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It’s getting dark and you grumble, trudging on the familiar road that took you back to an empty home. Everyone you ever loved or cared about has died and the pain of losing anyone else has made you, old and bitter.

You take a step onto your porch and can hear the door unlock. It’s the year 6665 and everything is powered by AIs. You open the door and the lights turn on. Taking a look around, you let out a sigh. What was the point of having a big house if there was no one to come home to?

“What’s wrong, Richard? You seem down again today. Would you like me to prepare you some tea?”

“I’m alright, Duo. Just warm the bath for me, please; anything interesting happen while I was out?”

“Of course, Richard,” the voice seemed to have left him without answering the question but then the far right wall turned on and tiles of videos began to pop up, floating as they rearranged themselves. “Nothing new in the world. The governments seem to be fighting again over resources in the Middle East. Tensions between the Americans and Britain Lands are at an all time high as they figure out how to distribute.”

You walk over to the couch and take a seat. Pulling over a pad you begin scrolling through the different videos, shaking your head as you watched clips of the world leaders argue about what was going on in their respected countries.

“Is there anything that isn’t so gloomy?” Your mood has taken a sour turn as you continue to scroll through videos.

“There was one,” you relinquish control to the AI and one video is pulled forward. On the screen was the woman, smiling at the camera, while she was giving blood at one of the many blood drives around the world.

“So Anna, you’ve been here multiple times in the last few months. How are you still able to give so much blood? And – and why do you do it?

Well, I learned that I can give and give and give as long as it going to a person who needs it. I do it because it makes me happy, we’re in such dark times right now; this blood could help change someone’s life and that makes me so happy.” She let out a big smile and the video went mute.

“Who is she, Duo?” You’re curious of the woman playing on the screen, she’s so happy during such a dismal time.

“Richard, your bath is ready,” Duo’s voice reminded you that you had her draw your bath. You stand up and begin walking up the stairs. Your eyes still on the screen as the video of the woman smiling is now on replay.

“Duo, can you find me this woman? This Anna,” you shed your clothes and step into the bath. You think back to the last hundreds of years where humanity suffered at the greed of world leaders; when you suffered at the lost of your beloved family and friends. You sink deeper into water and close your eyes. Being alive since the beginning of time has only caused you pain and suffered, how can anyone be so happy?

“Richard, I ran facial recognition on the woman. Her name is Anna Lavin, she has no documents dated past 6644 but there are a lot of pictures and paintings dated back even further.”

“Pull them up for me in the study, I’ll be out in a second.” You’re in shock. You didn’t believe that were was anyone else that was like you – cursed with immortality. You finish up your bath and slip on your bathroom robe before heading out to your study.

There at your table was what looked like hundreds of floating tiles – all of Anna.

“Duo, pull up photos and paintings dated back as old as I have been around,” You collapse into your chair when none of the tiles move. “This is impossible,” you mumble. “Duo, pull up photos and paintings dated when photography became popular,” tiles began to move and you were left with fewer tiles but it still a lot of photos to go through. “Duo, get me everything you have on her!” You start pacing in front of the screen, your eyes are frantic – going back and forth – as the AI began to pull more tiles out of thin air.

“Richard, would you like to eat something while I finish this up?”

“No, just please–”

Richard, you have a guest. Unknown guest has stated their name as Anna Lavin. An automated voice spoke and the tiles moved for a small screen to appear in the center of his desk. There she was. Dark haired, green eyed woman looked back at him. A hand then appeared, she waved and smiled.

“Richard, would you like me to open the door for your guest?”

“Yes, please show her to the guest area, I’ll be down in a bit.” You disappear past a door and reappear in lounging clothes. Taking calming breaths, you begin your descend down the stairs and into the guest area.

“Hi! I’m Anna Lavin, my AI, Foote, alerted me that I was being researched at this location,” she smiled at your as she explained why she was there. “Umm, are you okay? Do you need to sit?”

“How long- I mean- How did- I’m sorry,” you stick out your hand. “My name is Richard Jenkins, a pleasure to meet you.”

“Great, the pleasure is all mine, I guess I should be saying,” she let out a big laugh and the light around her seemed expand around her. You unknowingly take a step back and the light dims. “Oh, I’m sorry did I scare you?” She looks worried as you take a few seconds to recollect yourself.

“No, I’m apologize. I just thought, all this time. I was alone with this curse-”

“Curse? What on earth are you talking about,” you notice panic has started entering her body language.

“Well I mean- how do I explain it?” You begin pacing again, “Here let me show you, Duo, pull up a photo from each year we were both photographed.” Tiles began to appear on a wall, every two pictures had a year on top. Side by side, year after year, tiles appeared until the whole room was covered.

“NO WAY!” She smiled! “You and me! We’re the same! Why haven’t been crossed paths before? This is incredible! I’m so excited!” The light around her came back and you’re drawn to it this time. Without realizing it, you had drawn Anna into a hug and you begin feeling a burden lift off your shoulders.

This is the end and the beginning.