Capsule

Epilogue

There is a house on a mountain in what used to be British Columbia. A spec of warmth in the snow-covered mountains. In it is a man, he has been the only human being in existence for decades, and there will be no one left once he is gone. The cabin is old, roughly seventy-two years old, but sturdy. There is a small greenhouse covered in a plastic film attached to the left side of the cabin and old recovered solar panels on the roof. The inside is illuminated by old LED lights and a roaring stone fireplace. Various supplies and trinkets are lying around the cabin. A pair of modified skis leans against the wall next to homemade poles. Old street signs hang from the wall, and an old traffic light hangs outside over the front door; the green light is illuminated. A stainless steel countertop stolen from the nearby ski resort is screwed into the wooden walls in the front right corner. Knives, utensils and old pots and pans lie scattered across the counter. A table and two chairs are placed against the front wall on the left side of the cabin. On the table is a chessboard that has been cut out of a library table. On it are chess pieces that are carved out of stone. The pieces seem to be in the middle of a game. There is a scoreboard carved into the wall. There are thousands of tallies; one side says Dowers, the other says Catram. Dowers is ahead by approximately one hundred tallies. Finally, a low wooden bed frame is in the back right corner covered in pelts.

A wooden, motorized cart slowly rolls across the room. Epsilon is secured and plugged into the cart. Epsilon rolls over to a doorway on the left wall covered in plastic. As Epsilon reaches the door, an old man in a tattered jumpsuit with bright white hair and a stubble white beard carefully steps out carrying a basket of vegetables.

"Here." The old robot says.

Synth puts the basket on the lower level of the cart. He then leans on the cart, and Epsilon helps Synth walk through the cabin; Synth tugs on the cart as they pass the bed.

"Stop. I'm tired. I need to sit down." Synth says in a weak voice.

"You have to wash your hands, Synth. I do not want you to get sick." Epsilon protests.

Epsilon feels the weight Synth is putting on the cart and sees his legs shaking.

"Ep, Please." Synth urges.

Epsilon helps Synth over to the bed. Synth sits down with a thud and wipes his hands on his jumpsuit. The IZed logo has almost completely faded away, and the jumpsuit is very loose on his thin body. Epsilon does a quick scan of Synth. His heart is struggling to keep beating, and his muscles are at their breaking point.

"You should get under the blanket," Epsilon says. "Take a nap. I will keep watch."

"Good idea." Synth affirms.

Synth slowly gets under the pelts that have been brutally sewn together enough to be called a blanket. Epsilon begins to roll away.

"Ep, stay here for a sec." Synth says.

The heavy blanket makes it a little difficult for Synth to breathe, so he keeps it at his waist. Epsilon remains silent.

"Don't look at me like that." Synth says with disgust. "What's on your mind?"

"I think that we are at the end of our time together," Epsilon responds, rotating his eye away.

"I think you're right."

"Damn." They both say.

"I kinda hoped I had a couple more years." Synth says with dismay. "I guess I thought that a couple of years ago. It's gonna suck leaving this place?"

"Really?" Epsilon asks. "You would prefer to stay in this dump as opposed to any kind of afterlife?"

"Well, for one, I won't have you there."