The Zodiac Assassins

Chapter 18

This chapter is dedicated to LoomingDarkness564 (again) and my sisters ChocoholicLivAmy.

3 days after DdM supposed date

There's movement in the dark. I'm not quite sure how I know that, that somewhere in the depth of the inky blackness, something is stirring, but I just do. Maybe it's down to the days when I was an assassin. They seem so long ago now, so long ago that we were sitting in the room and told about this whole disaster, so long ago that I watched a Welsh acquaintance hack the limbs off the sack of skin that was our victim, that we saw the bomb go off. And even before that, when I used to slip into buildings, unnoticed and casually remove carbon dioxide filters everywhere, and allow myself a small triumph, alone in my flat in Rome when I heard about a death or two.

Now, the only thing I know is darkness. Darkness and the freezing cold that came shortly after everything burnt. I'm pretty sure that if we hadn't been transported somewhere near the equator, I'd be three inches under a coat of snow or have frozen.

Someone coughs. It's probably because of the cold. I don't say anything. There's no need to, they won't be able to get to me, which they'll probably try to do if I speak. They wouldn't have found me, if they hadn't fallen over me.

"I'm sorry" someone sobs. "I'm so sorry I... I... I can't see where I'm going."

"No one can" I say, going back to lying down, trying to ignore the gripping ache of hunger and staring up at the cloud of... what did Taurus call it? Carbon soot? Not for the first time, I wonder where they are, if they're alive, how they are. Are they wondering the same as me? Are they staring up at the same dark sky, not really sure which way is up or down? Who was the last person they spoke to?

"Where were you when it went off?" they say. From the sound of their voice, I'm pretty sure it's a girl, but you do get some guys with high-pitched voices. "I saw it, a bomb go off and I'm guessing that this is all due to that. Some sort of Nuclear Winter probably."

"About three miles away" I sigh. "There is a small possibility that..." I trail off, not really wanting to say. This could be the last person I ever speak to and having them hate me wouldn't be a great way to leave the world.

"I was with my friends" she(?) says. "Shortly after, we all lost each other and I haven't heard or seen any of them since."

"That's similar to me" I turn to look at where the voice comes from. "It's probably similar to everyone."

There is a pause, where neither of us says anything, just listens to the sounds of blackness. It's silent. Beautifully silent, and somewhere is the faintest sound of running water. The world we are in now, is still the world we know, just, not.

"Where are you?" she whispers. "This may sound a little creepy, but I want to touch someone again, I want to know that you're not just another voice in my head."

"Okay" I say and hear a bit of movement. I feel a hand on my arm, a hand in mine and flinch at the touch. It's been so long I've almost forgotten everything.

"What's your name?" she says. "I'm sorry, I just... I know it's stupid but... I guess I kind of want to know someone again."

"Well you've come to the wrong place" I mutter, placing my hand on my nose, trying to pick out it's outline and failing. "I don't have a name."

"Come on, everyone must have a name" she says. "I never actually told anyone my name, I was always something different to them. I guess it's about time to tell someone what my real name is."

"What was your other name?"

She hesitates. "That doesn't matter. That name was one for the light of this world. We are plunged into darkness, so the darkness can harness my real name I guess. I'm Ffraid. It means strong."

In the darkness, I smile. "I'm Gemini."