The other children put away their "weapons" and scrambled up onto the car roof, eager to look around. They didn't sit inside the car but instead sat directly on top of it, curious about their surroundings.
A little girl sat cross-legged on Selena's car roof, holding a bow and arrow and directing everyone where to go. "This way!" she commanded as the army headed in her direction.
Osvaldo helped Selena onto the car roof as well. The little girl looked up at the sun for a moment before hanging upside down from the edge of the roof and asking Selena, "Is that red thing in the sky really... the sun?"
Selena surveyed their surroundings before spotting a streetlight nearby. She figured someone must have turned it on because otherwise these kids who never saw sunlight would go blind when they finally did see it during sunrise.
"It is," she replied to the little girl's question. "At night there will be moonlight too, and sometimes it rains or snows in winter."
The little girl lowered her head thoughtfully before speaking again with increasing fluency: "Are you really Professor Turner's daughter?"
Selena smiled back at her: "Don't I look like him?"
But something seemed off about how closely this child was scrutinizing her; she asked cautiously: "Professor Turner did mention having a very beautiful daughter..."
The little girl frowned more deeply now as she looked into Selena's eyes with suspicion: "... but those people chasing after you earlier were 'beasts' from South City! Normally they wouldn't dare come anywhere near North City where Professor Turner lives! But today something happened that made them brave enough to venture out here..."
"Everyone suddenly started moving around too much so I went out with some people to check what was happening... and then we unexpectedly ran into 'them'..."
Selena lowered her gaze, hiding the emotions in her eyes. "Professor Turner told you that they are... 'beasts'?"
"I saw it in a book myself," the little girl frowned with confusion. "Besides looking different, they're exactly like the beasts in the book and will eat children..."
Selena's heart trembled but she spoke nonchalantly, "Are there any other people besides you guys in the city?"
"Of course," shrugged the little girl. "Professor Turner and other adults. If it weren't for them, we would have been eaten by 'beasts' a long time ago."
Selena clenched her fingers and asked softly, "How many children are still here?"
"A lot," said the little girl casually. "When 'beasts' come out to hunt, Professor Turner hides us very well." She paused before continuing hesitantly, "... but there are many adults who have gone to heaven..."
Two girls were talking when suddenly intense gunfire erupted from southwards.
Selena lifted her head and saw a black mushroom cloud rising up.
That was where Oscar had taken Eden.
All of the children looked towards that direction with tense nerves while picking up their weapons warily.
A faint smile appeared on Selena's lips as she spoke coldly with icy eyes: "Don't be afraid; there won't be any more 'beasts'... lurking around."
The little girl looked at Selena then back towards southward before relaxing again.
"What's your name?" Selena asked softly.
The little girl glanced at Selena before answering proudly: "My name is Janice; Professor Turner named me himself! It sounds nice, doesn't it?"
Selena smiled, "It sounds nice."
Janice raised his eyebrows and laughed happily. At this moment, he showed a bit of the innocence and arrogance that should come with his age. Then he seemed to think of something and his expression became gloomy.
"But one day a year ago, Professor Turner suddenly seemed to have been hit by something and hasn't appeared in public much since then. I haven't seen him for a long time..."
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