Signs of the Zodiac
an excerpt

The Rat watched numbly as the dozens of the field’s mice chewed diligently at the mass of flesh drowning in the wheat surrounding it. The constant groans of satisfaction and rubbery squeaks all but drove him mad on a quiet night like this. Leaving a trace didn’t bother him, mice were fantastic creatures that way. It was just—

“…Parvenu?”

Hearing his brother’s voice trying to reach him he couldn’t help but throw his hand to the side with indecision. It was enough for him. Most of the mice scattered in mixed directions as he dropped to his knees to examine his brother’s chest rising and falling in small, but persistent movements.

“I said back!” He roared at the straggling mice who could do nothing more than blink stupidly at him. It took another swipe of his hand signaling them to leave before they understood and disappeared into the wicker stalks. He couldn’t stand mice—dumb, slow things that they were. Rats were a totally different thing though but that was probably why they didn’t live out here in the middle of nowhere, out in the open to be devoured by flying chickens.

He could feel as if unseen hands were prickling at his skin, unable to feel anything but paranoia. More than anything he feared that one of his eldest brother’s servants might be watching even though the shine of the moon casting the darkness away was his constant reminder that there were no witnesses but the field mice and the moon in the sky. However this was the countryside, cow territory and he didn’t like the occasional whiff of their wet backsides.

He moved quickly to tuck his brother’s dislocated body into itself, trying to be careful for once in his life. The low moans of bulls and cows from a field away sent shivers down his spine more than the cold had or ever could. He couldn’t stand listening to it a second more than he had to. It was hard to forget that he was the one who had done this, but he couldn’t repent, not yet. At least not until he meant it which he was sure wouldn’t be any time soon.

It hadn’t been a fair fight, his brother at least deserved a chance to recover as broken as his body was.

Closing his eyes he prayed to the God he believed was still listening and muttered under his breath a simple prayer:

“Don’t abandon me on this night.