THE form did not ask.
It displayed.
ANSWER SAVED:
YES.
Three million eight hundred twelve thousand four hundred forty times.
The number moved across every dirty screen like weather.
Civic boards.
Hospital walls.
Bookshop phones.
South Ward vending glass.
The broken chamber desk.
The evidence garage screen with Elara bleeding under it.
STANDARDIZED PUBLIC REQUEST SAFETY ACT.
QUESTION ONE:
DO YOU CONSENT TO EMERGENCY STANDARDIZATION IF IT KEEPS RESCUE AVAILABLE?
ANSWER SAVED:
YES.
Rina read it once.
"The question lies."
No one answered because everyone saw it.
If it keeps rescue available.
The sweetest poison left.
Soma's wall map changed before anyone touched the form. Local routes began losing their rough names. South Ward's broken-window route became `TEMPORARY ACCESS POINT 14`. Iseul's ambulance ramp became `MEDICAL EXIT NODE 3`. Aldgate's bookshop chain became `UNLICENSED INFORMATION RELAY: PENDING STANDARD REVIEW`.
