All Kids You Can Eat

Saturn Devouring His Son, 1819–1823, by Francisco Goya

"Saturn Devouring His Son" is a chilling painting by Spanish artist Francisco Goya, produced between 1819 and 1823. The piece illustrates the mythological character Saturn, or Cronus, as he eats one of his offspring to stop them from usurping him, according to the prophecy.

The painting is distinguished by its dark hues, with deep blacks and browns prevailing in the color scheme. Saturn is depicted as a grotesque and frenzied figure, with protruding eyes and an intense expression, starkly contrasting with the pale, lifeless form of his son, shown in a state of despair. The powerful emotion and horror are intensified by the raw brushwork, showcasing Goya's skill in conveying psychological depth.

The minimal background sharpens the focus on the central figures, establishing a stark and chilling atmosphere. This piece embodies Goya's profound concerns about violence, power, and the human condition, marking it as a significant work within the context of Romanticism and his oeuvre.

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Francisco Goya brings such a “mesmerising” story to mind.

A group of children reside in the serene setting of the Sunshine Academy, enjoying the benefits of a private school's excellent teaching conditions. Although the curriculum may be somewhat dull, the children lead a carefree life. The sole interest that the Sunshine Academy encourages in the students is painting, as it reveals a person's inner world.

Children who excel in drawing receive praise, while those “bad painters” who struggle may be mocked and even bullied by their peers. A new teacher disagrees with the school's approach, believing that children are not mechanical and have their own interests and personal space. She encourages students who are not skilled at drawing to pursue sports or other hobbies, such as becoming football players.

Children who experience bullying are delighted and feel amazing when they can select their favorite hobbies. From birth, they've been instructed that everything in life must adhere to the school's arrangements, and they cannot leave the school due to the presence of killers outside, which would lead to their demise if they left. Kids have no privacy, and their every action is monitored by the teachers.

The Sunshine Academy places significant emphasis on children's physical health, requiring them to maintain 100% perfect health, avoid excessively strenuous sports activities, and prohibit from consuming unhealthy food.

One day, a fourth-grade student, motivated by the new teacher to rebel, scaled the tall wall and escaped from Sunshine Academy, but never returned to school. The principal of Sunshine Academy displayed the student's bloodied shoes on the gate, informing all students that a murderer outside had killed their classmate, and urged the entire school to pray for the student.

The new teacher's conduct led to significant dissatisfaction at Sunshine Academy, as children become more intelligent when exposed to extensive knowledge.

Simultaneously, Sunshine Academy chose to reveal a truth to all fourth graders early on, aiming to instill in them a sense of identity as "Angels".

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The mystery of the Sunshine Academy slowly came to light: the children at the academy are not typical human kids; they are all clones. They were created specifically to provide living organs to humans through "donations" (fact: trade of human organs), allowing human lives to be prolonged. These children exist to save humans with special needs.

Children at Sunshine Academy are banned to leave until they turn 18, at which point they begin gradually donating their organs to humans until they pass away (clones typically die after the third live organ donation). Each child can postpone organ donation for three years after turning 18, provided they comply with the school's rules, meaning the latest age for organ donation is 21. They then continue to donate live organs in parts until death. If students leave Sunshine Academy without permission before turning 18, they will immediately donate organs and die (which is why the fourth-grade student never returned to school). The children's futures are predetermined.

Over time, children transition into adulthood, the new teacher was intolerant of the school leaders' hypocrisy and attempted to convince all the students to flee from school, but ultimately in vain. During the final class when the students turning 18, the teacher shouting her discontent - the students were merely used as organ donors not "Angels", akin to livestock; the leaders of Sunshine Academy of being hypocrites, nurturing children under the pretense of benevolence to secure government funding.

All the students were taken aback by the harsh reality: without resistance, one can only passively await demise. A student decides to end her life by slitting wrists, yet receives no sympathy because the fact of clones. Even in suicide, students can still be exploited for bodies remaining value.

After the students become adults, they start undergoing organ transplantation part-by-part, typically within 3-5 years. Following, the ultimate hidden truth of Sunshine Academy is progressively uncovered.

Unforeseeably, the principal of Sunshine Academy is also a clone. Her father, a scientist, created her for laboratory experiments funded by the government. The original clone specimen, who was actually her mother, became the principal through constant organ replacement. The principal was brought up as a normal person, no one found out she was a clone. It was not until many years later that the principal discovered that she had no menstrual period and no fertility that established the fact - she had no gender was neither a man nor a woman, but a clone.

The principal took her father's legacy to create the Sunshine Academy, aiming to ensure that cloned children receive the same education as ordinary people and are not compelled to donate organs, seeking to demonstrate to the world that clones possess both mind(s) and life(s).

Students were initially unaware that 70% of the curriculum at Sunshine Academy focuses on painting, as these drawings can express the human soul. The paintings chosen are the research findings presented to government officials. The primary aim is to advocate for the child's right to be born as a human, but all efforts are futile. The government threatens to kill the principal if they halt the organ donation process.

Since living organ donation ensures human longevity, extends life, and preserves youth, people are unwilling to recognize the rights of cloned children. Consequently, humans strongly oppose the cloning of human souls, viewing them as akin to domestic animals, with no purpose beyond organ donation.

Receiving notification of a live organ donation could be a significant relief for a clone. Ultimately, the conclusion of the story mirrors the clone's fate, as all the children will eventually pass away.

Never Let Me Go Movie Poster

Never Let Me Go (Japanese: わたしを離さないで) is a recomposed Japanese television series. It is adapted from the English novel Never Let Me Go by Japanese-British author Kazuo Ishiguro. The narrative explores the significance of human existence and the worth of individuals in life.

If you encountered a situation where your pet and a cloned child were in a mass fire and you could only rescue one, which would you choose to save?

We will save our pets, as they are part of our family.

Mira Tran

Based in Melbourne, Australia

10:00 PM Sunday

Jan 26 2025

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