Night shifts: the only part of the job that Piero hated. Work was fine and engaging as usual, but at that late hour it usually meant that people would just whine more about everything. 
While he was escorted by the guards from the dam to the settlement, he couldn’t believe the [b]nerves[/b] that one of the Waterleaf’s engineers showed by [i]accidentally[/i] taking his tools without asking first, and his colleagues had to avoid another ‘accident’ from happening at the dam by holding him when he found out. 
Piero himself noticed that things were starting to escalate at an alarmingly growing pace at the dam, especially because he was one of the hot-headed ones that bore a newfound hatred for the other settlement, and that made him a target of pranks at his expense, sometimes innocent and sometimes he wasn’t sure if they were just ‘pranks’ or plain sabotage.

He just couldn’t wait to come home to that bottle he’d been dreaming about all night while working, to help him with his new anger problem and to help him sleep through his mother’s moans, as her pain seemed to only grow and grow each day. 

Cold breeze and fog had always helped him in calming down, and today was not an exception.  It was a strangely peaceful morning, and with the heavy tension after the lovers’ accident, it was not to be taken for granted. Given this rare circumstance, Piero took the longest route around the settlement to get home, mindlessly observing the surroundings. 
He saw an off-duty guard doing his morning jog.

[color=f7941d][i] Maybe I should start exercising too. Healthy mind in a healty body is what they always used to say, and right now I haven’t got either. [/i][/color]

After passing through the nicest part of the town, he then got to his neighbourhood, not the worst one, but definitely run-down. As soon as he entered his house, Piero was greeted by loud moans, as his mother tried to raise her hand to greet him. 
[color=f7941d] “Good morning to you too, Ma. Have you gotten any sleep at all?” [/color]
Chiara whispered, with a very feeble voice: “No.”
[color=f7941d] “Today I’ll try to have the doctor to come see you. Eat something, I’m going to sleep.” [/color]

Piero took the liqueour bottle from the shelf and went into his bedroom, closing the door behind him, and crawled onto the sofa, fully knowing he wasn’t going to be able to get any sleep. 

[color=f7941d] [i]This is going to be a long day. [/i][/color]