Z: The Silent Killer

The Aftermath

I sit on the bench in the sparring room, waiting for my opponent.

I don't know how long I've been sitting here daydreaming about life before this hell.

 I'm 18 now and my origin story still puts an ache in my chest.

 The black double doors bust open and in comes my opponent for the day. I stand up and make my way over to the ring.

Grimm has us doing these exercises to "Expand our growing minds" whatever.

I roll my eyes at the thought as I step into the ring for the millionth time. 

Today I battle X. She was always a strong fighter, but her one downfall has always been her ego.

"Ah! The notorious Z. The girl no other letter can beat, well you haven't fought me yet." 

She says as we begin to circle each other in the large box shaped ring. I keep quiet with a sly smirk on my face.

"You think you're so tough? Just wait 'till Grimm rings that bell" she says trying to taunt me, no doubt trying to get a reaction out of me.

 I'd die before I give her the satisfaction.

Though she was trash talking, I could see the fear in her eyes. 

The main reason why I win so many matches is with the help of my opponents. They reveal all their secrets to me before we even begin. 

I can just look at them and know exactly what tactic they would use.

 Now I'm not saying I think I'm the best letter. I'm not the strongest; that would be G. And I'm not the fastest; that would O and E. I guess you could say all of us letters have our strongest suits.

Mine is observing, I can tell what move you're going to make moments before you make it.

 Observing isn't just something I do in the ring.

When you barely open your mouth, you can't help but watch other people, study their movements, and mannerisms.

But back to the match

I have heard so much about X, and not the best things.

Of course, they could have just been rumors, but seeing her now is ticking a lot of boxes. 

Letters aren't allowed to speak to each other, the only friend you could really make is your roommate. Grimm likes silence. Speaking of Grimm, he's late.

He's never late.

Something is going on, but we weren't permitted to leave so we sit and wait. 

I sit in one corner of the ring, and she sits in the opposite corner.

 She begins to talk my head off. She was saying something about her hair and how it's greasy, but I zoned out by her second sentence.

As she talks, I think about my first night here.

 It's not a memory I like to think about but it's better than listening to her talk about her greasy hair.

 When the man first took me here back when I was only eight, he took me to a room that didn't have an ounce of color.

 There were white walls, a white mattress, even a white toilet. It looked like a cell. 

The man who introduced himself as Grimm threw some clothes on the mattress and told me to change into them and knock on the door when I was finished.

 Once he left the room, I started to examine the clothes. It was a plain white shirt and a large pair of orange sweatpants.

One thing that stood out to me though was the big orange Z on the back of the shirt.

I wondered if it was for my name, but I just hurried and put it on.

 After I finished getting dressed, I knocked on the door and he walked me down the long white hallways.

The hallway was so long it felt like it wasn't going to end. 

Eventually we stopped in front of a big white door.

Before he opened it, he said "When we walk in this room you are not to speak to anyone, look at anyone, or even think about anyone. 

You will walk to the back of the room and keep your head down. Understand?" I nodded my head.

To intimidated to speak.

He opens the door, and I did what he told me to. I walked in and kept my head down.

 There was only one empty space left in the sea of people, and it conveniently had a big Z painted in the squared space.

 I didn't look at anyone, so I didn't see any faces, I just saw sets of feet as I walked deeper into the room.

As I stood in my spot, the room was completely silent. 

The only sound in the room was the sound of loud gulps and throats clearing.

The room was void of sound...until we heard Grimm.

 I flinched a little. His voice was startling since we've been standing in silence for God knows how long.

"You may raise your heads." I raised my head and looked around the room.

The room was filled with other little girls, about the same age as me. 

it was weird because since I was in the back, I could see the backs of their shirts. Including me, we were all in alphabetical order. 'Weird' I thought to myself. "Good evening letters, you shall call me Grimm. Welcome to your worst nightmare" ...

The sound of Grimm startled me out of my reminiscing.

 "Attention letters, please halt what you are doing and report to the black room. You have 5 minutes."

 That was Grimm on the intercom. Something he doesn't use unless there is an emergency.

Uh oh......

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