Trent doesn't know what year it is. They won't tell him. Questions will result in more time added to his work commitment. He's obedient, and an effective employee, but his frustration is unbearable. He feels different from everyone else, but in unique ways he can't explain. Since socializing is discouraged, the only consistent way to express his feelings is through a journal. At least they allow him that.
As he grows older he gets bolder and eventually learns secrets they don't want him to know, ones that make him realize how valuable he is to them, how much power he possesses, and how afraid of him they truly are.
Also included in: They Got Out: A Sci-Fi and Horror Collection