Summary

Part Two: Chapters 6-10

Chapter 6: What in the World Happened?

Aubrey finds himself looking down on a large pine forest. It is the first time Aubrey has ever had a real breeze on his face. At first Aubrey thought it might be another virtual scene like the beach, but then he sees smoke in the distance. Aubrey decides to climb down the trestle and find the source of the smoke. As he climbs out of the train, Aubrey can hear the mechanical clicks of machinery come to fix the derailment.

It takes time for Aubrey to climb down, but when he reaches the valley floor he is awed by all that he sees. Aubrey was always told that the world was suffering a second ice age because of the nuclear fallout. The reality of this lie bothers Aubrey as he struggles...