Mira looked at Jesse with serious features and said in a sharp voice: "I don't know what group you've joined, but this is incorrect. We have a good harvest of food, so there are no famines. The only problem here is some diseases and the shortage of people who have the ability to survive outside with those creatures. We're just a group of 40 people, most of whom are injured and can't perform tasks outside, unlike you." Everyone was watching this heated discussion between them in silence. While the girl was watching the discussion with a slightly frightened face, wondering to herself how this would end, the boy who was next to Jesse kept looking at the hole in the ceiling with curiosity. Jesse replied to her: "What would make me sure that what you're saying is true anyway?"
Her features changed and became more stern: "Join us, and if you don't like the place, you can leave whenever you want. And this talk isn't just for you, but for everyone here." Jesse started scratching his head while thinking about her offer. Silence filled the place, and everyone focused their attention on Jesse, waiting for his answer.
(He thinks) "Well, this is a good offer for me. I can join and see the conditions in this group and know the living and health conditions there and decide later whether I'll stay or leave."
Jesse made his decision and directed his gaze toward her with full confidence, saying: "Well, your deal seems good to me, I agree to join."
The black man followed him saying: "Since you thought about it and found it good, I'll join too." A slight smile appeared on Mira's features and she told them they wouldn't regret their choice.
Mira looked at the girl. The girl slowly averted her eyes from her and said to her in a low, hesitant voice: "I will join, no need for more talk."
Mira turned and headed toward one of the walls. She raised her hand up and brought it down forcefully on it. The wall shattered to reveal a ladder leading upward behind it. She told them to follow her up.
Everyone began climbing the ladder gradually. Mira and the girl went first, followed by the black man and the boy. Jesse remained last. He headed toward the ladder and began climbing slowly upward until he gradually began approaching the end of the tunnel, while the sunlight gradually increased, until he reached the end of the tunnel and the sun's rays covered him all over his body. Despite what Jesse had been through that day, the warmth of the sun's rays made Jesse feel comfortable and safe while looking at the sky. But there was a strange sound that caught his attention. A sound he hadn't heard for many years.
He lowered his eyes to find himself in a place resembling a village where huts and shops existed in tremendous numbers and were crowded with humans, surrounded by huge walls of scrap metal surrounding the village. His pupils widened, and his facial expressions froze. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "How long has it been since I saw this number of humans? 10 years? 20? I haven't seen this number of people since I separated from my old group. This gives me a strange feeling."
The people passing in front of him were looking at him with a look of bewilderment, and some of them were changing their direction, moving away from him.
After a while, the black man grabbed Jesse by the shoulder and shook him to bring him back to his senses. "Man, wake up, what happened to you? Two minutes have passed and you've been looking at the people here like a madman." Jesse regained his senses and apologized for his distraction.
Mira began calling the village people to start gathering toward them. The noise of the people stopped and calm took over the place.
Mira looked with wide eyes and a slight smile: "Hello my dear people. I want to tell you that we finally, after months of searching, found other people alive, and from what I've seen of them, they are skilled people in using guns and have experience living outside alone."
Some citizens began talking among themselves and the sound of their talk spread throughout the area while another part wasn't interested. Some were talking with their friends and others were looking at the boy and the others with contempt.
One of the citizens stepped forward and spoke saying: "Well, there are people who can use guns, this isn't something special. Additionally, are we in a position that allows bringing more people to this village?"
Mira looked at him with a sarcastic smile on her face: "Not something special? These people were able to kill one of the Varigans easily."
The attendees' eyes widened and the sound of their amazement filled the place. "What? Did these people kill a Varigan?"
"Is this a joke, madam!"
"Impossible! Even if 10 of us gathered, we couldn't kill it."
A slight smile appeared on the man who had stepped forward earlier and he lowered his head apologetically toward them. "Sorry for belittling you and for my previous words."
A huge smile spread across the black man's face when he found the citizens amazed by him, while the boy kept looking with bewilderment at those crowds of people. Mira turned toward them asking them to introduce themselves by their names.
The black man stepped forward first with a small smile on his face and began speaking: "My name is Nicholas Draco, pleased to meet you."
The citizens directed their gaze toward the girl who was feeling a little embarrassed. She lowered her head and said in a fragile tone: "My name is Jenny Rose, pleased to meet you."
After she finished, Jesse stepped forward, put his hand on his chest and began speaking with a kind of enthusiasm in his voice: "My name is Jesse Thornfield, pleased to meet you."
After he finished, the gazes turned toward the boy who was looking at one of the worms on the ground with curiosity.
Everyone remained puzzled as to why he didn't introduce himself.
Jesse took control of the situation and told them saying: "Sorry for this boy's behavior, he is mute and cannot speak, but his name is..."
Jesse stopped for seconds remembering that he too didn't know this boy's name and began thinking. "Well, I need to think quickly of a name to make others call him by it and so they don't feel he's strange."
Jesse remained silent for several seconds, then slowly raised his gaze and smiled, inventing a new idea: "His name is Ethan Thornfield, he's my younger brother."
Jesse took a deep breath while saying to himself: "It won't be bad to make them think he's my little brother."
Mira raised her hand to Jesse saying: "Welcome to our group. I hope you'll like the place here."
Jesse raised his hand and shook hers with a small smile on his face saying: "I hope so."
(The End)