#fizzy rambles

MATTHEW

I know he’s described as charismatic, but I think Matthew is a bit of a loser honestly. What adults consider charismatic and what children consider charismatic are two wildly different worlds, and I think Matthew is firmly in the former.

He’s good with the younger kids- he reads to them, helps them with their schoolwork (to the best of his ability), and comforts/cheers them up when they’re feeling down. But baby talk and hugs don’t work on everyone, and while no one dislikes Matthew, the older kids definitely see him as a bit of a teacher’s pet and don’t try very hard to include him in their activities.

If he’s not spending time with the younger kids, then he’s with the caretakers and counselors helping around Playcare. Every staff member in the place absolutely adores him, and several have asked him to consider joining the team when he ages out. (When, not if. They never say if.)

Despite how “adult” Matthew tries to seem, he suffers from anxiety and trauma from the car accident that killed his parents. In times of high-stress, Matthew has a small tremor, mainly focused in his hands and arms. He also has poor balance and coordination, also stemming from injuries sustained in the accident.

Matthew cared deeply about every child in Playcare, seeing them as the younger siblings he never had. It came as a surprise to everyone when he was suddenly “chosen”- no fanfare, no goodbyes, just there one day and gone the next.

KEVIN

Playcare’s “problem child”, Kevin was taken in by Playtime Co. after his parents were arrested primarily as a publicity stunt, one they would quickly come to regret when they realized Kevin wasn’t a “quiet and shy” type of traumatized child.

Kevin’s odd mannerisms and cagey nature made it hard for him to make friends. Other children and adults alike mistook his flat expressions and lack of eye contact as disinterest or passive-aggressiveness, or worse, disrespect. Due to this, he would often be isolated from the other children, have entertainment privileges revoked, or have his possessions taken away by staff.

All of this only fed into his belief that adults couldn’t be trusted, and soon he began isolating himself of his own volition, becoming aggressive when others tried to approach him. Kevin began skipping school and other mandatory activities frequently, often ending up in the Game Station.

Kevin was repeatedly caught and brought back to Playcare, but even after lengthy punishments and increased security, he did not stop escaping. On one occasion, he was found in the Game Station by Dr. Sawyer, who was impressed at his scores, which were significantly higher than any others.

Much to Playcare’s dismay, Dr. Sawyer organized for Kevin to be able to visit the Game Station whenever he wanted, and wrote him a “hall pass” to show to security when he was questioned. All Dr. Sawyer asked was that Kevin continue to improve his scores, and he obeyed until he was “chosen”.

JACK

Poor, sweet Jackie, gone before his time due to a safety rail failure. The death of Jack Ayers is an unfortunate stain on the company’s history, a horrible tragedy that was entirely the fault of Warrenbach Construction for improperly installing the catwalks and railings of the dough production room.

Mr. Ayers passed in his sleep due to a heart attack shortly after the incident, and Mrs. Ayers was institutionalized shortly after her husband’s death. In wake of the tragedy, Playtime Co. generously offered to cover the cost of Mr. Ayers’ funeral and Mrs. Ayers’ medical care.

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