Goodbye

After endless and tiring searching Jacques felt as if all their efforts were futile. String Bean kept begging Jacques not to let anyone see it out here, because it already was not supposed to talk to Jacques, only to save him. Jacques frowned. He couldn’t understand how String Bean had found him but not Hal. 

After a long day Jacques told String Bean that it should probably get back to its civilization. String Bean nodded and shrugged. Jacques thanked it for its help. String Bean left him with directions to find the civilization. String Bean kept insisting that his world would end and he would need somewhere to go very soon. All Jacques could do was nod. 

Afraid to fall asleep again outside, Jacques continued searching. Finally, after hours and hours of searching, Jacques couldn’t believe his eyes. It was the men’s chambers. He ran towards it. As he got closer, he was quiet as he entered because it was around the time the men would be sleeping. He entered the chamber and looked around. It was completely empty. Jacques was sure he was in the right place but now he wasn’t sure if he was awake or not. He rubbed at his eyes and he was still in the empty chamber. He walked towards his own sleeping quarters and looked around only to find nothing. As he was turning around he heard a shuffle. He looked around and still didn’t see anything. He was almost completely sure he had hypothermia and was hallucinating when a figure appeared before him. 

It was Hal. “Hal! Oh Hal I thought you must have been dead,” Jacques said with a frown.

“No, I’m alive,” Hal responded. 

Jacques sensed something deeply wrong. “Hal, I didn’t leave you out there, someone-something rescued me and I woke up in a cave and–”

“I know,” Hal responded quietly again. 

All Jacques could do was stare.

Hal sighed. “Jacques, headquarters found us, they rescued me, and they left you for dead.” “You’re causing them problems, therefore, you are considered a terminated asset, and it would be best if they believed you were dead, so please stay away.” “I came to warn you.” “They have put me in charge and moved the men to a new drilling site.”

Again, Jacques just started quietly at Hal. 

“I gotta go, Jacques.” “Stay dead,” Hal said as he turned to leave. 

“Hal, don’t leave. Come with me and we can go to the civilization of the first people or things or whatever.” Hal, the world is going to burn, remember the books, Hal, please, I don’t want you to burn with the world.” 

“Jacques, you’re sounding crazy, man.” “Please don’t make me regret warning you,” Hal said with a frown. 

All Jacques could do was stand there while he watched his only friend leave.