***
Safe Zone 1.
A middle aged woman sat down on a wooden chair within a large skyscraper that looked dilapidated on the outside. It had roughly 20 floors, with the once silver colour it exuded being a dull and lifeless grey that inspired no awe from all that saw it.
Within the room she sat in were simple pieces or furniture; tables, chairs and a bed made for their respective purpose, devoid of other ornamental design features.
The floor was made from cement, a little rough but still quite sturdy. On the walls, the woman had added a few touches to make it a lot more homey. Makeshift wallpaper, pictures that she nailed to the wall without the frame and plants that she watered daily could be seen strewn about in the room.
The woman herself was a little stout, with dark hair that draped over her shoulder. She wore a long blue dress that reached her ankles.
She was reading a book as she enjoyed the temporary silence that she had earned after sending her son to play.
To her displeasure, the door opened, a young boy with the same dark hair as her coming in while running. He wore a white striped shirt and black shorts on his slim body. The energy he had, reflected on his youthful skin that was covered with sweat.
He looked to be angry as he reached his mother, a scowl on his face.
His mother who had been displeased by his sudden return saw the look on his face and inquired.
"What's wrong, Shaurya?" she asked.
The boy grunted before answering.
"The other kids keep bullying me because I'm small. They say I can't play with them because they might break me by mistake," he said.
The woman stood from her seat and saw the dirt on her son's shirt as well as the few scratches on his skin.
"I'm sorry my dear," she said as she stroked his cheek and wore a sunny smile. "You don't have to play with them anymore. You can play with mommy."
"But I want to play with other kids my age. I wish we still lived back home," he said with a sad look on his face.
"It'll be alright soon, Shaurya. There are people out there fighting to make the world better again. Soon we'll be back home and I'll do the cooking. I'll cook your favourite meals," the woman said reassuringly.
Shaurya sniffled and looked to the floor.
"But...those people who are fighting for us couldn't even save my father. How can they save the whole world?" he said in a sad voice.
The woman felt a pang of pain in her heart as she heard what her son said. She had tried all she could to distract him from the memory of his father's death, but how could a child forget his father?
She embraced him and kissed his forehead lovingly.
"It will be alright, one day. A new day always brings new promises. We just got to have faith," she said, barely believing her own words.
Having to tend to a child while dealing with such a heavy loss had been a harrowing experience. Losing her husband had weighed heavily on her heart yet Shaurya also needed her for comfort. She had to smile and reassure him that his father was in a better place and make sure he wasn't too crestfallen living within the world after the apocalypse.
She fared no better, but what was a mother if not a supporter, a pillar and a fortress that everyone would rely on for motivation and strength?
She loved her child and she would rather suffer while he smiled.
***
Safe Zone 4.
Multiple long lines extended into the distance. On the other end of them were massive containers and Invigorated handing out food to the masses.
The efficiency was pretty good as the lines moved rapidly.
There were Elite Invigorated who didn't join the battlefield. Those who did auxiliary activities that helped the people in the residential areas instead. The remainders of humanity that the combatants were fighting for.
This branch of Invigorated usually had abilities that were required by all Safe Zones for various activities.
There were four main branches that the auxiliary Invigorated fell into.
The Construction Pillar. A team of Invigorated with abilities that helped in constructing places to live and the walls that reduced the success of a breach by the stragglers and so on. They were an integral part of the current society.
There were the chefs. Elite Invigorated with abilities related to cooking. Their duty was to ensure that the food given to the survivors was healthy and nutritious. The food was usually delicious and the people never found themselves complaining about it. Of course, its less than generous proportions was usually a cause for an uproar here and there.
There were also the healers. Though, they did not form an association like the Construction Pillar, they were divided among the four Safe Zones and would be the ones that tended to the sick and injured. As ridiculous as it may sound, the outbreak of several mutant diseases and virus had ravaged the Safe Zones and culled numbers before being stopped by this group of individuals.
Last but certainly not least, were the Invigorated in charge of translating and helping people understand each other during gatherings. They were also spread out among the Safe Zones.
As the people stood in line, a certain man with short blonde hair and an unkempt beard snorted as he was three people away from receiving his own lunch.
A friend of his was behind him and they had been conversing throughout their time in line.
"What's the point of this? We eat, sleep, laze around and repeat. For what? The recent attack made me feel that our end is coming regardless of what we do. These cunts can't even protect us anymore," he said in a heavy and hoarse voice.
"I can't say I feel any different. We've been thinking we're safe but these Invigorated or whatever they call themselves aren't any better than us.
I saw some of them breaking down during the battle like any other civilian. I'd rather be fighting out there than sitting around here doing nothing," the other man said.
An Invigorated who was passing the food heard the two's conversation and gritted his teeth. His hands held onto the plastic lunch pack with a tight grip as he struggled to let what he had just heard go.
His friend had died during the attack. He was decapitated. He had been on the front lines playing the hero he always wanted to be. Believing that he could play a big part in battle. Yet he died, becoming a mere casualty in the battle.
After a few seconds, it was the chatting two's turn. However, they didn't stop talking.
"A majority of us normal people died yet these cunts stay alive. How can I not be tempted to think that they'd rather cull our numbers instead of their own?" the first man said as he looked directly into the young Invigorated before him.
"Don't you think?" he asked.
The young man gritted his teeth and looked at the two men with bloodshot eyes.
"Oh yeah? I lost a friend who was fighting for this place as well you guys too. How can you be so selfish?" he asked in an angry voice.
"Selfish? Kiddo, my fate is in your hands. I have to live in constant fear everyday wondering if you little cunts can hold up if there's a breach to the wall! No amount of food can put me to rest at night!" he retorted.
"You think it's easy for us? We spent all our time tending to you guys, training to become stronger and monitoring the straggler behaviour! It's all so that you sons of bitches can live! We're all dying here, what right do you have to complain?!" the young man yelled.
The debate drew the attention of people from other queues, others looking on with concern while most chose to ignore.
A fellow Invigorated came from behind the young Invigorated and grabbed his shoulder.
"Dude, stop it. You'll cause a scene. There's children here too. Go and cool off," he whispered in his friend's ear.
The young man kept glaring at the man viciously, his nostrils flaring with fury.
"Training? Monitoring? That's activity! What are we to do then? We're idle humans with barely anything to do but farm or sit around! I lost my family in this dreadful apocalypse! Now I Iive with the same trauma around me all day! You and your pathetic excuse for fighters should do your job right! Hell, it's better you die for us than the other way around!" the man barked.
However, before he could say another word, a punch landed on his face, causing the masses to gasp.
The young elite Invigorated had punched the man in anger!
He was panting, his hand balled into a fist as he looked at the man who fell down from the force of his blow. The man coughed up blood. He struggled to stand up, a look of madness in his eyes as he glared at the young man.
"Stop f*cking talking as if you're the only one who has lost something to the apocalypse! I do my job everyday so that this place remains intact! So do the others! Sit your f*cking ass down if you have to, but leave those who appreciate the chance they have been given out of it!" the young man said before his friend pinned him down to the ground.
The people around were gasping and discussing what had happened while a few Invigorated went to help the man with his injuries. His friend had backed away, afraid of being involved.
"To hell with you all! Stop acting all self righteous! Just because we can't fend for ourselves doesn't mean we are stupid! You can't even keep us safe! You bloody cunts!" the man yelled as he was taken away.