Prompt: Release

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William wasn't quite sure when it happened, only that on the anniversary of the day they shut down the supercomputer he found himself on the phone, making excuses.

They were hurt, he knew - missing the reunion simply wasn't done - but he'd grown tired of dredging up memories. It seemed unfair, when he otherwise worked so hard to press them down.

He claimed sickness that year. Then work commitments. After that, he simply stopped showing up.

They called, emailed. He sent out one last message.

Let me go.

And because they loved him, and on some level they understood, they did.