Maybe I'm a Lion
III
"A straight A student," Riley said looking at Cornelia's high school file. "And student council president to boot!" He said just barely reading the last tidbits of the file. The other interrogator still stood to the side letting his partner do all the work. Calmly, Riley then slowly closed the file and stared intensely at Cornelia, hoping that the recently turned 18 girl would break and tell the truth. "That doesn't sound like the profile of a killer now does it?"
"No." Cornelia answered his question, her voice raspy and dry. It was the first time that night she looked at something else other than the light bulb and her wounded hand. "It sounds like a student, to me." The other interrogator - still hidden in the shadows of the room - chuckled. This mockery only further irritated the already impatient Riley. The evidence had already proved Cornelia innocent, yet here she was claiming to be a murder.
Many students horribly murdered, their bodies mutilated, and their blood spilled everywhere. The Hall of Ithaca was burned to the ground. The people of Pulse cried out for judgment, and they didn't care who it was that received it. Guilty, only through testimony, when Cornelia stood up as the horrible culprit people believed her; all evidence thrown aside. No longer a minor, Riley knew a trial with this much publicity, would end in a death sentence for Cornelia.
"You know, if you continue to say your guilty, they'll have you sentenced to death." Riley attempted to intimidate Cornelia to get her to protest her innocence. He didn't want to see the already obviously traumatized girl to suffer. This comment seemed catch her attention as her gaze slowly shifted down from the light fixture a second time. "Is that what you want? To die?"
"Maybe that's what she wants, after seeing her peers so brutally killed." the other interrogator finally said dismissively. When Cornelia didn't say anything, the interrogator stood up and turned to leave. "So be it then, let her stand trial. I won't waste anymore time here."
"Wait!" came Cornelia's meek voice suddenly fierce. "I, I don't want to die!"
"No." Cornelia answered his question, her voice raspy and dry. It was the first time that night she looked at something else other than the light bulb and her wounded hand. "It sounds like a student, to me." The other interrogator - still hidden in the shadows of the room - chuckled. This mockery only further irritated the already impatient Riley. The evidence had already proved Cornelia innocent, yet here she was claiming to be a murder.
Many students horribly murdered, their bodies mutilated, and their blood spilled everywhere. The Hall of Ithaca was burned to the ground. The people of Pulse cried out for judgment, and they didn't care who it was that received it. Guilty, only through testimony, when Cornelia stood up as the horrible culprit people believed her; all evidence thrown aside. No longer a minor, Riley knew a trial with this much publicity, would end in a death sentence for Cornelia.
"You know, if you continue to say your guilty, they'll have you sentenced to death." Riley attempted to intimidate Cornelia to get her to protest her innocence. He didn't want to see the already obviously traumatized girl to suffer. This comment seemed catch her attention as her gaze slowly shifted down from the light fixture a second time. "Is that what you want? To die?"
"Maybe that's what she wants, after seeing her peers so brutally killed." the other interrogator finally said dismissively. When Cornelia didn't say anything, the interrogator stood up and turned to leave. "So be it then, let her stand trial. I won't waste anymore time here."
"Wait!" came Cornelia's meek voice suddenly fierce. "I, I don't want to die!"