Vyral

Chapter 3: Part 2 - Is it really that important to you?

Kohen: "It must've been boring for them.. Living such an uncomfortably quiet life, some of them getting up everyday just to go look at the same screen for 10 hours in the office, then go back home, eat, sleep, rinse and repeat the next day! It must've gotten unbearable at some point!"

Myra: "I'm sure it did Kohen. Believe it or not, there were jobs which they used to call '9 to 5' in some places. But some people just stood in front of screens doing nothing productive for days, while others had the burden to take care of them. They barely interacted with the world around them back then. Those are the ones I really feel sad for.."
Kohen: "Just listening depresses me."
Myrellie: "It wasn't like that everywhere, you know. Different continents applied different working systems for each of their countries, which were smaller portions of land divided between several people in positions of power. Those were called governments."

Kohen: "Countries and governments huh? They sound like a predecessors to Colonies and Wardens."
Lily: "Predecessors? When did you start using words with more than 3 syllables?" She murmurs to him, who shrugs.
Kohen: "Way before you were born Lilith!" He sarcastically implies, mouth full of chocolate. "I've been studying too, okay?! I'm not brainless all the time!"
Lily: "Sure thing. Don't forget, I'm OLDER than you Alcatraz! You couldn't have learned anything before me ;P"

Myrellie: "Old Colonies... I guess you could call them that. Unfortunately, those concepts are slowly disappearing. We're returning to the old ways of mankind, using the environment around us and a harsh set of survival skills to our advantage."

Everyone sits in silence for a moment.

Kohen: "Do you think the world will ever be the same as back then?"
Myrellie: "...That's a good question Kohen. But I have a better one for you." She stands up and walks towards the bridge ahead of them, leaning over the railing.

"Do we really want it to go back to what it was?"

This question strikes the group as odd.

"What is a normal world?" She follows, placing her chin in the palm of her hand, peering into the distant sky. "Isn't this world normal for us already? Isn't this what we're used to? Isn't this where we grew up?"

Kohen: "I guess so... I never really thought about it that way..."
Myrellie: "We're only calling the Old World "normal" on other people's terms. Things are different now. No governments, no countries, no universal tyranny... it's survival of the fittest."

Orton: "Do you prefer it that way?"
Myrellie: "Maybe.. But who knows? I'm just another clueless woman in all of this.."
Kohen: "What're you trying to say mom? Don't make it creepy."
Myrellie: "Sorry.. Just thinking out loud." She turns her face.

Nali returns from the bushes.
"Damn!! All I gotta do for you guys to get alll philosophical, is leave to take a piss!! Just live your lives however you can!! We don't last that long ya know?"

Kohen: "Right on brother!! Thinkin' about this stuff gets me all up in my thoughts."
Lily: "Considering your brain doesn't work 95% of the time, that's pretty impressive."

Kohen stands up.
"Listen here you stupid lunch box lookin ass!! The reason I do it is cuz you're nagging me 95% of the time!! Like you just did!!"

Lily: "All I do is tell you the facts, Alcatraz! It's not my fault your brain cells don't work as they should." She jabs, inspecting the sharpness of her military knife's blade, which Kohen snatches from her.

Kohen: "OHHH NOOOOOO LOOOOOK!!! MY BRAINCELLS TOLD ME TO TAKE YOUR KNIFEE!!!! OOOOOOH GODDD!!! WHAT A TRAGEDYYY!! HOW WILL YOU GET IT BACKK!?!?!?" He dramatically flails around, attempting to make Lily laugh.