Final answer:
Dwight and Toby are marking red X's as part of a study on the impact of children's minds on their surroundings, possibly in a psychological or behavioral context. This involves analyzing deviations and noting unusual events related to children's interactions with their environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context provided, it seems that Dwight and Toby are characters who are involved in an experiment or a study concerning the impact of a child's mind on their environment, perhaps in a psychological or behavioral study. The red X's on the walls and floors are part of this study, indicating notable behaviors or patterns. For instance, just like the simple game of tic-tac-toe that disrupted cultural norms, the act of placing red X's could symbolize an analysis of actions that deviate from the expected or usual patterns within a given environment.
This could also involve the observation of children's interactions with their surroundings, especially if technology like a 'nursery' (potentially a virtual reality space) is used to manifest their thoughts or fears, as suggested by the references to patterns left by the child's mind and the change to destructive thoughts. Sudden change in behavior or drastic measures like escaping to the nursery might alarm the observers, prompting them to mark these incidents with red X's as part of the data collection for further study.