Story so far
Holston’s wife Allison died in the year they won the Lottery, when they had hoped to start a family. Before her departure, she recovered fragments of deleted server records and published a method for retrieving erased information. She believed the old reports suggested recurring uprisings and suspected the silo’s ancestors had deliberately erased dangerous knowledge. These remained her interpretations, alongside her conviction that knowing the truth was beneficial.
After discovering programs capable of producing realistic screen images, Allison questioned the displayed world and publicly demanded to leave. Calm once confined, she refused her last meal and promised to return for Holston. She declined to share her discoveries widely because she feared causing another uprising. Although Holston expected her not to clean, she thoroughly wiped the sensors, waved to him, and walked away. Toxins destroyed her protective layers, and she fell on the hillside clutching her helmet. Three years later, Holston reached her remains before dying himself.
Her research continued to draw attention. Juliette found evidence that Allison had kept the strange computer text open for hours and became convinced she had discovered something significant. The common belief that Allison had developed the stirs remained an explanation offered by the silo’s residents; Juliette wondered whether apparent insanity had instead shielded Holston. The visor’s deceptive landscape now conceals Allison’s body beneath the image of a rock.
Role
Her recovery of deleted information links the investigation of the silo’s computer records to the deception presented through cleaning visors.
Relationships
Holston — Her husband waited for her promised return and ultimately died holding her remains.
Juliette — Juliette investigates her computer activity and questions the accepted explanation for her decision to leave.
Sources — 52 recorded facts, by chapter
Chapter 1
- Allison was Holston’s wife.
- Allison died in the year she and Holston won the lottery.
- Allison had an implant removed before she and Holston tried to conceive.
- Allison and Holston hoped to have twins.
- Allison and Holston used fertility superstitions while trying to conceive.
Chapter 2
- Allison called the white malfunctioning pixels on the displays “stuck” pixels.
- Allison was sent to cleaning three years earlier.
- Allison never threatened to refuse to clean.
- Holston had expected Allison not to wipe the lenses.
Chapter 3
- Three years before Holston’s confinement, Allison recovers fragments of deleted information from the silo’s old servers.
- Allison says the old reports she is reconstructing suggest uprisings once occurred roughly once a generation.
- Allison suspects the silo’s ancestors, rather than the rebels, erased the hard drives.
- Allison says a report cataloging earlier revolts was deleted during the most recent uprising.
- Allison says redundancies would make erasing the servers a deliberate, coordinated undertaking.
- Allison observes that no uprising has occurred since the great uprising.
- Allison theorizes that information formerly stored on the hard drives may have caused the revolts.
- Allison suggests knowledge of why people originally moved into the silo might have made them want to leave.
- Allison has published a white paper explaining how to retrieve deleted and overwritten files.
- Allison believes someone else will eventually recover the information if she does not.
- Allison believes knowing the truth is always beneficial.
Chapter 4
- Allison cleaned thoroughly with wool pads before leaving the sensors.
- Allison looked into the camera and waved at Holston before walking away from her cleaning.
- Allison fell on the hillside clutching her helmet as toxins destroyed her protective layers and killed her.
- Allison quietly complied while being prepared for cleaning.
Chapter 5
- Allison repeatedly demands to go outside in the cafeteria.
- Connor reports that Allison was running toward the airlock.
- Allison immediately becomes calm once confined in the holding cell.
- Allison prevents Holston from opening her cell shortly after she is locked inside.
- Allison refuses her last meal.
- Allison suggests that the apparent time of day on the screen may be false.
- Allison suggests that people outside could be watching the silo residents.
- Allison says deleted material includes recent records as well as material from the uprising.
- Allison says she found programs that make realistic pictures on screens.
- Allison promises to return from outside for Holston.
- Allison claims to know why cleaners clean despite saying they will refuse.
- Allison speculates that younger generations may have driven uprisings through a desire to explore.
- Allison speculates that couples denied children may have risked rebellion to seek a chance outside.
- Allison also considers elderly residents wanting to leave and make room for grandchildren as possible instigators of uprisings.
- Allison rejects sharing her discoveries with everyone because she does not want to start another uprising.
Chapter 6
- Allison’s computer files contain research Holston studies after her departure.
- Holston remembers Allison slowly turning around after going outside.
Chapter 7
- Allison’s remains lie on the hill where Holston reaches them before dying.
- Allison had discovered programs of the kind used to create the false image in Holston’s visor.
Chapter 11
- Marnes remembers widespread tension before Allison’s cleaning after a long interval without one.
Chapter 14
- Marnes recalls that Holston and his wife were in the lottery during their visit to Mechanical.
Chapter 19
- Holston’s wife had wanted to leave the silo.
Chapter 23
- Allison published a document describing a method for recovering deleted data.
- Juliette becomes convinced Allison discovered something on the servers.
- Activity logs show Allison keeping the strange computer text open for hours.
- People in the silo commonly believe Allison sought cleaning after developing the stirs.
Chapter 24
- Juliette considers whether Allison pretended to be insane to shield Holston from a discovery.
Chapter 34
- The visor conceals Allison’s body beneath the image of a rock.