March City: Rebellion of the Gifted [Book 2 | Complete | Fantasy/Sci-fi]

Chapter 8: Worn Travellers

The remaining unaffected students flocked back as the sun set, carrying various kinds of equipment from their ventures across the city. They updated the main map Lira hung up in the headquarters, highlighting areas that were collapsed and abandoned, not yet explored, of interest, or for future collections. They collapsed into the offered chairs and downed the drinks provided, by Fris, in one gulp, wincing at the peculiar taste of the water.

Daae introduced each of them, but Ari had difficulty retaining the names. Their faces all seemed the same: exhausted, frustrated, and lost. Most of them were around Ari's age, few were younger. Fifteen Users left. Eighteen, including Ari, Fris, and Rale. Ari had hoped to see Mina and keep her updated on recent events on return, but she was summoned along with the rest of the Users. Rale sat in the corner stool, fiddling with more electronic equipment, his tongue poking out from between his teeth in concentration. Fris sat at his side, delivering a small shot of electricity on request. Those that excelled at composition studied the various packets and bags of potential edibles salvaged, tentatively discussing amongst themselves which were safe to eat.

Ari sat with Shon not too far away, listening in to the conversations.

"There was some academic buildings to the north," said one, rubbing his eyes. "We got quite a few recording devices from there and some pills, but most of the words got rubbed off so we haven't a clue what we actually brought back."

"I wish some of us could generate food or something. Making fire or electricity isn't much use when they don't turn into physiological energy," said another. Ari flexed her hands at that comment. Even she wouldn't be able to turn generated energy into her own physiological energy to survive.

"I think..." said another, tilting his head as he flicked through the pages of a book. Dion, Ari thought his name was. The Investigator who guarded the cells earlier that day. "Those creatures outside that ran in the bushes. They can be eaten. This book talks about 'hunting', using equipment to capture or kill the animals, and then using heat to cook the meat to make it consumable. I think that's what the previous people did to survive. We certainly have the skills to 'hunt' these animals and cook them. They're everywhere, so it shouldn't be hard."

"We're to kill other life forms?" said a young girl with curly blonde hair, aghast. "That's horrific!"

"It's to survive, Heti," said Dion, wrinkling his nose. "I'm not a fan of this, either, but it's a source of food. Without the meal distributors, we're going to starve. What we've brought back in terms of greenery is nowhere near enough to feed all of us to ensure we survive here."

"Yeah, but..." Heti seemed hesitant.

"Think of it like target practice, Heti," said Shon with encouragement, from across the table. The girl smiled at him wanly. "Like with the charge guns back then and the ball guns we've been using here. If we find a better source later that doesn't involve this, then we'll go for it instead."

The conversation shifted to different skills people could put forward to hunt for food and the distribution of jobs. Ari's attention wandered, the frustration building up. It was all well and good Users surviving in this unsupported place, but Mina was still sick. Nobody seemed particularly worried or upset that nothing seemed to have moved forward in terms of helping the infected. They were all to consumed with themselves. Even Shon. Medications nobody could decipher. A history nobody knew about. And they were essentially role-playing.

Swinging herself off the stool, Ari marched off, her back prickling. Lira and Daae were hunched in a corner table in deep conversation. Ari barged in without an apology.

"We are not making progress," she bit out. "It's nice gathering resources to make sure we survive as a group, but there's no information on this infection. If there's nothing we can find here, I'm going out myself to find something to help Mina."