Some guards escorted me out of Love Machina Inc. and down to the loop station. They scanned the barcode on my chest, and my visa key flashed on their tablet. They waited until I stepped inside the loop to leave the docking area.
I was the only one in the wagon.
With all the space to choose from, I sat on a bench by the window, my small printed backpack beside me. A Love Machina employee had taken my tablet but hadn't seemed to care about the study notebooks and books I'd brought with me.
In the dark tunnel, my reflection appeared on the opposite glass. I watched myself, slowly growing accustomed to my new face.
My old face.
Calypso had told me there would be one stop near New Yuan City, and from there, three hours and thirty minutes of travel in the glass bubble of the loop, across the desert, all the way to the Free City of the West, where I'd be allowed to go anywhere... except New Yuan City.
When we finally emerged from the tunnel, sunlight flooded the cabin, blinding me for a short moment. The sun was too high in the sky for it to still be the same day I'd arrived at Love Machina Inc. How long had I stayed there? I only remembered falling asleep on the stretcher and waking up this morning in a new room.
Looking over my shoulder, I admired the tall white walls of the City. In the middle of the endless desert, no one could have guessed that behind those limits lived millions of people in a tropical paradise. The walls rose as high as mountains in the distance. No cracks, no windows, nothing to let you glimpse at what was inside.
And nothing to let them see the outside either.
I flinched when the soft voice of the loop announced the next station.
"Former Water Storage Facility."
I felt the train decelerate as we approached the last stop before my long journey to the west.
When we came to a stop, I hesitated.
This station, like the one I'd left before, was completely deserted. The wind had gathered sand across the concrete platform, nearly covering it entirely.
That was when I saw it.
At first, it looked like a mirage.
The doors slid open.
"Next station: Free City of the West."
I stood up.
And stepped out.
Behind me, the doors closed with a soft hiss.
Already, the loop was gliding away. I stayed where I was, my eyes fixed on the shimmer in the distance at what still looked like an illusion.
I didn't hesitate.
I walked straight into the sand. There were no roads, no paths, only a rising dune I had to climb on my hands and knees.
When I reached the top, I saw it clearly for the first time.
The oasis.
I ran to it, my backpack bouncing around as I half-slid, half-fell down the dune.
The sun was high. The sky, a flat, perfect blue.
It was my first morning at the oasis.
And it felt like the world had been waiting for me to see it.
Birds sang in the trees, their wings cutting through the air. A few had gathered at the lagoon, drinking its water as it reflected the sky like a giant mirror. The broad leaves of the palm trees swayed in the breeze, and the tall grass parted as I walked through it. Every smell seemed more intense, as if amplified by the heat.
I followed the shade of the trees to a clearing, where a bed of dry leaves invited me to rest. I lay down beneath the moringa trees and closed my eyes.
When would I see real nature again? What did the West even look like?
If it was anything like the Belt, I wasn't sure I wanted to find out.
I inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to remember this feeling.
Maybe I could wait a few more minutes before returning to the station.
Just a few more minutes, listening to the rustle of the leaves above me, feeling their shadows dancing over my skin.
I almost drifted off to sleep when I heard a sound close by.
My eyes shot open. I sat up quickly.
And there he was, his dark eyes searching for me through the light.
"I knew I'd find you here."
He held out his hand, and I didn't hesitate.
I placed mine in his.
I was ready for a new chapter, a new beginning, a new world.
With more questions than answers, I was ready.
[ AUTHOR'S NOTE ]
Some of you may have guessed it already... A new book is coming next year! ☺️
Book 2 will take us mainly to Tardigrad, a whole new world for Sade to explore... with new rules and challenges to navigate! We'll still follow the characters you met in Book 1, and we'll meet some intriguing new faces along the way... And of course, we'll be back to New Yuan City to save someone 🤓
I'm curious to hear your theories! Do you think Sade has forgotten about V? Who do you think found her at the oasis? And what might happen next? I can promise you, Book 2 will be full of action 🔥
THANK YOU FOR READING ❤️
for commenting, voting, for sending me messages 🥺
This is my first fully original story, and I know there's still a lot to work on... I've carefully noted all your comments and flagged the chapters you found confusing. I'll be stepping away from the story for a few weeks before revisiting it to rewrite and refine certain parts.
Already, I know the first 100 pages will get completely rewritten 💪 (to reveal V's secret earlier + introduce the Tardigrad characters/action sooner)
These changes come directly from your thoughtful feedback 🙏 Please don't hesitate to share any other thoughts! You have no idea how much your feedback means to me 🥺
Book 2: coming mid-2026! 📖
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU ❤️
Your devoted writer - now and forever,
Milo
💙