Eve looked at the pictures in front of the chapel, one picture in particular. These pictures were of the Ark workers, those who had helped build this Ark in the final years before the end of the world. No doubt they were a hoping that they and their families would be selected to be saved, but very few were. One of these workers, 15 when this picture was taken, was Eve's great great grandmother. Eve was 16, her great great grandmother was only 14 when she was informed that the world would end in less than four years. This original Eve had helped build this very Ark, she later had a baby. By coincidence or fate Eve's baby, named Hope, was selected for the Ark, Eve was not. Before she died Eve found her childhood friend and true love, Adam. They had their own shelter, but it didn't last long. Still, Eve lived for over four months after the asteroid came, it was rumored that she was the last person alive outside of the various Arks, before eventually dying, but that part was impossible to verify. That was over 100 years ago, but the waiting was almost over. Tomorrow this Ark would finally be opened, and the descendants of the original refugees would finally be able to feel the sun and the wind, to drink water that wasn't once their grandparent's urine. Eve was nervous, but excited. For now she had to get to class, one last class before their return to the outside world. Graduation would be when they left the Ark tomorrow.
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Most of this class was too excited about tomorrow to learn about survival skills. They had learned these skills their entire life, tomorrow they would begin the process of finding out if they were truly prepared. Some of them were looking forward to hunting animals. They had been more or less vegetarian their whole lives, if they hunted well they could eat meat almost every day. Eve knew she wouldn't be a very good hunter, she doubted that these others would be good either but at least Eve admitted her shortcomings. And some were looking forward to commerce, to bringing back some form of capitalism. The Ark had to adopt a socialist system to make sure everyone had enough. But despite their best efforts some remnants of a capitalist black market remained. Still, this system had always maid certain everyone had what they needed. Even if some of the leaders were corrupt and took a little more than they needed, noone starved or was denied medical care. Would that continue in the new world, that remained to be seen. Would the old ways return? Would the new society be better than this? Time would tell. Some were excited to try and find distant cousins from other Arks. When the Arks were filled 100 years ago families were separated. The idea was to give each Ark as diverse a gene pool as possible, which meant countless tearful goodbyes among loved ones. Eve thought about this, her great great grandmother was an only child, both of her parents committed suicide, and she gave birth to only one child. It was unclear who her great grandmother's father was, so Eve had no close cousins in any other Ark, and she would prefer to stay by those she knew. Eve had always enjoyed a certain kinship with the other Ark citizens, they had the same language, the same culture, and for the most part the same religion. In the old world nation states had gone to war over these differences. Hopefully war would not return to the new world, hopefully. But Eve would still prefer being around her own people.
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The chaplain would give his blessing before the Ark was opened tomorrow, probably just after the president gave her speech. This was the last official service before that glorious day. The chaplain gave the usual sermon, with a few slight differences.
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Chaplain: Allah gave humanity the gift of this world. Some lived according to the laws of God, but too many did not. Many chose only to live for themselves, they profited for a little while, they lived in luxury while their fellow humans starved. Many evils were born of this, war, slavery, murder and rape. Allah decided that the time had come to start over, but he did not destroy the world without warning. He let it be known that the asteroid was coming, he gave humanity enough time to build these Arks. Some took this warning as a wake up call. They helped build the Arks, even when they had no hope of surviving themselves. They helped others with no hope of reward. They sacrificed their lives, that others might live. But there were also those who still would not live by God's laws. They tried to profit from this news. Even with so little time left, they would rather think only of themselves, and no one else. They were cast out and Allah did not allow them into the Arks. For over 100 years we, the descendants of those chosen to survive, have waited for the day when we can reenter the world, and bring about a new society. Let us not forget the sacrifice of many, let us not waste the second chance that Allah has given us. Centuries ago people murdered each other over disagreements about the best economic system, or how best to worship God. We have done our best to create the best system, to merge the best ideas from different political, economic, and religious systems into one. All in the hope that, when we finally reemerged, that we would not repeat the mistakes of the past. Tomorrow that day will finally come. Every year, at the beginning of a new year, we have said "Next year in the sun." Now, I have the priviledge and the honor of saying "Tomorrow in the sun." The service has ended, go in peace to love and serve the lord.
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After the church service Eve went to see her grandmother. Her grandmother's room was usually a little darker, she would always say she didn't need as much light at her age. But the truth was that the power for the Ark was almost spent, they would have to live without electricity for a little while.
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Eve: Hey grandmother.
Grandmother: Hello Eve. Excited about tomorrow.
Eve: Yeah, I'm a little nervous too.
Grandmother: So am I. This Ark has been my home for my entire life. And I've had more time here than you. I've never even felt the sun or the wind. My mother did, but she wasn't even five months old when she was first brought here. She had no memories of the old world. My grandfather Ben had some memories. He wasn't my biological grandfather mind you, but he took care of my mother after they were both brought here, so he became her father.
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Eve had heard her grandmother tell these stories before, but she decided not to interrupt. Let her grandmother tell the family stories for as long as she wanted.
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Grandmother: Ben knew my grandmother, Eve. She made her share of mistakes, I know that. You have to remember that she was 14 when she heard that the world was about to end. A generation earlier she would have made stupid mistakes as a teenager, and moved on. But she didn't have the time, she just had to do what she could while she could. I guess it worked out for her. Her granddaughter will finally return to the world outside. I'm glad I get to see this world before I die.
Eve: You know we'll take care of you grandmother.
Grandmother; I know, and I;m grateful.
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Eve could barely sleep that night, too excited about what came tomorrow. She was nervous, would her knowledge of farming and shelter building be enough. She was also worried about her grandmother, she feared she didn't have much time left. No doubt the family would have to take care of her for her final years. Maybe it was good that Eve was a little nervous, it would keep her focused. In any event, sleep finally came.
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The next morning Eve ate what might be her final breakfast in the Ark. She saw her classmates, clearly most of them had been too excited to get much sleep last night. Today was the day they would finally go outside. The chaplain gave the final blessing, and the president gave her speech. Perhaps she wanted to remain leader in the new world as well, or she wanted to be remembered as the leader who returned her people to this new world. In any event she got to be the president who concluded her speech by saying "And now, into the sun." With that the doors were opened. For the first time in her life Eve felt the wind and walked into the sun. Her great grandmother had been one of the last people alive outside of the Arks, and now Eve was one of the first to feel the sun and the wind again. Like most of the teenagers Eve ran to the stream, and drank its water. She had never drank anything so refreshing in her life. This new world might have its difficulties, there was much hard work ahead. But as Eve felt the sun and the wind, and drank real fresh water, she knew it would be worth it. They had survived the asteroid and 100 years in the Ark. Despite everything, humanity had indeed made it back here. Eve was home at last.