The Roar In Her Voice

(S)wordfight

Dedicated to the amazing graphic artist 808retaliation! I'm so honored that she created my cover. Go check her out. You won't ever regret it. She's also a great writer. Check out her stories. I'm reading The Seven Kingdoms which is a fantasy and adventure book, but of course it also has romance. Click on her now.

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"Name?"

"Cleo DeLeon."

"Age?"

"Twelve."

"Date of birth?"

"February 14, 2001."

The woman's monotonous voice rang through the empty white room, supported by the sound of someone typing on a keyboard. The continuous clicks and questions sounded like every second that passed was incessantly typing down a neverending story.

I stood in the middle of the small room, sitting on a white stool and staring straight into the camera as required. I was brought here by Earthrunner and a couple of guards, who told me that Mike and I had to be interviewed, but I believed that the proper term was "interrogated". A new standard protocol had been issued recently by the Head. I was suspicious though; Earthrunner didn't seem to know of it until she went to visit her father. Had he changed it specifically for us? Mike seemed oblivious to it, or maybe he was just acting.

I was dying to get out of the room and confront Mike. Awhile ago, I got distracted so I didn't get a chance to ask him about what Vexatia was hiding from me. I wasn't sure whether Mike did try to distract me on purpose or not, but I was sure that I was going to find out soon no matter what it takes.

"Parents?" The woman had started asking after a short pause, but the sound of finger against keyboard didn't stop.

"Abelia and Abran DeLeon." Both of their names started with "a" and "b" so they figured to start mine with a "c." They were weird that way, and from that they got their unconventional ideas. I didn't think my name was one of those brilliant ideas, though.

"Their occupations?"

"Mommy's a businesswoman and Papa's the CEO of an animation company." I couldn't hide the hint of pride in my voice. Mommy and Papa really struggled to get where they were now. People were intent on bringing them down because of their amazing talent. They learned to fight back. I wanted to be like that too, but right now, I didn't know who to fight or who needed to be taken down.

"Most recent school?" The woman didn't seem to notice my change in tone, or she just didn't care.

"Hypatia International." She didn't ask what my "current" school was, and that worried me.

"Any other former schools?"

"None."

"City?"

"Massachusetts." I never moved away from my home in Massachusetts. That was my home, my hearth, my roots, and it was also where my parents grew up in. This was the first time I realised how far from home I was right now. It did not help settle the ache in my heart.

Moping wasn't an option. I had to face these problems first--and the first one I had to deal with right now is getting through this tedious interview.

Click, click, click. "That's it for now. We received your credentials, education and medical history, and from what you have given us your answers support the data we have of you. Have a nice day, Ms. DeLeon."

I hesitated before asking my questions. "Where's Mike? The boy I was with?"

The clicking abruptly stopped. "You'll see him, after his interview at approximately six o'clock."