âWow!â
Upon hearing the announcement on the ship, Ben and Anna immediately rushed
to the deck, their eyes filled with excitement as they beheld the spectacular
scene before them.
They had seen countless pictures of Antarctica on television and the phone, but
only when they were there did they realize that photos could never capture even
a tenth of its true beauty.
The impact of nature left a deep impression on the two children for the first time.
âCan we disembark now?â Anna could not wait to turn around and look at Joe
and Charlotte, her face full of eagerness.
âBe careful, okay?â Charlotte reminded them. âOnce we go down, you mustnât run
around. Stay close to us, alright?â
Ben and Anna readily agreed. In fact, they would nod along to anything Charlotte
said at this point.
Charlotte cast a helpless glance at Joe. âI think itâs better if we each hold one of them.â
Even though the two kids had agreed enthusiastically, they might forget everything in a little while.
Charlotte and Joe each held one of the childrenâs hands as they disembarked
from the cruise ship. Along the way, they bumped into Noahâs family. Anna still
remembered how Samuel had hit her with a cake before, so she simply turned
her head and refused to greet him.
Charlotte nodded slightly to the two of them with a hint of apology. Harper and
Noah quickly smiled back at her, then went their separate ways.
Anna and Ben jumped and frolicked on the snowy ground, the exhaled air turning into layers of white mist, making them even more excited.
âMom, can I go over there?â
Ben asked Charlotte while stepping on the snow for a while, pointing to a nearby
rock.
Charlotte saw the rock well within their line of sight and, after a brief thought,
agreed.
Ben quickly waved for Anna to come over, and Joe took the opportunity to walk
over to Charlotte, holding her hand.
âIn a place like this, I realize just how insignificant humans are,â Joe said, looking
at the distant glaciers emitting a faint blue light.
Each piece of ice here was much older than they were.
Humans often think of themselves as the masters of nature, but compared to the
vastness of nature, they are the shallowest and most insignificant beings.
Charlotte turned around and smiled at him. âWhy the sudden profound
thoughts?â
Joe was about to speak when he heard a cry of surprise from Ben and Anna
nearby.
Their expressions changed immediately, and they rushed quickly towards the
direction they were in.
âWhat happened?â Charlotte noticed Ben and Anna huddled together and
thought someone might be injured, so she hurriedly asked.
However, she was surprised to see Anna carefully pulling back her coat, revealing a furry creature inside.
âWhatâs this?â
Even though Charlotte considered herself experienced, she was still startled
when she saw the living creature in Annaâs arms.
It was a tiny penguin.
However, this penguin was too tiny, and its call sounded weak, suggesting it
might not be in good condition.
âWhere did you find it?â Charlotte quickly looked around but didnât see any other
penguins nearby.
Penguins are social animals, and young penguins canât survive without their
parents. How did this one end up abandoned here?
Ben quickly explained, âI saw something moving over here just now, and I didnât
expect it to be a penguin! Can we keep it?â