After the Plague

XIII. Joanna

Kira had only just begun to acclimate to responding to the name ‘Joanna.’

In the days since the attack on the village in the woods she had considered revealing the truth to Goodwin and the rest of the company, but she hesitated at the thought of what might happen if they didn’t understand. It’s a layer of protection, that’s all. And besides, if they were to find out I was lying… 

The story of Francis, the old man they had spent so much energy hounding down, came as a shock of her. She knew that Goodwin still doubted just how credible her claim was that she originated from Genesis, but she preferred it that way. Another layer. When she saw Francis, she saw the thousands of deaths that she had seen. Lives she had ushered out of this world. He has no idea. From what Goodwin’s general attitude about where they were going, which he had yet to give to her in full detail, she knew that Francis wound’t be alive for much longer. “You’re in for a real treat. Something you’ve never seen before in your life, trust me,” was all Goodwin had teased her with before turning the conversation back to something else. 

On a few occasions, Kira had spotted Francis kneeling in a corner, or mumbling to himself before meals. Old coot. She had tried to ask Goodwin about what he was doing, but he seemed honest when he said he didn’t know the answer.

“Some type of ritual that has to do with the gods, I think,” he had answered.

“The gods?” Kira inquired. She knew very little.

“Eh, don’t ask me. I’ll give my arm to bet that the bossman won’t go off on it.”

Her perception of Goodwin’s fabled ‘bossman’ was growing larger each day. Goodwin’s stories and offhanded comments about him seemed to know no bounds, as he spun tales of the most ridiculous man Kira could picture. 

Her reception amongst Goodwin’s company had grown from where it first had after she had first defeated all of them on her first day on the skiff. They all seemed to be with Goodwin for different reasons. Some were just downright violent and needed to get their fix, some wanted the thrill, others the power and reputation that came with each job. Still, others simply revered Goodwin as a leader. But for all their different motives, they were good enough company once they warmed up to her, and she was happy to join them.

Their journey had kept them primarily on rivers, but she had watched carefully as they been turning in and out of different bends and turns. We must’ve crossed the entire country by now. After Francis had woken up, they had traveled on the sea, sticking fairly close to the shore. Kira could see small towns and cities dotted along the coast, but they stuck just far enough away for her to see if there were any people or signs of life. A small, nagging part of her wanted  to believe that there was more to the world than the abandoned Genesis City, rugged villages in the woods, and Goodwin’s gang, but nothing she had seen thus far had proven anything to the contrary. 

After they had been riding on the sea for a few hours, Goodwin had come down into her cabin to find her, bringing a spare soda, which he tossed to her. “Hey kiddo, t-minus five minutes until we arrive, alright? So how about you get your friend and meet on the upper deck? We’ve got a bit of a walk ahead of us, but we’ll be there soon.”

“Sounds good,” she down at the can, which advertised a “Dad’s Root Beer.” Shrugging, she clicked it open, and the two drank in silence for a moment. I should tell him my name. I should tell him the truth, she thought. They finished their drink and he smiled at her kindly as she brushed by him on her way out.

Kira walked down the hallway to the engine room, where they had set up a makeshift holding cell within the steam barrel structures. Goodwin had been insistent that they take a prisoner from Roslin as some type of collateral, and put her in charge. She had taken the job with pride, happy to prove herself as one of the best members of the group once again, but it had quickly become a responsibility, like having a pet that had far outlived its welcome.