Good Run, Part 1

“We had a good run, I guess,” Isabella said, trying to sound jovial despite her shaking voice. Her hand clasped Aurora's under a layer of fine stone. They were each trapped apart, but at least they had this small contact.

“It was great,” Aurora replied. “Every moment. Wouldn't change any of it.” She tried to laugh, but just coughed. “Except, you know, this part.”

“I got to live some dreams. And you. Well, you got to see more than any human ever has.”

Aurora sniffed, but tried to match Isabella's bold spirit. “I just wish I'd seen more of it with you. Even once, to take you to Dawning. You would have loved it. It's like a dream.”

“You know, some part of me still thinks and hopes,” Isabella whispered. “Even with everything we know about reality and Earth's place... that there's still room for God and a heaven in all of it, y'know? Seems weird, I guess, but -”

“No. I get it. Even with Dawning, the Web, the Builders, all of that crap... there's still so much we don't know. Maybe we'll get to find out.”

“Maybe so.”

Then they fell silent. Both of them stared at the crack of light hundreds of feet above. The light was turning red and would soon fade to night.