Error: Family Not Found

Error: Family Not Found
by Bryon Slack

Family
is a strange word
pressed against my teeth.

They say we are the sum
of what we've lived—
but in my equation,
my laughter and tears
in empty rooms—
none of it adds up
to your version
of that word.

If you look down
to where I’ve shown my work,
you’ll see it begins
with the subtraction
of the eldest.

Integers then group
and divide into
their own parentheticals,
running private algorithms
independent of the whole.

So encoded in their own logic,
that when run in batch
with their sister pairs,
they scan the random variable
with pity and suspicion—
speaking gently,
as if to keep it calm
while they load the anti-virus.

This sentinel construct,
labeled “Uncle,”
booting canned pleasantries
into shared memory—
never registering
that a newer model
was live-debugging his core routine,
line by line,
in real time.

Administrator permissions
open DOS prompts—
running an execute file
called Reunion,
compiled to unify nodes
and strengthen the run file
named Family.

Error: Command not found.

Feedback:
"A.L.I.C.E."
"All I Want Was [A Hug]"