Alphi got out of the bathroom feeling refreshed. She washed the clothes she was wearing previously and put on a new set of clothes. She wore a red skirt and a white shirt. There were no mirrors in the hideout, so she had no idea how she looked, but she felt cleaner and energized, like a whole new person.
She was still quite amazed at what a good job she had done with the cleaning. Sitting on the sofa, she thought about what she would do today.
"I need a lot of supplies if I'm going to stay here," she said to herself while staring at the ceiling. "I need soap, food supplies, and maybe a job. In any case, I can't just stay in here. I need to interact with people if I'm going to find out anything, and I need to learn the people's culture—after all, I don't want to stand out."
She got up and walked to the back door. She stood there, staring at the town. It looked calm and peaceful, but she knew she had to be careful and never let her guard down.
The gentle wind blew at her as she wondered what her first step should be.
Alphi decided to go into the town, just for a little while, to see what it was like and how the people behaved. She was a little scared and nervous, but she was also quite excited to finally see other people.
Throughout her life, the only people she had seen in person were her dad, her aunt, and the men in the cave.
She grabbed the bucket that contained the washed clothes and laid them on the fence to dry. After returning the bucket to the bathroom, she picked up one of the scarves she had brought with her—a red one that matched perfectly with her skirt.
Her necklace was tucked into her shirt, and the ring remained on her finger. She slipped on the same black shoes she had worn when she found the hideout. Now, she was dressed—and ready to go.
Alphi went down the slide. The slide still made her so happy whenever she went down it. She passed by the lake to see her reflection in the water. After a few seconds of ensuring that she had made no mistakes in hiding her hair, she held her necklace and said to herself, "You can do this."
She then ran through the bushes. It didn't take long before she got to the town.
Alphi stood there in awe, a smile on her face. She was completely mesmerized.
"Wow," she exclaimed. "It's even more beautiful up close."
The town was indeed stunning—the colorful lights, the beautiful houses, the stores and shops. Alphi spun around, taking it all in. It felt like a dream to her. There were decorations everywhere, and she couldn't believe how many people were here. It was like a huge celebration.There was music playing, people dancing and talking, children playing and running around. Alphi couldn't really understand what was happening, but she liked the atmosphere here. Everyone was so happy, and it made her happy too.
She began to explore. She went from store to store, admiring the various things that were being sold. There were beautiful dresses for both males and females, bags, shoes, jewelry, and other things she had never seen before.
She saw many children gathering at a store and wondered what could be drawing all their attention. Alphi walked over to take a peep—it was a game store. Children were playing, engaged in different games to win prizes. But Alphi didn't know this; she just looked in amazement, for she had never seen such things.
"That looks fun," she said.
Alphi went ahead and tried some of the games. She won a bag of potato chips and a small teddy bear. She was so happy that even the kids couldn't understand why someone her age would be so excited over a toy.
She walked around with the teddy and the potato chips in her hand. Her nose caught a delicious aroma—she had never perceived such a scent. Her nose led her to a shop where a middle-aged woman was making something Alphi had never seen, let alone tasted. The aroma made Alphi salivate as she stood there, watching the woman work.
The woman soon noticed her.
"Hey there, can I get you anything?"
Alphi looked around to ensure she was the one being spoken to.
"Yes, you. You've been standing there for a while," the woman said. "I don't think I've seen you around here before."
Alphi stammered, "Um, um... Yes, I just recently moved here."
"Oh really? What's your name?" she asked.
"My name?"
"Yes, your name," she replied.
Alphi hadn't thought of that. "Um... I—I'm Lisa," she stammered.
"Okay, Lisa. Welcome to Lyre Coves," the woman responded, handing her a burger.
"For me?" Alphi asked. "But I don't have any money."
"It's on the house. Take it as my welcome gift. Enjoy the burger—and the celebration too," the woman replied.
Alphi took the burger. She stared at it for a while, taking in every detail. It had the familiar feeling of bread in her hands. She hesitated a bit before taking her first bite.
There were no words to describe the flavor. She felt like she had been reborn. She quickly devoured the whole thing.
The woman stared at her in shock.
"Slow down, you might choke," she said.
Alphi was still lost in the unique taste that had just graced her mouth.
"It's delicious," she said.
"Come on, it's just a burger," the woman replied.
"Burger," Alphi repeated. "I've never tasted anything like it."
"Well, I'm glad you like it," the woman responded.
"Thank you," Alphi said.
"You're very welcome. And do come again," the woman replied.
"Lyre Coves," Alphi said to herselfstill thinking about the magnificent flavor of the burger as she walked away from the shop. She remembered how she used to struggle to provide food for herself by living on plant. "Well... life might not be too And it's only just begun."