“Hi there,” she said. “You must be new here. I’m Alice.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMeGq873GK
He stared at her in disbelief. She looked like someone from his past life before the apocalypse.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWKleByaSc
“Who are you?” he asked.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMwkrYIPe7V
“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.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVL1YQlBuH
She gestured to the other passengers.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrIkOBGlTY
“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.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8kG2qtpBj
She paused and looked at him curiously.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJOAW5dnUk
“What’s your name?”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPEDg16mTJO
He hesitated for a moment. He didn’t know if he could trust her or anyone here.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LtW2QZqrF
“My name is Jake,” he said.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrm7kyUIkj
“Nice to meet you, Jake,” Alice said. “Where are you from?”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbdk7f8bpH
“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.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfnp3A8lN5
He didn’t want to tell her about his nightmare or his family. He didn’t know if they were real or not.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvDqlgyrhl
“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.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf61uzVhMOq
She smiled and took his hand.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡem3hstABUp
“Come on, let me show you around the train.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS07s8A8p3l
She led him through the carriage, introducing him to her friends and explaining the features of the train.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFRDAlWYiu
“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.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6SswUHfaI
She pointed to a large window on one side of the car.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2q5qeW0Q3
“This is our observation deck,” she said. “We can see the outside world from here. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi0DwKEaK2L
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.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjvsPr7Ebi
He felt a pang of sadness and fear.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNi1szgcEs7
“It’s horrible,” he said.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUtTtysneh
Alice squeezed his hand.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHIWt6yOuJ
“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.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyCDne1OhU
She smiled and pulled him along.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOI38yEvbj
“Come on, there’s more to see.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVeHoEtFS9
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?”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYgNIBkKPSf
“Nah, I don’t know how to read. Most of my life has been about survival.”
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8feB5Fz6Z4
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."
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrpI7oJlOr
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.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2nNBQR1Wh
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."
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ546NXrotN8
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."
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYoJSjyd07i
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."
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgSyLufLSi
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.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaSucVdO2JH
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.
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkB9N5TJAjE
He turned to Alice and said, "I'm ready to start a new chapter in my life. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUnSKJiUkg
Alice smiled and squeezed his hand. "Welcome to Eden, Jake. We're happy to have you.”
ns3.143.9.5da2
