Beginning transcript for second interview with candidate Miss M:
Director: "Welcome back. Feeling better?"
M: "A little..."
Director: "We'll gloss over that subject for now. I'd like to ask you about your time in Cult X."
M: "... why are you asking me about these things?"
Director: "We need to know if you can become emotionally compromised. There are things here that may be able to take advantage of those weaknesses. I promise that your answers here won't affect your eligibility so long as you answer honestly. It'll simply influence where we can put you. This is the only time you'll be asked about it, so please be strong, okay?"
M: "...yeah."
Director: "Besides, we need to find out if the cult has any of its 'barbs' left inside you."
M: "R-right."
Director: "Now, I take it you were born in the cult?"
M: "Yeah."
Director: "Your parents?"
M: "My mother was also born inside. My father converted as a teenager."
Director: "They do rituals, right? Did you participate in any?"
M: "... y-yeah. They made me."
Director: "Which ones?"
[Silence]
M: "I-- I, um... I can't say its name."
Director: "You can't or don't want to?"
M: "I can't."
Director: "Ah. So there is a barb. Can you at least describe it?"
M: "I'll try. Um... They'd summon a spirit, and have it inhabit my body for a time. They'd use it to summon ancestors to ask for guidance."
Director: "Ah, Death's Avatar. ... They performed that on children?"
M: "...yeah."
Director: "Geeze... okay. Any others?"
M: "Other than a healing ritual, no. I left before the coming of age rites."
Director: "Good. In that case, I think we can work on removing any barbs they've placed. What was your experience there like?"
M: "...Terrible. The other kids beat me up a lot. They never got in trouble because their parents were leaders. But participation was mandatory."
Director: "How did you manage to leave?"
M: "A stroke of luck, I guess. Maybe they just wanted to get rid of me."
Director: "Hrm. I don't know about that. We'll have to look into that further. But we'll move on for now. Why don't you take a few moments to gather your thoughts. I'll be needing to ask about those incomplete answers next."
M: "... is it too late to back out?"
Director: "I can't force you to stay, but try to be brave for me, okay?"
M: "I'll try..."