on what I'm in the mood for.
Congrats on finishing. Good luck with the judging, and may contest deadlines be more forgiving in the future.
