The Zero Light

The London Smoke

         The closing door creaked softly, as two silhouettes entered the room. The dark interior was nearly empty, safe for a bed, one big wardrobe and a couple of chairs set next to the window. The yellow wallpaper was definitely moldy as evident by the thick smell in the air. Heavy curtains stopped nearly all the moonlight but it was just enough for both of the men to silently get to the two chairs.

We then sat near the window, peaking at the street below. Soon we noticed a deathly glow coming from one of the alleys and from there a group of knights emerged. Their silver and gold clad armors shimmering in the light of their long lanterns. Halos around their heads reminding people more of pirate skulls than light of angels. Long white cloaks of the knights being a reminder of just how backward the church were, making their representatives look and act like medieval fanatics. We didn't see their weapons, maybe they weren't on the hunt, or they wanted to look as peaceful as they could to not scare any mages. "Yeah as if that ever worked" I thought as I pressed my head against the cold and dirty glass. I felt the firm grasp of my companion, I looked at him as he shaken his head with reprimand painted on his face. I rolled my eyes but kept my distance from the window, not wanting to attract any attention. I laughed slightly. We were on the third floor of a hotel, both of us without any "power" of the non-existent light or however it was called. As normal citizens we had nothing to fear from the deathly police of London, and yet their presence alone was enough to keep us away from the street, behind closed doors.

Their slow march wasn't an unusual sight for the dark city of London but it usually wasn't accompanied by music, which was now playing from their speakers. We couldn't hear what it was because of the distance and the closed window. It had to have some purpose but what was it? Devon scratched his beard, wondering what was the reason for that strange occurrence. He looked at me but all I could do was just shrug and continue to look at the empty street being the stage for the bringers of death. As the white knights disappeared in another alley, I realized I was holding my breath for god knows how long. We leaned back on the chairs visibly calmer and he took a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket. He reached out the packet my way but I just slightly waved my hand, showing him that I didn't want a smoke right now. He lit his cancer stick and inhaled the thick smoke, after a second he released it in a cloud of dark fumes, visibly pleased.

– So. – I started. – You noticed they come here more often? – I looked out of the window to make sure they were gone. I noticed a couple of kids and a small group of adults in the middle of the street, playing and talking together. The grim reapers of the twenty-first century were definitely a good crowd repellent.

– No, you are imagining things – This normally paranoid man shook his hairy head and he tilted his chair, to look at the ceiling. – They have set routes, they don't just... walk somewhere more often, you know? – He once again inhaled the thick smoke. – I forgot to thank you for those, really good ones. It's hard to find good cigarettes in this shit-hole of a city. Everywhere everything is heavily inspected for any possibility of a "magical instrument" – He made air quotes with his fingers, simultaneously dropping ash on the floor.

– It's bullshit – I commented – Everyone knows that no enchanted crap has been found since like, the sixteenth century. They just want more reasons to oppress normal people. – I huffed. – They have a reason to go after those fucking freaks, but they have to create one to gain power over us! – I looked angrily at the cigarette in his hand, which I got for working my ass out for years, as a bonus. No rise, no better living conditions, just a pack of smokes and extension of my work contract, which I of course didn't sign up for, but which was mandatory. – Why do they even go after those items? What's so special about cigarettes, vodka and chocolate?

– My guess is... – He dropped the cig. – ...That it's either because of the strong smell able to mask the stench of magic users, or they just keep it all to themselves and just party all the time in those highrises of theirs. – He grunted loudly and spat just next to my feet. – Good.