We stopped by the communal kitchen on our way to meet Zeke and the other leaders the next morning. "These were just baked this morning," Ren said, handing me an oat bar in my hand. "Our kitchen crew really knows their stuff."
I thanked one of the woman behind the counter and nibbled the warm bar, while Ren gave me a quick tour through New Hope.
As we walked, I took in the mismatched brickwork of the five permanent structures,
"Wow, this place is incredible," I said, genuinely in awe.
Ren smiled, clearly pleased by my reaction, he pointed out the apartment blocks, each two stories tall. "Obviously you know that's where I live, there's eighty rooms between the two of them. They've been here since before the bombs."
"Where does everyone else live?"
"The communal hall. This way." I walked beside him as he continued, "It was actually a warehouse. It's meant for temporary housing, unfortunately many people have been in there way over a year."
He pushed open a side door.
The immense room beyond was crowded and chaotic, filled with makeshift bunk beds and scattered belongings that lined the walls.
The place was buzzing with life, residents greeting us with smiles and nods as we passed by.
The residents had ingeniously partitioned off private areas using rails, boxes, and sheets, creating a maze of personal spaces within the larger room. Despite its hodgepodge appearance, everyone seemed content and at ease in their makeshift homes.
We left though another door, as Ren continued, "Housing has been secondary to food production. Things have been good recently though, so housing is at the top of the list."
As we stepped out to the courtyard, the towering front gate loomed overhead, casting a cool shadow on a small, but busy market below. The air was filled with chatter and the sounds of trading as vendors set up stalls and displayed their goods. I caught snippets of conversation as two women haggled over the price of a intricately knitted blanket.
Finally we were back at the wide, squat building that housed the kitchen. As I opened my mouth to ask what we were doing back here, Ren said, "You already know this building houses the kitchens and communal showers. But it's Also the infirmary, food store, and gun store," Ren explained. "There's also a meeting room the leaders use. It's mostly a school. That's where we're meeting the others."
Just as we entered the doors, he pointed off into the distance to a large glass structure, its surfaces reflecting the morning light. "That's our greenhouse," he said with pride. "I'll show you that later."
Ren had spent the last 20 minutes catching Zeke, Kellen, and Lily up on where they'd been. He'd just finished explaining how they'd met Elijah and Aria and how Salvation had attacked them, sliced his leg, and taken them all prisoner when Akeem walked into the room.
"Sorry! I overslept," Akeem said, giving me a wink.
"That's fine. Ren's catching us up. You've been through a lot," Zeke said, patting his brother on the back.
It took another few hours of the three of us filling in the gaps and answering their questions. Kellen reached over the small table and shook my hand.
"Sounds like we all owe you a debt, Noah," Kellen said, his voice warm with gratitude.
"You've taken me in. I owe you," I replied, feeling the weight of gratitude in my words.
Zeke smiled, a look of relief crossing his face. "I'm glad you feel that way, because we're in need of someone to take on the role of doctor. We have a few people able to do simple tasks, but we need someone to lead and train them."
I hesitated for a moment. "I'd be happy to help. Just so you know, I don't know everything. I only learned what my mum could teach me."
"From what I've heard, you know more than enough," Zeke reassured. "We don't expect you to be perfect, just to share what you do know."
"Well, I'll certainly do my best," I said, feeling a sense of purpose.
Zeke nodded. "That's the spirit New Hope," He smiled around the room, "Well, it was scary there for a minute. But you're all safe, and we have some new citizens." He stood up and hugged his brother. "You can all have today and tonight to relax and get settled in, then we'll get you settled into your new or old roles.
"Noah, maybe I can show you next door so you know the lay of the land before tomorrow?" Asked Lily as we stood to leave,
I nodded enthusiastically, "Yes please. I'll find you after?" I asked Ren and Akeem who both nodded, before turning back to their conversation about the crops. Lily smiled warmly and motioned for me to follow her.
Lily led me next door to the infirmary, where she showed me around the well-stocked cupboard filled with supplies and medicines. My eyes lit up as I spotted several machines that I had never seen before, and I couldn't wait to learn how they worked.
Inside, I was greeted by two young faces - Erin and Arthur - who had been doing their best to serve as medical staff. They seemed relieved to have someone with more experience to support them. As we continued our tour, Lily informed me that with my arrival, along with Aria and Elijah, New Hope's population had grown to 294. It was clear that everyone knew Lily by name; she was like a mother figure to the entire town. Coming from Salvation, with its population of almost 5000, it felt overwhelming yet comforting to be in such a close-knit community.
Akeem waved me over as we neared the front gate again on our second loop of the compound, and Lily took her leave.
He slung an arm around me. "Making connections, I see. Listen, I know you already know this, but I just want to say once more how grateful I am for everything you did for us. If there's ever anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."
