Z

Chapter Two

Surrounded by suds with a cigar sitting between her lips, Zoie relaxed under the water. It had been hours since the crime she committed and there was still not a feeling of regret. She knew that there would be a matter of time before the bodies were found and police would arrive to question her whereabouts. Grabbing the red phone that sat on the edge of the tub, Zoie removed the cigar from her lips and dialed the number of someone she hadn't addressed in the longest time.

“Hello?” Someone asked from the other end of the phone. 

“I know you’ve always wondered why mom was weird.” Zoie said. 

“Zoie?” Kira asked with her voice being full of shock. 

“Hello Peasant.” Zoie calmly greeted. 

Kira sighed. “Why are you calling? We haven’t spoken since mom’s funeral.” 

“Did you find mother to be weird?” Zoie asked again completely ignoring Kira’s question. 

Kira sighed. “No Zoie. I did not find mom to be weird at all.”

“Think about it!” Zoie started. “She raised us isolated from everyone else and we could never be outside past 6 PM! Even when we started working as teenagers, we had part time jobs on the morning shift!” 

“Zoie, what’s the point of this? We haven’t spoken to one another since she passed! It has been 3 years!” Kira bluntly stated. 

“Yeah, it has been a very long 3 years.” Zoie responded. Zoie sat in silence as she listened to Kira’s breathing from the other end of the line. With the phone still to ear, Zoie leaned back and relaxed in the water. 

“Why have you called?” Kira asked. 

“I cannot call my younger sister?” 

“It has been a long time, Zoie. I’m obviously a little confused as to why you’ve called me now. Do you need money or something?” 

Zoie scoffed. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.” 

“How are you, Zoie?” Kira asked. 

Zoie took a full breath in the wake of hearing the question. There was a piece of her that wanted to disclose to Kira about everything from her finding out about her powers to her killing her closest companion and lover. As a tear gradually fell from Zoie's eyes, she grinned.

“I’m doing well. Thanks for asking because not many have done that.” Zoie responded. 

“What about Chris? Is he treating you okay?” 

Zoie sniffed. “We’re fine!” 

“Are you crying?” Kira asked. “Jesus, you don’t even sound like yourself! I’m so used to you talking as if you were from another time so hearing you talk normally is blowing my mind.” 

"I must hang up now but it was pleasant conversing with you! On the off chance that you hear from Simone, disclose to her that I made proper acquaintance!" Zoie wrapped up.

“And there’s the Zoie that I grew up with!” Kira announced. Without hanging tight for Kira's next sentence, Zoie immediately ended the call. 

Zoie had been maintaining the mystery of having powers for such a long time all while being worried about numerous things in her own life. The voices in her mind that once halted were gradually returning and it made her crazy. She could feel herself gradually losing her humanity as minutes passed and it amazingly frightened her. 

As the quieted murmurs sounded stronger, Zoie grabbed the side of her head and sighed sadly.