10 Belmont's Loud Voices

The bus trip to Belmont Beach was as natural as any other ride I took. The only real difference here was that I was with a passenger. Santino sat beside me. He was ignoring all the other odd looks the passengers gave to him.

Not every person in here was a resident of Midtown, or was wearing expensive clothing, but each of the people here were wary of Santino, whose only real features on his appearance was the filth and sweat covering him.

"Pardon me brother." asked a security guard in front of me. He was wearing blue from top to bottom. On his belt was a dark grey baton with black stripes. "But is that young man a Blue Moon user?"

He continued as every other passenger looked at me with glaring eyes. "Because if he is, he is required to head to a nearby hospital immediately." The way he said immediately, in spite of his monotonous voice, was that of demanding.

I had never gotten myself in the law before, not even back in highschool where most Decoun boys were troublesome. Many of my school mates were either cheaters or delinquents. Regardless of their gender or their social status, they were sent to the Reformation School.

They had changed by the time they got back, but

"He and I live in the same area." I explained.

"Which area sir?" the security guard asked. He took out a gray phone and proceeded to type with his left hand. I couldn't see what he was typing, let alone seeing.

"Belmont Beach."

"Your name?" the guard's face was facing Santino.

"Santino Marconi."

"Since this Decoun seems to be supervising you. I'll let you off this once. If law enforcers see you and you haven't been checked by any hospital, you will be dragged to one. Is that clear?" the guard looked at him with a suspicious look.

"Yes." Santino grumbled.

"What?"

"Yes sir." Santino corrected himself.

By the time we arrived at one of the Belmont Beach bus stops, I had Santino guide me to the upper areas where The Cauldron was located. The paths leading to it were dirty, but the buildings were still intact. In an alley to my left, I noticed a bin with fire on it. Several kids that were Santino's age were also in dirty if not worn out clothes of various colors, their hands being close to the fire.

Santino's house was within The Cauldron himself. Houses of one to two stories collided against each other, circling around a particular square with a pearl white fountain. The said fountain's materials were no longer white, instead it faded away.

The paint on all the houses also had paint that was fading away.

Santino's parents were more than happy that they're son was brought home, but I could see on both of their faces that they were less than pleased about what he was doing.

I explained to them what he told me.

"I see." said the mother who introduced herself as Maria. "What is your name?"

"Elotro."

"Would you like some tea, Elotro? It's the least we could do for you. Besides, you must have finished work today by the looks of it."

I couldn't really refuse such a kind offer, so I went inside and proceeded to receive a cup of Decoun style tea. I drank it out of some precious material, colored in jade green. Maria was busy tending to her son, while the father, Ignacio, saw me with a stern look.

"You're Sado Risas' son aren't you?" he asked as I nodded. "What do you think of Mortiqar?"

"I don't condone them for Blue Moon, but at the same time I feel that we need to educate people. It's basic knowledge that taking too much of something will be bad for you."

"At least you're self aware." Ignacio said with a huff. "Unlike others. Though I suspect Mortiqar may not be the end of Blue Moon."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Ignacio went to explain that he had a friend in the North who had a cousin within a Criminal Investigative Bureau agent named Delaney. The CIB were basically the higher version of the Decoun police, but even then the police here have been subjected to the most minor of tasks, especially when things like checkpoints are being handled by the military themselves.

For a while, Santino's parents and I talked about how we felt about Blue Moon, and the possibility of it being back onto the streets by a certain group of people; criminals trying to make a buck.

"It's likely Santino got it from a thug who selled it to him at a price far more expensive than the original." Ignacio explained. "My friend said that Delaney was investigating Blue Moon in the North, and guess what she found; Blue Moon syringes but it's filling was more dangerous than the original."

I was surprised, and mortified at the what was being said to me.

"Would you say that the people deserve to have their voices out even more? That Blue Moon must be eliminated from the nation for good?"

"Of course." I said. The nation, it's government, it's done a lot for me. Sure there was constant surveillance and extreme security via military checkpoints while I was at work, but I can't imagine rebelling against your own government; a body that literally has the Law on their side.

"Ignacio and I are part of Belmont's Loud Voices." Santino's mother clarified. "And we could user other potential civilians to contribute in lending their voice so that they may be heard by the government officials."

"Would you and your family be interested in our cause, Elotro?"

I thought about BLV. They had a point. Even with Mortiqar going to court, it's unlikely the recall they authorized would be able to get ALL of the Blue Moon in the nation. It didn't take me long to give them an answer.

"Yes." I said. "When can I start?"

The Director of Saturn-Voyde may have reminded me and my co workers to know our place in society, and stand our ground while the government takes care of everything, but to be honest with you, I'm not sure if I can stay silent forever.

I want to serve my country, and getting rid of Blue Moon would be the good answer to that.