Alexia Enrei threw herself stomach-down on her bed, picking up the remote to her stereo and turning the volume up. Music pounded in her ears, an old dark-rock band that her great-great-grandparents had listened to when they were young-older than her, but still young.
Catch me as I fall
say you're here and it's all over now
speaking to the atmosphere
no one's here and I fall into myself
this truth drives me into madness
I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away
She sang along with the eerie, almost heavenly voice, nodding her head to the tune.
"Alex! Alex, come here!"
Alex sighed, rolling off the bed and running down the hall to the kitchen. The music still played in her room…
Don't turn away
don't give in to the pain
don't try to hide
though they're screaming your name
don't close your eyes
God knows what lies behind them
don't turn out the light
never sleep never die
"Hello, Alexia." Alex looked up. A tall, lean man dressed in a black military uniform stood at the doorway. He smiled kindly down at her, and she swallowed her throat suddenly very dry.
"Please, she prefers to be called Alex," she heard her mother say quietly.
"Alex, then." said the officer. "I would like to talk to you for a moment, Alex. Alone."
I'm frightened by what I see
but somehow I know that there's much more to come
immobilized by my fear
and soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain if I will it all away
Her mother left the room, and Alex could see that she was about to cry. She heard her pick up the phone and speak into it-"821-3398"-her father's work number. What's she doing? Why does she wanna talk to Daddy? She forced herself to think. But Alex wasn't stupid. They wouldn't pick a stupid child for Battle School. No, there was only one reason this man was here.
Don't turn away
don't give in to the pain
don't try to hide
though they're screaming your name
don't close your eyes
God knows what lies behind them
don't turn out the light
never sleep never die
"Alex, do you know who I work for? I work for the I.F. Do you know why I'm here?"
"Of course, I'm not stupid. Only a complete idiot would wonder why you're here." she snapped. Anger was her way of dealing with fear.
Apparently, he already knew this.
"Scared, Alex?" he asked wickedly.
Fallen angels at my feet
whispered voices at my ear
death before my eyes
lying next to me I fear
she beckons me shall I give in
upon my end shall I begin
forsaking all I've fallen for I rise to meet the end…
