*
"Then who decides who stays in the background and who stays in the light?" I asked.
"I believe it is just a normal selection that happens randomly. Some are born to be great while some are born to balance the world by being the lesser. As simple as that," Dexter replied without even a flicker of emotion.
"So you believe you can't change what you are?" I asked sceptically.
"Not exactly. I believe that we are all born with one set path. We can move around within that path but never out of it. I tried it. To become the aloof and forward manager I worked for, but I failed. I was simply me. Someone everyone threw their work at. That's my role even now. It has been working so far," he replied.
I took a deep breath. It was one thing to try and correct someone misguided, but trying to change someone who has accepted what he thinks he is and finds it fulfilling was something I couldn't do.
I felt like it wasn't my place.
"That's an interesting theory," I said. I thought about it per my own life. Was my life already planned out? For me to be what I was? I always found pride in the one moment in my life where I broke the norm to achieve my dreams.
Was that me still on the same path? Was I meant to be successful whether or not I actually made that gamble?
This guy had invoked in me some food for thought. I decided that I should not impede his work any longer. Actually, that was my excuse to run away from any more thought-provoking philosophy that would break my own faith.
What was I without my beliefs?
"I'll consider your theory. For now, I'll leave you to your work. I still have another thing to do. It was nice talking to you, Dexter," I said as I stood up.
Dexter looked saddened by my sudden desire to leave. But being who he is, I knew he wouldn't ask me to stay anyway.
"It's okay. You can drop by sometime if you'd like," he said with a forced smile.
"Of course I will," I said with a friendly smile and exited the office.
Such a short conversation had already caused me to almost start having an existential crisis. I couldn't imagine what else this guy could pull out of his mouth.
I walked down to the ground floor, where I saw the different activities by both Standard and Elite Invigorated. Outside, the sky was still dark, the morning drawing near.
I intended to see the residential areas and have a deeper understanding of what people other than Elite Invigorated were truly going through. I mean I could distract myself with training and such, but what about them? I could only use my inconvenient free time to find out.
I walked out of the Grand Peak and strolled my way to the clusters of buildings beyond.
"Oh are you heading to the residential areas too?" a sweet voice spoke from behind me.
I turned and saw a girl in a black hoodie walking with two fully geared Elite Invigorated. It was Emma. Her hood was over her head and she looked at me with a warm smile that exuded approachability.
"Um yeah," I responded while still dazed.
"Then let's go together," she said before looking at the two Invigorated beside her. "You don't have to accompany me anymore! I can just go with this guy and we'll look like casual people walking around!"
She suddenly yelled displaying her disinterest in having bodyguards.
The two Invigorated by her sides glared at me before deliberating on what to do.
"We must make sure nothing happens to you. Not just for your sake but for ours too," one of them said with a look that showed how afraid he was of possibly being tormented by the MILF.
'Hey man, it wouldn't be that bad would it?' I thought.
"You walking with me everywhere I go will draw attention to me. I've got a hoodie on and most people don't even know what I look like. This guy is an Invigorated too, he can protect me if anything bad happens alright?!" she snapped.
The two Invigorated were still apprehensive, but they finally relented. They looked at me again, one of them smirking.
"She's right. He'll protect her if anything goes wrong. We don't need to worry about a thing. Let's go," the smirky one said.
I saw what he was doing, but oh well. What could possibly go wrong in the Safe Zone?
The two went away and I was left alone with the teenage girl.
"Finally free!" she yelled and clung to my arm. "Let's go!"
I coughed and cleared my thoughts. We began walking down the road in silence. It was awkward. I had hoped this would be a one-man show, but unfortunately, the world didn't revolve around me.
I had heard that Emma had gone to help out with the issues at Safe Zone 4, which I considered admirable. But I also took into account that she was the Advocate, she probably didn't have a choice.
As we reached the residential areas, I was mildly surprised by the sheer number of people who weren't asleep, despite the cool of the early morning breeze.
I saw some sitting outside while chatting in groups of their nationality relaxedly.
I saw one short woman and a man I assumed was her husband, doing their laundry as they chatted, sometimes giggling. Others merely had their beds outside to rest while enjoying the cool air outside.
The variety of buildings that could be seen made this area look like some kind of abandoned multicultural ruins. From the sturdy shacks, the high rise buildings, simplistic single-story stone buildings with zinc or stone roofing, it all looked quite lovely to a degree.
However, as we walked along, I saw the darker side of this society where different people from different parts of the world were forced to coexist. Some accepted the notion because they didn't have a choice, while others refused cohabitation because they were disgusted by other people they did not share similar features with.
One example I saw was a young Asian man who was holding the collar of a certain Caucasian man who looked to be older than him. The look in their eyes told of how they had unveiled rage that couldn't simply be explained in words.
Neither could the two. The Asian man was barking in Mandarin while the Caucasian boomed in his own tongue. There was no understanding between the two, but by the looks of the little boy behind the Asian man and the little girl crying behind the Caucasian, I could somewhat tell what was happening.
A crowd was beginning to form around the argument. Most didn't try to stop it, and others were pushed away when they tried.
I couldn't see another Invigorated around so I decided to step in.
"I'll be back," I said to Emma before unlinking her arm from mine and shooting towards what would soon turn into a fight in less than a second.
I got in between the two and forced them apart. They both backed away at the slight push I gave both of them.
I wanted to say something, but I realised that it probably wouldn't help.
The Asian man looked at me with a frown before swinging his hand at me in a gesture to show his disapproval.
Guess I was wrong about people being colour-blind.
I looked to the Caucasian man who glared at me and turned, taking away his daughter.
This was definitely not how I thought a real-life superhuman intervening in the middle of a dispute would be treated.
The watching crowd dispersed and later on, Emma approached and dished out a smile towards me.
"It's always like this. I was never able to tolerate people who act like this until I became the Advocate," Emma said.
I looked at her, seeing her look tenderly at the two men who walking with their children, their respective faces turning softer.
"I can experience what Mother Earth does with my body and hear her voice as she talks through me. I was irritated by her big heart at first because as far I knew, people were pretentious. At least that's how it was in High school. But I got to learn that there are two or more sides to every story," she said as she once again linked her arm with mine.
We began walking while I simply listened.
"There's not a more beautiful moment than when a person shows their vulnerability. Their humanity. What makes them tick. Experiencing that can touch your heart. I've seen it thousands of times. I can't get mad at people anymore without seeing things from their perspective," she said.
"Is that all it takes?" I asked with an unsure expression. Watching a serial killer cry while holding his daughter wouldn't invoke much sympathy from me, especially if the person he killed was close to me.
"Of course not. I'm still learning," she said.
I looked around as we walked seeing different scenarios. People in the corners smoking while holding the bridges of their noses, some just sitting on the ground looking lifeless.
"You seem to have a lot to learn too. You lack motivation, Bernard," a mature voice spoke to me and I trembled as I turned to Emma again.
Her eyes were glowing a glimmering green as she looked at me. Her gaze was soft and a slight smile was on her face.
It was no longer Emma.
"Ah...," stammered as I looked at her. I didn't know what to say. What perturbed me is that she spoke in my mother tongue. Shona!
What's up mom? How are you Mother E? Your Greenliness?
"Don't be so flustered dear," she said. "I'm merely passing by."
I remained silent as I waited for her to continue.
"You don't seem to see anything other than getting stronger and fighting to the bitter end," she said to me.
I gathered up courage and spoke.
"I don't know what else to fight for. I feel like I lost everything I ever worked for. Where does that leave me?" I asked as I looked into her eyes.
She smiled amiably and replied.
"You're not the only one. Most have lost everything they cared about and are aimless. But do you mean to tell me that you don't see a different path after all this is over?"
"I honestly can't. What can I fight for? I've always written about heroes saving people with their selfless nature. But I am not them. I am selfish. I want to survive and saving people is something I can only consider when my own life isn't in danger," I said.
"Who said you need to be a hero to save people? You don't need to be altruistic to save people. No one is asking you to save everyone anyway. All you need to do is do your part."
"And what part is that?"
"Being positive. See a future ahead. You can't bring back what you've lost, but you can create life and start anew. That's your part. For this to happen you have to do your best. With your friends, with Gamble. With everything that you have."
I kept looking at her green eyes that didn't even quiver as she spoke to me.
Begin anew?
Create life? She meant having children?
That was a good idea. I was 28 years old and I was not in a relationship for a long time. I was always preoccupied with work. Imagination. Creativity. Flashes of the camera.
Had I thought about having children and starting a new life? No.
But it did seem like a good idea.
Fighting to create a new family. I couldn't replace my family, but I could build a new one in honour of my parents.
"Why are you telling me this? Was it your plan to bump into me?" I asked.
"No. It was merely a coincidence," she said.
"Then why even entertain me? I don't think you don't have better things to do," I said.
"Because you're the boy who I remember hiding in a hole underground for months. You're still trying to hide in it even now," she said.
Bernard froze.