Numb

Ishness

It was extremely difficult for her to judge the passing of time, especially once the sun had fallen. She spent the night standing alone in an undulating black void, unable to escape the memories of the blackness that had consumed her and birthed her. Stomach acid lurched up her throat, her body desperate to empty itself of the horrors that darkness had held.

*****

She didn't remember the sun coming back up, but there it was. The snow was done falling, and she stood thigh deep in it, aware of the monstrous night she had just had, but unable to conjure even the slightest bit of discontentment with her situation, or gratitude at the daylight for freeing her from her nightmares.

"Zyggy, I really need you to calm down." A woman's voice drifted towards her from the direction she was facing, the direction Other Zyggy had gone.

"He never lets me do anything! I just wanted to make a new friend!" Came Zyggy's reply. He sounded deeply distressed.

"I know it's frustrating Zyggy, but I need you to focus or we'll never find her. It's already unlikely after that storm last night." The woman spoke as if she was dealing with an unruly toddler. "It would be easier if you'd just let DZ..."

No! No, he wouldn't even try to find her! Pleeeease Demeter, I can do it! " Zyggy's voice continued to pitch higher and higher. She heard the woman sigh in exasperation as the tops of their heads came into view.

"Zyggy, I know you're not incapable, it's just..." Zyggy's yelp of excitement interrupted the woman as his eyes finally fell upon the half buried girl they'd been searching for.

She watched as Zyggy ran towards her, his feet sinking into the snow to the knee with each step, a huge smile splitting his face. When he finally reached her, he flung himself against her and wrapped his arms tight around her shoulders.

"You're okay! I'm so sorry he left you out here all alone in the snow!" He cried, squeezing her tighter and tighter. She stood for a moment, unsure what to do, then rested her forehead against his shoulder. He was warm. She experienced a sensation akin to having a swarm of bees inside her chest. It was nice.

"It's okay Zyggy, I know you didn't want to..."

"I didn't! I never would have! It was DZ! He's always so suspicious of everything and never listens to me!" Zyggy interrupted.

"DZ?" She asked.

"Dark Zyggy." Answered the woman. She had followed Zyggy at a walk and was now standing behind him, watching the dramatic exchange with a bemused expression. "He's Zyggy's other half and very protective."

The woman placed a hand on Zyggy's shoulder as she spoke, and moved him gently aside.

"I'm Demeter." The woman said, offering her hand. Demeter was a tall, thin woman with white hair, red eyes, and a casual yet shrewd manner. They shook hands. Demeter's hand was the same neutral temperature as everything else. They stared at each other, hands still clasped. "...and what should I call you?" asked Demeter, a smirk tugging at her mouth.

"Oh...um..." She looked over at Zyggy who was drawing in the snow with a stick. "Zyggy said..."

Zyggy jumped a bit at the sound of his name and looked up at the two women, his stick flying from his hand.

"Right." Said Demeter. "Zyggy, what are we calling her?"

"Well..." Zyggy's face was as serious as she'd ever seen it. He took a deep breath and began to talk very quickly. "My first thought was 'Snow', cause, like...all the snow, BUT ALSO like 'Snow White', ya know? but then I thought, if she's gonna be named after a Disney princess, it should be 'Anatasia', cause she also loses her memory and doesn't know who she is BUT THEN I remembered Anastasia isn't even a Disney movie..." Demeter's face was a war between amusement and impatience as Zyggy continued. "...so then I thought maybe 'Elsa' cause she's got snow powers and she's super awesome- still a strong contender- BUT I also thought 'Alice' could be good cause, like, 'Alice in Wonderland' BUT ALSO like Alice from Resident Evil cause she ALSO loses her..."