Sandra didn't get back yet. Neither did he.

In that big common room, the girls were getting more and more agitated.

Some were preparing questions for their friend, while others were making up theories about what she would have discovered.

Those who still remember their "Life of Before" are wondering if the world changed much since last time they were free. Others who were too young to remember or so are imagining crazy things about that matter.

Everyone was picturing in their mind a more or less precise scenario of what was going to happen.

Pessimists were already seeing him making his way back too soon and noticing one of them's missing, or maybe he'd catch her trying to enter discreetly. Or even worse, that he'd not notice any of that stuff and hears them casually talking about it.

Optimistics on the other hand couldn't help but smile widely knowing that they would finally have answers. They would picture Sandra counting them a marvelous story about what she've seen outside.

Some were anxious, some eager, all were asking themselves the same question; what's taking her so long ? 

Soon enough, they had that mystery solved. Clocks can't lie, only ten minutes have gone by. Clearly not enough to explore.

A few hours later, they heard a very loud crash sound coming from the entrance. Panicking, they realized they absolutely did not think about what they would be telling him, if he was back before their friend.

"Ouch."

That voice. A feminine voice. Sandra is back !

The girls were never particularly violent, but this time they don't really mind pushing one another out of the way, to be the first one to hear it all about Sandra's adventures in the outside world. The real world.

" How was it ? Tell us !"

"It was amazing ! The sand ! The sea !"

"We'll see about that later ! How are the people ?"

"Kind, so kind ! I wish you could've seen them ! It's unbelievable how they're so different but in a way still so similar. Well, before giving details I'd like to tell Billie something. It's about the stars."

Billie's eyes were sparkling.
"What about them ?"

"I didn't mean to eavedrop, but I heard you talk right before I went out. To be fair, I don't really find them that impressive."

"How come ?"

"It's just tiny points that we can barely see up in the sky." She says lifting her shoulders. "The moon, on the other hand... It's something ! So big, so bright, so-"

"White ?"

"Not always, I was told that it sometimes changes color, and at times, even disappears! It doesn't last long, but I'm betting it's something worth to see !"

"You were told ? You spoke to someone ?"

"Well... I struggled so hard to find the exit of this hellhole that after getting finally out I didn't really know what to do next, so I asked someone about directions and he..."

"He ?" They all say with one shocked voice.

"You... You crossed path with him ?!"

And soon that voice became voices and nobody could tell who was saying what.

"Did he... Recognize you ?"

"Oh crap, he's gonna beat the shit out of us !"

"We should've been more careful !"

"Girls !" yelled Sandra and everyone just shut up. "It's not him ! I met another boy."

"Another... Boy ?"

"Yes, outside, there is as much boys than girls, remember?"

Yes, they saw that, in their lessons. There is approximately the same percentage of girls and boy, roughly 50%. Although they were living cut off of the world, they had an education. Not the best one, let's admit, but they know some stuff.

They know what a boy, a man, is, but since he's the only male individual they ever saw or at least remember seeing, they just associated the idea of masculine presence with, well... Him.

"That boy... Did you tell him about us ? I mean our, um... situation."

"Not really."

"And he didn't ask any question ? He didn't find your reaction towards "basic stuff" like the moon or the sand kind of weird ?"

"No, actually he said that it was pretty rare to find people who recognize the value of things instead of taking it for granted."

"So... He doesn't know that you never go out ?"

"Apparently not."

"Now let's be real ! What do we have that is special ?"

The expected question. The newly self proclaimed explorer sighed.

"The outside world is so big. Even more than any of us could ever imagine it, or, for some of us, remember it." While her mouth was saying those words, it almost seemed like her eyes were looking for someone in particular. " There's so much to see ! I've been told that seeing everything in 80 days is quite the feat, and none of us can afford to be away that long."

She heard words coming from all sides, most complaining that they had hoped so much for nothing.  As they began to disperse to go about their business, she remembered one last not insignificant thing she needed to do.

Sandra took a deep breath and walked towards the one who had been pretending to not care from the start, but whose eyes started to shine when she saw the "special envoy" coming back.

"I'm sorry Vicky. But... We were mistaken."

"What are you-" Billie started to ask, but Aphrodite who was right at her side, covered her friend's mouth with her hand to shut her up.

Unlike her two friends, Victoria seemed to have perfectly understood. She grimaced and left without saying a word, Sandra right behind her.

Those two seemed to know a lot more than what they're saying...

"The trees, huh?" thought Aphrodite.

26/08/2022