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The world lay in ruins, the ancient cities nothing but rubble. Humanity had regressed to the cave age, struggling to survive in a hostile environment.
Yet festivals were the few events that brought people out of the grim routine.
Tom hurried out of the cave before dawn. Today was one of the most important festivals and he didn't want to miss it.
In the forest clearing, hundreds of people were gathered around a makeshift stage of wood and cloth.
Suddenly, the murmurs were silenced as a canvas was unveiled with great ceremony. It was a copy of an enigmatic and famous work that had survived destruction.
Tom gazed raptly at the mysterious face, allowing himself to be enveloped by the magic of the ancient painting.
For a few hours, the audience forgot the hardships of their existence, immersed in the unfading beauty of art.
It was celebrations like these that kept the spark of humanity alive in this ruined world.
