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The end of the world is 22 minutes away, but those who knew about it were in no hurry.
The fire crackled.
Three figures were sitting on a log and frying marshmallows on the fire.
—Are you sure?This is your first solo expedition into space,— George could be seen pursing his lips in displeasure. There was a smell of burning, and he threw the spoiled marshmallow into the fire with great displeasure.
— I am.. I would like to postpone the flight until tomorrow..
The night sky was looking at Dream.
So many cases have not been completed, but now.. He would like to spend this time with friends.
Sap, with his eyes on the fire, was eating marshmallows one by one like a machine.
— Don't grumble like an old grandfather, Gogy. You didn't rush right away either. What 's the hurry ?
— Have you flown? Only next year you will be able to, and you are already thinking like a pilot beaten by life...
- ... no need.. I understand you'll be bored, but I'm staying here..
- .. not comforting.. Constantly at the observatory...many are on expeditions...
Dream began to lose the thread of their conversation and rubbed his face with his hand to cheer up.
— ...Yes, Phil is on the Attlerock, Sam is on the Ember Twin, Bad is on the Brittle Hollow, Wilbur is on the Giant's Deep... And Techno, of course...
— He hasn't been seen for so many years..It's pointless to search, right?..
Silence again.
All those names. His comrades. "Wild Space Explorers".
Wilbur. He seems to have seen it recently. They practiced meditation together and Wil played his favorite guitar. The only one who understands all the horror that is happening and ... Completely calm. The last thing Dream remembered was
— What, really? The Ancients gutted an Hour of Ashes and built a device inside that creates a time loop? It's crazy.. Now we know what caused the loop. In practice, the reason turned out to be much more material than in theory. Hmm...
what do you think will happen if you turn off the device? Although, maybe it's not worth it, given the explosion of the sun...
On the other hand, I don't want to sit for an eternity, periodically dying, either.
In general, I am not an expert on time loops. I'd rather sit here and ponder the mysteries of space and time. And maybe I'll take another nap. Don't know.
The feeling that this was their last dialogue.
Phil. Now he lives on a satellite - a Attlerock. He's there.. Too lonely.. His drone Crows sometimes visit the planet, but he himself practically does not get out of the Lunar Outpost. I probably should have visited Philza more often.
Sam is passionate about his work. And science. And in general..At the end of the loop, it's not better to communicate with him.. The death of the Sun hits him hard... It's hard..
Bad, as always, is generally polite, but timid. Despite his fear of space, he is an excellent archaeologist exploring the Solar System because of his passion for history, especially everything related to the Ancients. When it comes to his infatuation, he can be extremely enthusiastic, enough to be willing to face his fear. Nice guy.
Techno..absolutely fearless. Nothing scared him. To be honest, it's a miracle that he lived to reach space. He is a researcher at heart who strives to discover something new for himself. Despite this, he is not too eager to return home, claiming that he likes the peace and solitude in his camp inside the Dark Bramble, and that he needs a break from being "the best he's ever been."
Dream sighs and chews a marshmallow.
His rest is coming to an end.
The sky brightens sharply for a moment.
— What the....
Everyone froze.
— What was that?
Sap, covering his eyes with his palm, points into space.
— What is it? It looks like a meteor shower..
Hundreds of blue rays fly over them, leaving no trace behind.
— What's going on?!.
— This is our Sun going into a supernova..
— Oh no.. Is this the end?..
A lot of emotions flash across the faces of Sapnap and George.
But Dream outwardly seems to remain calm.
The next loop will be the last one. He knows where to find the last key of the puzzle.
There would be no more tomorrow for his friends.
The radiance engulfs the Dream's consciousness.
Memories of that night flash before his eyes.
He opens his eyes again and sees the same sky and satellite.
It's 22 minutes to the end of the world, and he has so much to do.