Meals in the Ruins

Long ago, humanity reached beyond the Earth and claimed dominion over the stars. That golden age has long since crumbled into dust, leaving behind a fractured world where mankind’s former supremacy is nothing more than a forgotten memory. Today, the remnants of civilization cling to existence in scattered settlements clustered around fully automated facilities that mass-produce common bread. These factories serve as the last bastions of human survival, sustaining the few who remain in an era defined by ruin and decay. Navigating this desolate landscape is Haruka, a lone traveler journeying through the crumbling remains of the old world. Her path must be carefully hidden from the watchful eyes of the Church, a powerful and dogmatic faction that enforces strict dietary laws upon the survivors. To the Church, consuming the factory-produced common bread is not merely a necessity but a sacred mandate, and any deviation from their doctrine is treated as heresy. Determined to survive on her own terms, Haruka moves quietly through the shadows of collapsed cities and forgotten highways. She avoids the Church's relentless patrols, seeking out alternative sustenance in a world that demands absolute conformity. In a society where even the act of eating is heavily policed, every meal she finds becomes a quiet rebellion against those who would dictate humanity's final days.