Guided by the Stars (GxG)

No.1

You think with time the horrifying sounds of pleads and cries would become a part of your brain. The hatred, dirty looks, curses of all the lives you've taken, like a shadow following you around, but this kind would only let itself known at night when no lights were present and the darkness swallowed you whole for the hours to come.

And without a doubt, that's how it was, at least until a certain moment occurred. No one knew when, but it happened, and you snapped.

Everyone did.

No more shadows, instead an empty heart, and an empty mind. You take those lives and continue on your day, a cold shower, simple dinner, and the most important part, to never think about what you've done. The second you do, the second you allow your heart and its conscience to enter your mind, you are done.

"Please! Please! I have a family. I beg you don't make me leave!" the man wept through the waterfall of tears and snorts dangling from his nostrils. His broken voice, the promises he made to fix his mistakes, everything to save his life—to stay with them.

I looked their way, a woman and two children hidden underneath her long dark coat, she had this perfect mix of spite and fear that I learned to accept.

"Fulfill your sentence before the reinforcement arrives and your family might just be spared," I told the man with a stern, yet shaky heart.

A glimpse of hope, reassurance he needed as he knelt on his knees—his family screamed—single bullet ending his life. I didn't flinch, however with every shot my soul crumbled, and that pained me.

"What have you done?!" his wife's agonizing scream made me look their way.

Children were pushed to the side as she ran towards the dead man. She embraced him so gently, even though he couldn't feel anything, she showered him with such love and care; envy blooming inside my heart. Suddenly she looked at me, and again this fierce powerful expression. "No star will shine upon your death. You're done," she spat at me.

Wiping off the saliva, I dropped my gun in surrender. "Take your kids and leave, you have ten minutes of a universal time to escape towards the train. I saw your data, you are a legal resident of another planet. Flee there now."

"Fuck you! I curse you!"

Grimacing, the time was not to be wasted. I gave her a choice, but she hasn't used it. Instead cried over the lifeless body of her husband and waited till the reinforcements arrived and placed a bullet in her and her children's faces.

"Number 057, why haven't you reported sooner," the solder dared to question—his emotionless tone a habit I began to pick up—another thing to despise about myself.

"Why were you behind is the question you should be asking yourself. Fucking useless," I scoffed and walked off towards the ship.

On the way back my attention has been caught by a tiny hand poking from between the rocks. Quickly scanning the soldiers, they were too busy cleaning up the mess to notice. Sneaking away from the ship I made my way towards it. Peeking through the gap only to be met with a pair of dark eyes.

"Hello," I tried to maintain a low and calming tone.

The little girl fought off the screams, but too afraid she was to break I sealed her lips with my fingers. She was shivering in her raggedy clothes covered by the sand and dirt. She must have been their daughter. Taking a seat next to the little girl we waited till the soldiers left.

"Let's play a game," I proposed in an attempt of calming the child.

She wasn't too interested until I grabbed my little pouch and took out the marbles. She glanced at them in awe, trying to reach out. "Wh..waat ale these?" she asked, her childish voice so adorable.