The breakroom is livelier than usual. A small crowd gathers around a table with two Witnesses near the back. Above it hangs a sign in Syntaric, the Witnesses' language: “Blessings Are Upon Us.”
A small screen in the corner cycles quietly through announcements, but today all eyes are on the table near the back.
M782 enters slowly, head down, body still carrying the weight of their recent loss. A celebration sphere is set off by one of the Witnesses in the crowd. Its melodic chime grows louder and more exuberant as it’s passed around. The sound catches M782’s attention. They glance toward the commotion with faint curiosity and drift closer—not joining, just standing within earshot.
The room hums with its usual low, ambient vibration. On the wall, a screen scrolls through announcements. One line flashes briefly in soft blue: High Witness Engagement (HWE) Assignments: Relief is always an option. Request W7 (short-term) or W4 (longer-term) subs as needed.
Two Witnesses sit at a table, their postures slightly slouched under the weight of the conversation.
The breakroom hums softly, its usual ambient vibrations steady beneath the quiet rhythm of conversation. On one wall, a screen scrolls through rotating updates in Syntaric, the Witness’s language. Near the top, glowing in warm amber: Witness of the Cycle – A022. A few passing Witnesses glance at it with subtle acknowledgment.
Witnesses sit scattered throughout the space, some logging data into their Monitors, others engaged in quiet conversation. At the center table, two Witnesses lean in slightly, their discussion hushed but intent.
The dim hum of the breakroom fills the space—a low, ambient vibration that signals rest, but never true silence. Overhead, the lights flicker faintly. Every so often, a burst of faint static crackles through the air, signaling Witnesses arriving through unstable timeflow. A few Witnesses sit scattered, engaged in muted conversations or logging data in their Monitors.
From time to time, a cup clinks before it’s lifted, or a chair scrapes just before someone shifts. These brief reality glitches pass unnoticed by most, quickly smoothed by the steady thrum of the room. At the back table, a figure slumps forward, forehead pressed against the surface. Another figure sits across from them, watching in bemusement.
M739(muffled, face down on the table) – Does the crying ever stop?