[ WP ] `` Humanity spent its childhood reaching for the sky . When they held it in their hands , they found naught but empty space . ''

Oliver and Sylvia were sitting in a clean angular room watching a screen. With a sigh, Oliver shut it off. 
 
 `` I guess that settles it,'' he said to Sylvia. 
 
 `` Yep. What a waste.'' 
 
 `` 30 billion parsecs.'' 
 
 `` Of nothing.'' 
 
 `` Well planets and stars.'' 
 
 `` Weaved into vast nothingness.'' 
 
 `` I know. like. Not even a single breath. A single ocean. Thirty billion parsecs. Not a damned thing.'' 
 
 `` I guess it was aptly named.'' 
 
 `` Yeah. I mean, but that's not good is it? There's not a place for us to go anymore is there?. What are we supposed to do? Our last hope was that RS whatever. I guess this is it, huh? Stuck on Earth.'' 
 
 `` Habitable Planet RS-777. The Planet of Hope, according to the news. And we were stuck on Earth to begin with, Ollie.'' 
 
 `` Well yeah, *we* were stuck. But I meant *we* like *we*. Like, humanity.'' 
 
 `` Humanity.'' 
 
 `` I know, I know. Humbug.'' 
 
 They sat in silence for a moment. 
 
 `` I'm sorry, Ollie.'' 
 
 `` Sorry?'' 
 
 `` That it's all empty up there. I know how much you like the stars.'' 
 
 `` Eh. I mean, it's not like I have ever even seen them besides on the screen. Besides, this kinda makes them less wondrous now, does n't it? Plus, it's not even like this is'news,' I mean, I knew what was going to happen. I do n't know why I'm so upset, really. It's that we're alone, for sure now maybe.. Not even that. I do n't know what it is. I just feel like I lost something.'' 
 
 `` Hope?'' 
 
 Oliver thought for several seconds and spoke: `` Yes, hope. We do n't have hope anymore. People need hope.'' 
 
 `` And oxygen. And this universe is fresh out of both.'' 
 
 They both chuckled. 
 
 `` Syl?'' 
 
 `` Yes?'' 
 
 `` Are you scared?'' 
 
 `` Yeah.'' 
 
 `` Yeah, me too. But kind of excited.'' 
 
 `` Excited?'' 
 
 `` That we get to be some of the universe's last sentient things. In a way, we kind of made it to the end.'' 
 
 `` What an end.'' 
 
 `` It's not *so* bad.'' 
 
 `` What? We could have been born a few thousand years ago? Maybe die of cancer. But then again I suppose they did n't have to worry about Earth dying. And we could have lived in hope like it was never gon na run out. Swam in hope. Hope for this, hope for that. Have kids and hope. Have kids, name them Hope. Maybe believe in a God? Maybe hope he exists. Maybe pray. Ugh, it's like the future was *good* back then. So expected. The present so taken for granted. Like there was some order in the universe that, over time, kept things from chaos. That the universe followed a narrative. Some narrative.'' 
 
 Oliver did not know what to say, so he apologized: `` I'm sorry, Syl.'' 
 
 `` Sorry? What for?'' 
 
 `` I'm. I'm not sure. That I upset you, I guess.'' 
 
 `` Ha ha. It's not your fault, Oliver.'' 
 
 `` I know it's not. I'm still sorry though.'' 
 
 `` Do n't be. Anyways, I should probably get going.'' 
 
 `` To work?'' 
 
 `` Yeah.'' 
 
 `` You're going to work?!'' 
 
 `` Yeah, I mean The world has n't ended yet, Ollie.'' 
 
 `` I know. I guess I just do n't see the point in going to work.'' 
 
 `` If the world ends tomorrow or in a billion years, it does n't make much difference. Purpose does n't come from a sense of infinity for me. It comes from a sense of the present. The only way to exist is in the moment. Or else it's all pointless. And dull.'' 
 
 `` Yeah maybe. I think I'm going to take a sick day, though.'' 
 
 `` Okay,'' Sylvia said standing up. `` I'm going to get ready. Are you going to stay here?'' 
 
 `` Yeah, I think I might put the news back on.'' 
 
 `` Okay— see you in a few.'' 
 
 `` Okay.'' 
 

