• Elizabeth woke in the morning and the first thing she thought of was David. Was he a dream, or was he real? She clamored to her feet and sat down at her desk, quickly typing a message.

    35221: Are you there?

    She waited, but there was no response. She frowned and began to worry that maybe he had been a dream, or a figment of her imagination.

    35221: Hello? Are you there?

    10482: I am now. I was trying to sleep.

    35221: I’m sorry…

    10482: Don’t worry about it. You now either officially exist or are a permanent part of my brain.

    35221: Uh… thank you? I guess I can say the same about you.

    10482: Precisely. Now that I know that you are at least a permanent part of my brain… kind of like an imaginary friend I guess, I can have better conversation with you. And I will try not to be as rude, since you seem to think that I am.

    Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. This guy was so weird. She had never met anyone quite like him before. She didn’t dislike him or anything though. He actually rather intrigued her.

    35221: Well… thank you I suppose. So what should we talk about?

    10482: What do you want to do when we get out of here?

    35221: I want to make sure my parents are ok.

    10482: I know my parents aren’t ok.

    35221: How do you know?

    10482: I was on the phone with them when the bomb hit. I heard them die before the lines went out.

    35221: I’m so sorry.

    10482: Hey, at least they died quickly.

    Elizabeth wasn’t really sure what to say to that. She felt terrible for him. She didn’t want to say something insensitive. Luckily she didn’t have to.

    10482: So what else do you want to do? I mean other than the obvious. Do you want to keep working with super-computers?

    35221: I can work with super-computers and art.

    10482: Improbable.

    35221: What do you mean?

    10482: I mean that it is highly improbable that you can have a demanding job like the one you now have… or had, depending on how this is all going to pan out, and still have time for your art. Art is equally demanding and takes, in some cases, more time than computers if you want it to be good.

    35221: Gee, thanks Mr. Braniac.

    10482: I’m only stating the facts. I’m sorry if they hurt you.

    35221: I guess you’re right.

    10482: So do you think you’ll stick with computers, or will you go into art?

    35221: I’m 30 years old. I can’t really go back to school for art now can I?

    10482: You can go back to school any time you want. It’s a matter of whether or not you’re comfortable with it.

    35221: Yeah… so what do you want to do when we get out of here?

    10482: Continue my work, naturally. However, that may difficult if the world has been destroyed.

    35221: What do you mean?

    10482: I mean precisely that. There’s about a 33% chance that this was a worldwide nuclear disaster. If that’s the case the world has been destroyed and there’s a chance we may be the only human beings left. Also, if that’s the case, we won’t survive long.

    35221: What happened to that optimism?

    10482: What do you mean? I chose to stay here because if you’ll notice I chose the most reasonable course of action. Thirty-three percent may be a lot, but it’s less than 50% so I chose to stay put for the time being. With each day the chance increases. When it reaches 51% I will attempt a new course of action.

    35221: Wow… you really thought this through. So when will it reach 51%

    10482: In 7 days.

    35221: What will you do then?

    10482: You mean what will we do.

    Elizabeth was a little bit surprised. He did seem to be attempting to be a little kinder to her. He wanted to include her in his plan. At least he wasn’t abandoning her.

    35221: Yes, what will we do?

    10482: We’ll find a way to escape. Hopefully it won’t have to come to that. However, if it does make sure you bring all your supplies from your emergency kit. A mask should be included in there, make sure you wear it, and bring anything that may be useful that you can find in your office like blunt objects… it may be very treacherous out there and we’re on opposite sides of the city.

    35221: I get the feeling that you think we’re going to have to escape.

    10482: Yes, I do. However, I believe thoroughly in statistics. We won’t make an escape until necessary.

    35221: Do you really think that we’re the only people left on earth?

    10482: I’m not sure what to think. I told you, I’m a realist and I believe in statistics. According to my calculations there is a 33% chance that we are the only people left in the world. However, that means that there is a 66% chance that that is not the case.

    35221: I guess those are good chances. I’d bet on it.

    10482: I don’t like to gamble.

    35221: I wouldn’t have thought you did. You don’t seem the gambling type.

    10482: I shall take that as a compliment. If I may ask, what kind of “type” do I seem like?

    35221: The intelligent type.

    10482: I thank you. If I would have to say, that is how I would label myself.

    35221: I know I’ve said this before, but I’m very glad that I found you.

    10482: I’m glad as well. You were right, company is nice.

    35221: Tell me more about yourself.

    10482: What do you want to know?

    35221: What did you like to do as a kid?

    10482: I already answered that.

    35221: When?

    10482: You should pay more attention. I told you I was a bit of a pyromaniac yesterday; when you asked if I always liked rockets.

    35221: I meant other than that.

    10482: Hmm… I don’t know. I wouldn’t say that my childhood was very normal.

    35221: What do you mean?

    10482: I was on the phone with my parents when the bomb hit, but I never see them. I haven’t seen them since I was 9 years old.

    35221: Why not?!

    10482: A personal choice.

    35221: That’s really sad.

    10482: I guess. But it’s what I wanted.

    35221: I see my parents almost every day.

    10482: I had already deduced that.

    35221: Sometimes you remind me of Sherlock Holmes.

    10482: Really? That is quite the compliment.

    35221: If you want to take it that way.

    10482: You are definitely an amusing person.

    35221: Is that a compliment.

    10482: From me, yes.

    35221: Ok.

    10482: So why don’t you tell me about you.

    35221: Well, compared to you my life seems pretty normal. I lived with my parents. I don’t anymore, but I did until I got out of college. My parents are loving and protective. That’s why they wanted me to go into such a stable major.

    10482: So they’re controlling.

    35221: A little, yes.

    10482: Were they always that way?

    35221: Yes.

    10482: Out of curiosity, did you show promise as an artist as a little girl?

    35221: I guess so. Everyone told me I was pretty good.

    10482: You could have been a video game designer, or something like that. There was no need to jump from something you love into something completely different.

    35221: You really won’t let this go will you?

    10482: If you don’t want to talk about it anymore we won’t.

    35221: I don’t want to talk about it right now maybe later.

    10482: Very well. What shall we talk about?

    35221: Let’s talk about…food?

    10482: Impractical. It will only make us hungry.

    35221: I guess so. How about… friends?

    10482:… To be honest… I don’t have many friends. I work alone. I usually do my work at home but I was supposed to have a chat with someone on the day the bomb hit. I don’t often go out into public. I’m very… private. I wouldn’t have really given you my name if the situation wasn’t what it is.

    35221: Is your name really David Brown?

    10482:… No.

    35221: Will you tell me your real name then?

    10482:… No.

    35221: Why not??

    10482: Because. I don’t know who you really are. If we escape and meet I might tell you.

    35221: You’re so weird!

    10482: And you freak out too easily. I’m surprised you didn’t have a stroke from the explosion.

    35221: I’m done talking for now. I’m hungry.

    10482: Very well.

    Elizabeth scowled at the computer screen. Just when she was starting to like this guy he went back to being a jerk, and on top of that a liar. She began to wonder what his real name was. Her stomach growled. She took her portion of food for the day and broke off a third of it to eat. She tried to separate her food into thirds so she could eat three times a day like she normally did. That way she wouldn’t be as hungry. She ate slowly and took a swallow of water. One week. One week and their chances of survival would be reduced to 49%, at least according to David. She wondered how sound his calculations were. He seemed quite intelligent, but she couldn’t be sure.