Work Text:
Life is a funny thing. It takes and it gives. Grants you blessings and hardships. Unpredictable just like mother nature herself. Life is nature. We are nature.
Nature is angry.
Once human inhabited places tangled by vines. Taking back what was once theirs. Taking back this planet from the leech that is humanity--the virus doing it the favor of a headstart.
Though a stubborn few still grip on... sucking the last bit of survival they can from this wretched earth until there it nothing left for them to grasp onto.
Footsteps paced back and forth.
"We're running low on supplies."
An exasperated sigh.
"I'm sure ALL of us are aware of that, Ms 'famous perfumer.'"
Vera's pacing halted, shooting a glare towards Naib and his attitude. "Why don't you do something about it then, hm?"
Naib scoffed and didn't bother to meet her gaze, his hands busy whittling some pathetic stick into a sharp end.
"Oh, that's right. You're all too scared to go out there." Vera shook her head in disbelief, looking around the room. Her posture priss. "I guess we'll all just DIE here!"
"I don't see YOU going out there either." Edgar piped up, pausing his drawing to glance up at the commotion. "I mean seriously...all you do is complain."
"Oh please," Vera clicked her tongue. "All these people around that are much stronger than me and you still expect ME to step up?"
"Please everyone, that's enough fighting." Alice pleaded.
"Yes, quite enough." Orpheus stood, fixing his collar. "It is true we're nearly out of supplies....someone will have to go."
"Let's draw straws."
A childish way to decide their fate. They might as well have suggested rock paper scissors. Yet here they all were, gathered around in a circle. The group had decided that two people would go. The ones that pulled the shortest straws...would be picked. No one in the group had been outside of their shelter in at least a few months...though no one had an exact track of time anymore.
Edgar, Vera, Mike, Orpheus, Alice, Naib, and Victor.
Two would go.
Orpheus was the one to hold the grasp of straws in his hand, having no idea himself which were the shortest. It was tense between them all. No one had any clue what things were like outside these four walls, and none of them wanted to be the one to find out.
"Who wants to go first."
For a long moment, none answered.
"I will." Alice finally spoke up, her voice confident but her hands shaking.
She reached forward, hesitant, and carefully picked a straw.
Long.
A sigh of relief.
Edgar was next. He reached forward with little fear and drew a long.
Then was Orpheus, also picking out a long.
Mike felt a pit in his stomach. He was next. Deep breath. Reach forward. Careful fingers studied the straws, hoping for some sort of hint or maybe a sign from the gods. As if gods would ever have pity on him. He closed his eyes tight and plucked a straw. It was silent around him, and he was scared to look.
Short.