The Joe Walker group is currently crossing the end of that long bridge and has successfully reached their next destination city.
There is a large inscription above the gate as they begin to enter the city. However, it seems unreadable, with some letters missing, indicating that the city has been uninhabited for several years. No one knows when the civilization in that city disappeared among them.
Meanwhile, Maria turns out to have fallen asleep until now, while Alice and Joe Walker have already found their next destination in the city.
"Alice, shouldn't we wash our clothes under the bridge first? Look, there are stairs near the city's entrance gate, close to the bridge we just crossed."
"Don't change the subject, Joe. Focus on our current goal. You know that we don't have soap, well it's my fault too, sorry about that."
"I don't mind, it's just that we can wash first, right? Can we just use water?"
"We can't."
"Why?"
"Do you think my little hands can clean the dirt on our clothes with just water?"
"I can do it for you!"
"No, i don't want that. And honestly, I want to see those people as soon as possible."
"But why?"
"Because i want it! What's wrong with you, joe?"
Joe Walker sighed, understanding that he could no longer evade Alice.
"Alright, I'll do it seriously. After this, you just go left, and there's a turn to the right after that. They are there, gathering in one place."
"What are they doing right now?"
"It seems like they're eating. Where do they get firewood in a place like this?"
"Wood isn't only from trees, Joe. Do you think tables and chairs aren't made of wood?"
"Ah, I see."
"How many days have you been traveling with me, and you don't know that? Did you think I made campfires using magic?"
"Ehehe, sorry... Thank you, it's a learning experience for me. I feel like a student now," Joe Walker started to smile again.
"A student?"
"You don't know?"
"No... I don't know, what is a student?"
At that moment, Joe Walker realized why there were many things unknown to the two girls.
They had never been to school...
They truly only learned how to survive.
But Joe Walker realized that he was showing his worried face, so Alice would worry about him too. It forced him to smile while accepting information that made his heart slightly uncomfortable to hear.
They then continued their conversation, and Joe Walker explained many things to Alice. She listened as if hearing a tale from another land. Now, their roles had reversed from teacher and student to student and teacher.
Joe Walker was pleased to see that Alice had a strong desire to learn and enjoyed it.
However, right now Joe Walker was facing a slight problem within himself. He felt happy chatting with Alice, but on the other hand, he was thinking about many things, including himself. It made him confused about whether he was truly happy at the moment.
***********
On the other side, not far from Joe Walker's group, there was another group led by someone named Rico. He currently had a group of four people, including himself.
Rico was a 43-year-old man with a thick brown beard and matching hair color.
There was a woman named Zenith, 28 years old, in the group as well. Her long white hair was straight, with a small red ribbon on the left side.
There was another adult man, 30 years old, named Jonathan. His hair was gray, and his beard was thin but visible.
And there was a 9-year-old boy named Rio. His hair was white, just like Zenith's, but with some strands of gray.
They were sitting together near a campfire, warming themselves with the soup they cooked.
Nothing was strange except Rico tapping his glass with a spoon, creating a melody that broke the silence around them.
Soon, they were startled by a strange sound they had never heard before. It was the sound of an engine, even causing Rico to stop what he was doing with his glass.
Rico's curiosity was satisfied when he saw the vehicle belonging to Joe Walker's group approaching them. His eyes fixed on the approaching vehicle in silence. There was no response, just watching without a word.
Zenith, Rio, and Jonathan were also curious, but their expressions showed they were happy.
"Has help from God arrived?" Zenith said.
"It seems you're right," Jonathan replied.
Meanwhile, in the vehicle at that moment...
"Whoa! There are other humans! I haven't met other humans in a long time!" Maria exclaimed, jumping with joy in the vehicle.
"Hey! So you think I'm not a human or what?" Joe Walker protested.
While Alice shouted in frustration, "Stop jumping around like a monkey! Do you want this vehicle to break because of you?"
"Yeah! Yay!..." Maria didn't hear what Alice said to her.
Alice continued to shout, and Maria kept jumping with joy, while Joe Walker just smiled as usual, chuckling softly.
Jonathan and Zenith, witnessing this, thought the same afterward, "Will everything be okay?"
After that, Joe Walker's group finally gathered where the four of them were sitting around the campfire.
They introduced themselves and joked, laughing together, trying to get closer to each other.
On the other hand, two people rarely participated in the conversation in the newly formed group. These two were Rico and Joe Walker.
They both observed the others carefully. When they realized they were doing the same thing, they smiled at each other. However, they both realized at that moment that their smiles were not genuine.
Joe Walker thought that Rico was also paying attention because he was worried.
Rico continued to tap his glass with a spoon, creating a repeated rhythm.
Their laughter echoed in the city, but no one heard it except them.
Joe Walker felt he had to be cautious and pay attention to any small details around him. But the repeated rhythm created by Rico slowly calmed his heart.
The rhythm brings a sense of peace to the surroundings, yet it makes Joe Walker realize even more that the world is truly silent at this moment.