Gun of Ashes

Lorenzo was unsure how long they had been exposed to the antimemetic influence, and the Black Angel behind him understood the situation and reacted immediately.

Out of everyone, Watson was the most clear-headed, probably because her state of ascension was deeper than anyone else’s. Although she remained silent, Watson kept counting for Lorenzo within the [gap], indicating her lucidity and simultaneously reminding Lorenzo.

The Black Angel knelt on one knee, opened the weapon case, and the supplies inside spilled out. Lorenzo kicked open the sealed iron box, revealing multiple Florend drugs.

”Here! Use it immediately!”

Lorenzo handed a few to the Plague Doctor, who grabbed several doses and injected them into his neck without hesitation.

The Plague Doctor felt the drugs coursing through his veins and sighed deeply after the injection, then raised the empty vial and curiously asked.

”Does this stuff really work? The antimeme should be completely beyond your comprehension.”

”Perhaps. I remember the Purification Mechanism also has antimemetic units, and Florend drugs are standard for them as well.”

Lorenzo injected several doses in quick succession, unable to determine how long he was in a ”vacuum period,” and could only inject as much as possible until discomfort set in.

”This thing feels like a black box. I don’t know how it works, so I just mimic what others do and hope it has some effect, like a primitive man.”

Looking at the Plague Doctor, Lorenzo asked.

”How do you feel, Plague Doctor?”

”No feeling at all; I can’t tell the difference before and after the injection.”

The Plague Doctor twisted his neck, feeling that the Florend drugs were of no help against the antimeme, considering the act meaningless.

”Of course, you can’t discern the difference, Plague Doctor.”

Lorenzo and the Plague Doctor held entirely different attitudes. Lorenzo was reverent, treating each step with rigor.

”I think it’s unnecessary for you to keep calling me Plague Doctor; it sounds quite disgusting.”

The Plague Doctor was a bit fed up with Lorenzo’s incessant chatter, but Lorenzo retorted.

”It’s not to disgust you; it’s to remind myself.” Lorenzo spoke while pointing at the Plague Doctor and then at himself.

”You are the Plague Doctor; I am Lorenzo Holmes.”

This repetition was a deliberate act by Lorenzo, reinforcing self-awareness to prevent forgetting his identity.

”I think there’s no need for it, maybe this place isn’t covered by the antimeme...”

”Can you sense the existence of the antimeme, Plague Doctor?” Lorenzo continued, ”You can’t, because it is the complete opposite of erosion. Erosion madly expands, while the antimeme encloses itself; not sensing its existence is normal.”

He paused for a moment. The Plague Doctor could sense the excitement in Lorenzo’s words, his emotions slightly off, like a beast hunted by a predator, tense and uneasy.

”A very simple question.”

Lorenzo looked at the Plague Doctor, raising one finger.

”Can you remember what you’ve forgotten, Plague Doctor?”

”I...”

The Plague Doctor began to answer that he could, but immediately realized the absurdity and paradox of Lorenzo’s question.

One cannot recall forgotten things just like someone doesn’t know what they still don’t know.

At that moment, the Plague Doctor’s body writhed violently as he suppressed his breathing, about to speak when he saw Lorenzo lift his hand, holding a handful of snow.

”What is this stuff?”

Lorenzo curiously looked at the snow in his hand.

”These cold... crystals? They melt when heated. I can’t remember what this is, Plague Doctor.”

The Plague Doctor almost screamed, realizing Lorenzo had been affected by the antimeme, beginning to forget even the existence of ”snow.”

Lorenzo noticed the Plague Doctor’s expression, tossed the snow aside, and laughed.

”I know, it’s snow. I haven’t been affected to that extent yet.”

The Plague Doctor stood dumbfounded, then cursed.

”Holmes, you damn...!”

He would have hit Lorenzo if he weren’t still holding the remaining Florend drugs.

”Don’t be angry! Don’t be angry! I was merely demonstrating a situation we might encounter. We may forget not only snow but perhaps more important things, all without realizing the changes.”

Lorenzo’s laughter soon ceased, turning serious once again. The Plague Doctor listened this time, as Lorenzo’s words were indeed frightening, injecting the remaining Florend drugs into his body immediately.

”Do you think we still have time to start writing a diary?”

The Plague Doctor asked, remembering they had brought pens and paper on this trip. As to why, he couldn’t recall clearly, only that Lorenzo was to chart a route, laying the groundwork for future explorations.

”If it could be solved so easily, the World’s End wouldn’t have remained hidden for so long. Perhaps the moment we write down the words, we lose the ability to recognize them.”

Lorenzo spoke about the antimeme to the best of his understanding.

”The antimeme isn’t a substance or an object; it’s a piece of information. Infected information will be closed off and blocked.

Just like vision.

Humans observe objects because light reflects off them, revealing the object’s color and projecting onto our eyes, but once infected by the antimeme, even if we see it, we can’t recognize its existence.”

Lorenzo recalled a memory with surprise and delight that he hadn’t forgotten it yet.

”It’s like someone walking past you; you feel their presence but are blocked from recognizing it, subconsciously identifying them as a breeze.”

”A breeze?”

”Yes, another similar example is a ladder, but I’m too lazy to explain further.”

Lorenzo spoke while gripping a rope tightly, giving it a tug.

”But don’t think it’s that easy, Plague Doctor. If you’re captured by the antimeme, even though we’re connected by this rope, I wouldn’t perceive your presence, nor could I recognize the pull from the rope from visual clues or hear your voice... not to mention, I’d lose all memory of you.”

”What are you trying to say, Holmes?”

The Plague Doctor steadied himself, suddenly realizing that Lorenzo’s words seemed to serve another purpose than just warning him.

Lorenzo did not answer immediately, instead turning around, looking at the snowy ground filled with footprints, and asked confusedly.

”I remember... there was one more person.”