“Hi there,” she said. “You must be new here. I’m Alice.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhwDFfscgb
He stared at her in disbelief. She looked like someone from his past life before the apocalypse.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYCHfBI1Zb
“Who are you?” he asked.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdnuFxlvEw
“I’m one of the residents of Eden,” she said. “That’s what we call our city. It’s hidden under the ground, powered by nuclear fusion and solar panels. We have everything we need here: food, water, medicine, entertainment, education… You name it.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijOHU0oZus
She gestured to the other passengers.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjPPvShvc9
“These are some of my friends. We’re going back to Eden after a scouting mission on the surface. We’re always looking for new survivors to join us.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeveuglGXZ
She paused and looked at him curiously.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAOgWEXIeW
“What’s your name?”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zRz1k6Wzd
He hesitated for a moment. He didn’t know if he could trust her or anyone here.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqnkntnMcIl
“My name is Jake,” he said.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LnVknl0TM
“Nice to meet you, Jake,” Alice said. “Where are you from?”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpc2f62heO
“I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve been wandering for a long time. I don’t remember much of my life before the apocalypse.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1awGw2mQ8G
He didn’t want to tell her about his nightmare or his family. He didn’t know if they were real or not.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RD7yw5vdr
“I see,” Alice said. “Well, you’re lucky to have found us. We’re always happy to welcome new people to Eden. You’ll love it there.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYJLqweo8T
She smiled and took his hand.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkKRuqNZ3p
“Come on, let me show you around the train.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLDiigyJj6
She led him through the carriage, introducing him to her friends and explaining the features of the train.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAxa9hvwYR8
“This is our dining car,” she said. “We have a kitchen where we cook fresh food from our farms and gardens. We also have a coffee machine and a vending machine with snacks and drinks.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKalJdLudG4
She pointed to a large window on one side of the car.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BnzePBl6K
“This is our observation deck,” she said. “We can see the outside world from here. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhr4NhgZ7XZ
He looked out the window and saw a barren landscape with ruins of buildings and cars. He saw smoke rising from fires and dust storms sweeping across the horizon. He saw no signs of life or vegetation.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNNAGR8TvT
He felt a pang of sadness and fear.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zjyR0fc3y
“It’s horrible,” he said.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YfWWesHdV
Alice squeezed his hand.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nXxZXUMoA
“Don’t worry,” she said. “It’s not like that everywhere. There are still some places where nature has survived and thrived. We visit them sometimes for research and recreation.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZOvczSAVw
She smiled and pulled him along.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcng6J8RdQG
“Come on, there’s more to see.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mhTzDXHWo
She took him to the library and said “This is our library. We have many stories here.” “Wow! So many books. What do you guys do with them?” “During long journeys, we often get bored. So, we read these. Do you want to read one?”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TFa3PdVHx
“Nah, I don’t know how to read. Most of my life has been about survival.”
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgj1Dk80who
Alice looked at Jake with concern. "You don't know how to read? That's not a problem. We have teachers in Eden who can teach you. It's never too late to learn."
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QaPogKzuS
Rishang felt a glimmer of hope. He had always wanted to learn how to read, but he never had the opportunity or the resources to do so. "Really? That would be great," he said.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSsfZVNBJk
Alice smiled. "Of course. We believe that education is important for everyone, no matter their age or background. You'll have access to all kinds of resources and support in Eden."
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrn0cikStv
Rishang felt a surge of gratitude towards Alice and her community. He never expected to find such kindness and generosity in this harsh world. "Thank you," he said. "I don't know how to repay you."
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrS19azCmF9
Alice shook her head. "No need to repay us. We do this because we believe in helping each other. We're all in this together, Jake."
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduIAfoZ0JD
He felt a warm feeling in his heart. He realized that he had found a new family in Alice and the residents of Eden. He looked around the train and saw the friendly faces of the passengers. He felt a sense of belonging that he had never felt before.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVueqUbOIL
As the train chugged along towards its destination, he felt a new sense of purpose and hope. He knew that life in Eden wouldn't be easy, but he was ready to face the challenges and make a new life for himself.
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDzE8ZgZq0
He turned to Alice and said, "I'm ready to start a new chapter in my life. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
127Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSblD91etM
Alice smiled and squeezed his hand. "Welcome to Eden, Jake. We're happy to have you.”
ns13.58.214.82da2
