The apocalypse wasn't as portrayed in the movies. There was no main character saving people left and right from their untimely demise. Mainly, it was isolation fermenting in the feelings of displacement.

It was a society governed by the public's own fear. There were no governments. There was no reason to trouble anyone with such pointless matters. What good would a government do in a world that is no longer? To a world so lost that not even the gods would guide them?

Other than his spite, there was nothing else fueling Azeu to continue on living. It was a friendly bet between him and Ael. One that he'd be thoroughly disappointed to win.

The pair trekked through unfamiliar grounds, feet smudging whatever waste was there. It was hard to tell what it was, and to be honest, they didn't really care. Staying as invisible as possible was their top priority. And, not to brag, but they were getting pretty skilled with it.

Azeu shushed Ael with his finger, nodding over to the huddle of decomposing sentient bodies. Their senses were degrading anyway, so there was not much point, but it was like clockwork.

The hard part was the recently deceased ones. The "Unalives". Those didn't sleep, for fear of never waking, although it was completely irrational. It was mainly pacing around familiar locations, but the real challenge was how attentive their senses were. Mainly, it was hard to tell the dead from the living. Other than their brain-deadness, it was hard to differentiate the two.

Azeu stepped forward first before pushing Ael behind a wall.

"Ow? What?" Ael whispered-yelled to the other.

"Unalives. A shit load of them."

"About how many?"

"Too many to count."

Azeu locks in eye contact with one attentive unalive. Must've been some kind of detective in their lifetime.

"Goddamnit, Ael, just hide here for now. I can't tell if it noticed me or not. Don't run. They'll notice."

Ael stays quiet, scooting to the side to make room for Azeu behind the wall, nobody daring to look behind it. Nobody dared to breathe. Nobody dared to blink.

They both leaned up against the wall, and had no idea what was coming next.