July 2056, the Nim population has hit a point of stagnation.

My name is 1, I am a proud, yet worn out nimizen of what has been known as the Nimation for now more than five centuries.

Since our formation in Europe in 1532 our population has remained stable.

We remain a steady and horrifyingly tiresome sixteen individuals, stuck in what is now a seriously embarrassing hierarchical structure: the pyramid.

Our society used to be organised in the following structure:

We respond to a very simple set of rules:

(i) Only one couple is allowed at the time in Nimation.

(ii) Nimizens are only able to communicate with their immediate neighbour, i.e 1 and 7 can never be in touch.

(iii) Only Nim’s of an identical position within our pyramid structure can navigate outside of the pyramid together at once.

As you may imagine, the referral to multiple 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s and 5s was quite unsettling, arousing jealousies that could confuse outsiders.

The Nim Revolution of 1904 marked a turn in our history as new names were assigned to each nimizen:

the new names after the Nim Revolution
the new names after the Nim Revolution

Embracing each nimizen as individuals, through distinct names and physical features became the norm.

Our diversity had finally become the trope for a fair representation of the self within a co-dependent society.

The following year, 1905 the L-group composed of 3, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16 and myself wanted to go even further and re-considered our architectural ideologies.

We wanted to implement a new set of rules:

(i) Nimation is opened to groups and individuals. It will no longer be a couple only experience.

(ii) Nimizens are able to engage with any other nimizens, not just their immediate neighbour.

(iii) Identity and social stature are no longer limited to one's position in the pyramid.

(iv) Nimizens are able to navigate outside the structure with any other nimizens not only with those of similar structural stature.

(v) The traditional pyramid structure becomes a structure amongst others, not the default structure.

(vi) One's fate shouldn't be set in stone, one should have agency as to the path one chooses.

(vii) Nimation should be open to the growth of its nimizens as well as its annihilation, retirement of its nimizens or replacement of its nimizens.

Unable to convince the others of the necessity of the institution’s rewriting our structure remained the same.

1: Psst.

Silence.

1: Pssst!

2: What?!

1: I'm not talking to you.

2: 3.

3: Hm?

2: I think 1 is trying to talk to you.

3: What is it?

1: I'm lonely.

3: We already talked about this.

1: Well it still hasn't been solved.

3: I’m sorry there is nothing I can do about it at the moment, you could...

1: People assume because I'm at the top of the pyramid, everything is great for me!

1: Ha, sure is a great bore. Five centuries of solitude, an omnipotent perspective that has no witness.

1: No one to share my point of view with.

1: To get any mundane experience across I need a waterfall of information, to slightly hope one will get some kind of input and they might never understand.

3: I understand you! Or at least try too.

2: Quiet you two, I'm practising.

1: And when I go, I go alone.

3: Well at least you don't have to suffer the unreasonable ones of this row.

1: And when I fear, I fear alone.

3: You talk to me, sometimes.

7: Is 1 having a moment again?

3: Yes, yes, we're trying to figure it out.

2: Sssh.

6: This again?

2: 1 is trying to annihilate us again.

6: Let them be, they will be picked on soon enough again.

1: And when I dream, I dream alone.

2: Hmm.

7: They got everyone up again.

3: Everyone's up now.

1: Well not enough.

3: Let's keep it quiet for now.

1: You know?

3: Tell me.

1: In dreams... I walk with you.

3: Roy?