Part 2
The round stones laid beneath the railway tracks slowed the steps of the evacuees.
In cities where construction had begun only recently, the concrete and asphalt were smooth and well maintained. Mud that dirtied one's feet was rarely seen except at construction sites.
For modern people accustomed to such environments, evacuating along unstable gravel paths was like carrying invisible weights on their legs.
As they moved, Fan Roppen naturally became the center of conversation, guiding nearly twenty evacuees gathered on the platform—men and women of all ages, different nationalities, skin colors, and facial features.