“Hi there,” she said. “You must be new here. I’m Alice.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAggrAkGOQ
He stared at her in disbelief. She looked like someone from his past life before the apocalypse.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXaqUDPuhg
“Who are you?” he asked.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsP7yyyouNX
“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.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ28b5ivFzU
She gestured to the other passengers.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡojsZTVlYOH
“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.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrVEVSggAK
She paused and looked at him curiously.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dA8s7YAub
“What’s your name?”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IBcWNlHQa
He hesitated for a moment. He didn’t know if he could trust her or anyone here.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVPiKdvjIX
“My name is Jake,” he said.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAF2izfZ44
“Nice to meet you, Jake,” Alice said. “Where are you from?”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9w4Lcl4ENO
“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.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnJITSLBJhV
He didn’t want to tell her about his nightmare or his family. He didn’t know if they were real or not.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdszr8SSAti
“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.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRS9O1WyOt
She smiled and took his hand.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4NpE534WF
“Come on, let me show you around the train.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Qw53F8pu2
She led him through the carriage, introducing him to her friends and explaining the features of the train.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43ewO9MCY6
“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.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8xlrNpP1p
She pointed to a large window on one side of the car.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MUw5Y6Bt8
“This is our observation deck,” she said. “We can see the outside world from here. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡooO3i5yKGb
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.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbWxTSXqp3
He felt a pang of sadness and fear.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ffthsGo2J
“It’s horrible,” he said.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKVqzQzPcT
Alice squeezed his hand.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiHIRIIYf6
“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.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAY18bv9K7U
She smiled and pulled him along.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGtO2vUjf7
“Come on, there’s more to see.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52VCaemdKl
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?”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqyzVG2jif
“Nah, I don’t know how to read. Most of my life has been about survival.”
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzhf7HLsF6
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."
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6JoSD63II
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.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkzibu74vl
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."
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjY5QCStTd
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."
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDg1B7pkest
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."
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL4zDRfB3pF
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.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbahxXcExX
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.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuCfdE2qQF
He turned to Alice and said, "I'm ready to start a new chapter in my life. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqCF8sPxhU
Alice smiled and squeezed his hand. "Welcome to Eden, Jake. We're happy to have you.”
ns216.73.216.238da2
