388. Histoire bleue, 8

(Rose)

In fifty years...

Every human on Earth will be gone, except for her.

Bleue wondered about what could happen to the last woman on Earth, if it was that copper child.

She imagined this last fantasy the night before, speaking about another end we can't quite fathom.

The child would then have turned into a grown woman. An adult, with a fit body and a sound mind.

She would have grown up without ever knowing of a different world.

She never saw these giant cities full of life. She never saw airplanes flying through the sky.

She dwelled on the ground for her entire life. Living amongst the ruins of her ancestors. Surviving alone where none other ever did.

She had learnt from all the elder ones the science of the older era. She had learnt from everyone else how to live in the new one.

She wouldn't be starving, and she wouldn't be in pain; for she would be perfectly fit for this world.

She would live on over the years, all alone in the entire world, but without facing real hardship otherwise.

She would live on rather easily.

She could build a home, anywhere.

The world never belonged to anyone, but no one else but her could anymore claim it.

She slowly forgot how to speak.

A little. Just a little.

She would travel as she pleased, not settling anywhere for more than a few weeks.

For there was so much to see and experience out there.

Unlike the sheltered children we once were, living surrounded by books as our only windows to other places in the world, she grew up along an endless caravan. There were places where she met each of us who were important to her at a point in her life or another.

But there was no place she was from anymore.

No beginning she could recall.

She was born on a road. Her earliest memories in life were already of walking alongside her parents on an endless road.

In an increasingly quiet world.

Until all voices from humans finally vanished.

She walked alone. Yet somehow, I knew she would smile.

Her brass and copper eyes wouldn't be tearing up. And her reddish copper lips would curve into a smile.

~

What to do when you're all alone in the world?

When you're no longer able to help your species primal goal, nor any human societies infinite ranges of roles.

And when you're able to do more than just barely surviving each passing day?

She continued her endless journey, as another rose lost in the oriental winds.

Years of tranquil life out there, enjoying every wondrous sight, along the occasional surprises such travels offered.

Wondrous sights. Surreal landscapes. Tasty fruits. Soft places. Peculiar things here and there.

And the occasional animals able to talk.

For if humanity was late, intelligent life certainly wasn't.

She knew how to meet all kind of whimsical creatures and demons.

The other lonely dwellers of these new times.

A chatty fox would tag along with her for a curious while, seeing an opportunity to catch more interesting food thanks to her, and share more interesting chatters as well.

It would tell her how most animals were uninteresting to discuss with, whereas her, a traveller and a smart human was a fascinating encounter to it.

She would slightly smile, all along.

The fox would play, and eventually return to its territory.

She would continue her way and live on.

She would sit on a bench by a fire on another day, looking at the sea at sunset.

She had wanted to see the sea for a while.

Some ghastly figures may gather around her. They wouldn't attack, and just leave her alone soon after.

Humanity might have lost its room in this world, but paradoxically, she would still have one.

Years would gently go by and she lives on.

She befriended some and fought others occasionally.

Although there was no holly balance of things to protect. Only her humble desires for life against others.

The random strings of chaos would stretch on, without purpose, but not without charm.

Until the sunset would be reflected into her eyes a last time.

She would smile.

For that life, and story, had been nice.

~

I wish I could have held Bleue's hand as she died.

I wish I could have heard her last words after that.

I wish I had a chance to tell her how much I loved her, before the end.

It just happened.

And her last words I recall were a story about peacefully contemplating the end.

The unavoidable end.

I could see or try to see more than there really was meant into it. It was just a coincidence. She didn't know.

She didn't know...

Books end abruptly.

Realities just slowly fade out of existence. Out of memories.

Like the light at the end of day when night begins to fall.

It's hard to get over that pain.

It will take me a while to dry these tears. I will need some time to grow over your death, Bleue...

Before I bury you in the past, there is unfortunately one last part of you I need to inspect.

The one you made for me inside of you...

I'm not convinced it will survive if it is born too soon. But there is a slight chance that the child inside of you will survive you.

My knife pierces the palest skin and cut it open carefully. It doesn't bleed at all.

I'm opening your flesh as if I was aiming to turn you into venison later on.

I won't eat your flesh. I'm feeling a long way more sick than hungry.

I carefully and gently open the flesh, stretch the tissues apart and slice the muscles. Nothing is bleeding anywhere any longer. It all dried into grains already, even inside.

I reach the pouch of water you held in your belly and open it with trembling hands.

The water pouring out has a smell of sea water.

It's cold.

It's all cold.

I plunge my fingers inside, to touch the unborn baby.

I can feel its flesh is cold. I can't feel any heartbeat.

It hurts more than I could consider.

Our child went away with you.

I'm tearing up silently again. I'm brushing off my snot and tears all over my already dirty sleeve.

Even if I never was able to imagine them by myself, I loved your dreams.

I was more than happy to follow you in them.

Some of these fantasies you had were so nice. I'm so sad it will never come to be.

I'm so sad Bleue.

I will miss you so much...

~