Under the Electric Sun — 2013. Available in paperback and Kindle.
With rubber paws and synthetic fur, Tristan looks just like a real raccoon. But he’s not. He’s a government-issued tutor. He can talk, crack jokes, and give history lessons about World War III. Unfortunately, Tristan has developed a cynical attitude about life because his last student always abused him and swung him around by his tail. However, Tristan’s current student is a kind, gentle young man named Jake Sheldon. The two are best friends.
Tristan and Jake live in a vast, high-tech city beneath the ruins of Washington, DC. People have lived in the underground city ever since a nuclear war poisoned the surface nearly a hundred years ago. One afternoon, Tristan and Jake visit Bailey Park, a large room filled with plastic trees and tiny speakers that play recorded birdsongs. As they sprawl out on the artificial grass, an alien approaches them and says he has studied Earth for many years.
After informing Tristan and Jake that it’s safe to live on the surface, the alien leads them on a journey up a long staircase. While Tristan and Jake are delighted to see real trees and sunlight, their lives become more complicated than they ever could have imagined. As they taste freedom for the first time, they also suffer immense pain and tragedy.
CURRYLIBRARY.COM 