All Chapters of Forbidden Love - Fragments of Forgotten Love: Chapter 11 - Chapter 18

A woman near the front of the crowd called out, "But what about the future? The Council always said the preservation program was our only hope for survival." "Look around you," Costa responded, gesturing to the strange beauty of the recovered landscape. "The world survived. It changed, but it survived. And so will humanity—not by freezing ourselves in time, but by adapting, by moving forward." The first transport landed nearby, its doors sliding open to reveal a diverse crew—people of all ages, their clothing practical but colorful, a stark contrast to the clinical uniformity of New Avalon. A tall woman with intricate braids stepped forward, surveying the crowd with kind eyes. "I'm Zara, Director of Sanctuary Relations. We have room for everyone, bu

"Then we'll discover who we are together," he said simply. "Just like we would have done if none of this had ever happened." A soft chime from outside indicated sunset was approaching. Through our window, I could see people emerging from their homes, carrying dishes and instruments, and children running ahead with excitement. "The community dinner," Costa reminded me. "Ready to meet our new neighbours?" I took a deep breath, smoothing down the unfamiliar fabric of my dress. "As ready as anyone can be to start their life over at six hundred and twenty-two years old." His laugh was warm and genuine. "When you put it that way, sharing a bed seems like the least of our worries." 

The old man smiled, revealing teeth stained purple from some local fruit. "I tell them what my grandmother told me: choice is what you make now, not what you wish you'd had then."His simple wisdom stayed with us as we continued our exploration. By midday, we'd seen enough of Haven's Gate to understand why the resistance had flourished here—the community was built on principles directly opposed to the Council's rigid control. Diversity was celebrated, experimentation encouraged, failure treated as valuable learning rather than fatal flaw.As the hour of the meeting approached, we returned to our dwelling to prepare. I changed into the clothes Elena had brought earlier—simple but formal garments that marked me as neither leader nor follower, just a participant with valuable perspective."Ready?" Costa asked, adjusting the collar of his own new clothing."Not really," I admitted. "But I don't think anyone ever is truly ready to face their jailers again."The community hall was larger tha

As darkness fell, we positioned ourselves in the designated clearing, the false distress signal still broadcasting from our location. The tracking devices felt heavier than their actual weight, reminders of the surveillance we were voluntarily accepting. "Contact," Elena's voice whispered through our hidden communicators. "Three aircraft are converging on your position. Remember, you're desperate refugees who've realised the outside world is too overwhelming." The first vessel descended with mechanical precision, its searchlights cutting through the amber night. Two more followed, forming a triangle around our position. When the doors opened, familiar figures emerged—Dr. Thorne and his clinical staff, their faces hidden behind protective masks that seemed unnecessary in the clean air of Haven's Gate.