Gran-Alice and pop-pop have already started their day when I get up and get ready to move out. I find Gran-Alice at her computer.
Prosperity: Good morning, gran!
Alice: Good morning, Peri. No chance I can talk you out of leaving today?
Prosperity: It’s already a done deal.
Alice: Well, we’re going to miss having you here.
Gran-Alice gets up and gives me a big hug. I realize that I’m going to miss being there too.
Alice: I made breakfast…a big breakfast. You should eat before you leave…who knows when’s the next time you’ll get a decent meal living out there with those folks.
Her words sound like a criticism of my decision, but I agree to sit down and have breakfast with her and pop-pop.
After enjoying gran’s amazing meal, I give pop-pop a big hug.
Quincy Sr.: You take care of yourself out there. If anybody gives you any trouble, you call me up and I’ll be there, with your gran right beside me, before you can even end the call, you hear?
Prosperity: Yes, sir!
Pop-pop walks me out the door.
Prosperity: How are you doing? I know losing your friend has been tough.
Quincy Sr.: Yeah, unfortunately, when you get my age…you begin to lose people left and right. It’s a helluva thing to have to get used to.
Prosperity: I’m sorry.
Quincy Sr.: No sorries right now. I know how you young folks are with your selfies. Are you too cool to take one with your old pop-pop?
Prosperity: No, never. *pulls out phone* Say cheese pop-pop!
I make it out to the group right on time. Everyone’s standing out front to meet and greet me.
Prosperity: Hi, guys! I’m Prosperity, but everyone calls me Peri.
Miles: I’m Miles**, and I’m a wildlife enthusiast. Keith here is a conservation field assistant and the one who keeps us fed.
Prosperity: *to Keith* So…you’re a pretty good cook then.?
Keith: I try…I mean, we don’t exactly have a kitchen, but I know how to work a grill.
Miles continues the introductions…
Miles: Over there with hair like the sunset is Harper…she’s a diver. And I think you met Piper…she’s an intern for now. And Wild, she’s a civil designer, is out working right now. You’ll meet her later.
Wild? What kind of name is Wild? Then again, my name is Prosperity, so…
Prosperity: Thanks, Miles. It’s nice to meet you all.
Craig: Are you ready to learn how you’ll earn your keep?
Miles: Oh…and, you already met Mr. C, our conservation director.
I follow Mr. C as he walks quickly, pointing things out left and right.
Craig: The only rule we have here is no unnecessary use of resources. We conserve in every way we can…so no constantly changing and washing clothes. This isn’t a fashion show. You’re in charge of water collection, keeping the generator running, and maintaining the grubs.
Prosperity: Um…excuse me? Did you say…grubs?
Craig: Yep…I’ll show you!
Mr. C leads me over to two big boxes covered with bugs. Repulsive dark yellows and greens hover around me.
Craig: This box is for the beetles…and the other is for the grubs.
Mr. C opens a box and pulls out a beetle that’s as big as his hand.
Craig: We depend on these to help keep the generator running and if we want some extra protein…to eat!
Prosperity: Ugh…I’m not eating that!
Craig: You say that now. Either way…this job now belongs to you!
I stand there thinking that surely gran and pop-pop would be glad to welcome me back! This adulting thing might be a bit overrated.
Mr. C leads me over to a big machine.
Craig: This is our most prized possession… a recycler! Do you even know how tough it is to get your hands on one of these?
Prosperity: No, but I’m guessing that my hands will definitely be on it.
Craig: Exactly! You use the recycler to make the fuel for the generator. Let me show you how it works! You can use discarded items that you find on the beach or in the trash to throw into this baby…grind it up like this, and there you have it…fuel for the generator!
Prosperity: *sarcastic* Magical!
Craig: But it is! I’ll dump this in the generator while you give it a try. Have fun!
This dude has to be joking.
While I try my best to make fuel on the recycler, everyone else at the camp goes on with what I assume are their usual duties.
I finish at the recycler and try to avoid Mr. C as best I can, hoping to prevent more duties from being added to my to-do list. I find Keith sitting at the picnic table.
Prosperity: So, how long have you been living here?
Keith: I’m going on year two.
Prosperity: Two years?! How? Why?
Keith: The work keeps me here. It may not feel like it now, but what we do here is valuable. Seeing this place slowly return to its former beauty is what wakes me up each day. Once it happens, I’ll be able to say that I helped.
Peri can only hope to feel that way. Right now…she’s not there.
Keith: Excuse me…I can hear my plants calling me.
Prosperity: What?
Keith gets up and walks over to some sort of container garden and starts planting seeds. I’m on the verge of questioning my own sanity for thinking that being here with this group was a good idea.
(Generation 2 Chapter Summaries)
** Miles was created by Forest’s Sims
