"I can't. I won't. I'm done."

Michael sits at the round cherry kitchen table in the sanctuary cabin.  Has his new blue trench coat draped behind the back of his chair. Alice sits sternly across from him. Elbows on the table. Hands clasped. Stares at him. Terra and Garret flank her. Rist and Jane relax on either side of Michael.

"I'm serious, Alice. I'm not leaving here anymore. I'm not leaving her anymore. I won't. I can't. My responsibility is to that woman who is at this very moment climbing a tree buck naked with no ambition to really do anything else. Judith's animalistic temperature has made the humidity in her new brain drip. And I fucking love her! She's beyond adventurous or anyone's control. She makes me happy and I'm done feeling like shit."

Alice looks down at the table.

"Her excessive nudity is a bit much. I know. Everyday, I know."

"I know it's weird to you, Alice, but that's Judith. She has a deep connection to nature now, to the trees. Some of them still talk to her. She understands their language. Their touch and the sway of them. It has to do with the dark forest and the numbing prison she existed for too long within coupled with her horrific childhood trauma. Maybe. I don't know. But fuck it all, I'm going to follow her. I'm packing tents and sleeping bags and we're leaving. She wants out. I made this simulation virtually endless so we're going to explore it. Map it. I never want to lose the love of my life again."

Rist touches Michael' shoulder.

"What about David?"

"I know, Rist. Judith doesn't care. She doesn't think about him. I've mentioned the situation to her numerous times. She doesn't care. He doesn't live in her head. Literally or as an idiom. She just tells me that David's a 'motherfucker' and that 'he can go sit his ass upon a long sharp stick.' Fuck, I adore her wordy ways."

Terra stands up. Screeches her chair behind. Walks around to Michael. Bends down and hugs him. She seems happy in her tears and happy in her words.

"Thank you, brother. Thank you for saving me and Garret and my sister. You take care of her. I hope I see you guys again someday. I love you guys. You deserve to be happy and I'm not standing in the way. Judith has been through a living hell her entire life. She's earned a reprieve. So have you, Michael. Take her and go."

Terra releases Michael. Walks out of the room. Garret nods to him and follows his better half.

Rist and Jane both hug Michael at the same time. Turn him into a sandwich with their arms. Jane kisses him on the cheek and so does Rist. The two Ghosts stand up. Push their chairs back. Walk around the table toward the portal.

Alice stands and turns the exit on. Hugs them both. Watches them disappear through the portal entrance of the exit. Alice turns to face Michael.

"You have my blessing, Michael. Go be with the love of your life. If she wants to leave and find adventure in this world, satisfy that within the daughter that I truly wish I had had. You've taught us enough about how to go about the simulations and how to defeat David when the time is right. She saved my Terra. Word is that my daughter woke up in the first reality saying Judith's name over and over. That wordy girl sacrificed herself for my Terra like she sacrificed her body and mind so her sister could survive. She is truly a blessing. Take care of Judith and yourself. I'm going to miss you."

                                ~~~~~~~

Judith and Michael walk through a woodland path. Timbre of red oak and white elm and black speckle birch and walnut and ash colour the walls of foliage. Judith smells the touch of bark and branch as they saunter along the loamy silty dirt and clastic pebble and verdant leaf and Carib grass. Both are barefoot. Feel the ground. Let the ground feel them.

Michael made the simulation in such a way to have winding trails and hidden paths and old houses furnished with big beds and hot showers. Sanctuaries within the sanctuary ready for the two travellers. Tree swings and cenotes and fields of flowers and mountains of snow. They touch upon the many horizons to be witnessed. Many nooks and many benches to make tasty love upon.

The two climb steep hills. Swim in fast rivers. Copulate in the sunshine and moonlight and the crashing waves of the glitch storm sea.

Judith wears Michael's blue trench coat. Curls up in the smell of him and that which she loves at night with him, as if they're under the oak tree in the first reality. They wake up with each other everyday.

Michael walks naked with Judith most of the time now, too. They're a regular Adam and Eve. They're in the garden.

"Were we ever alive, Michael?"

"We were and we are, my tasty treat."

"Were we ever here?"

"Here we are."

"Were we ever?"

"Always, my love."

A month into their journey, Judith smells pancakes and chocolate syrup.

"My man! What is that egregiously delicious nostril tickling?"

"Oh, my tasty treat. I forgot to tell you. This simulation has many food trucks scattered around. In jungles and on the tips of mountains. The kind that only serve breakfast and dessert."

Judith squeals with delight as her eyes close. A big warm smile etches across her face. She hugs Michael. Takes his hand. Pulls him along. They follow the scent to the food truck and order breakfast.

                                         
                       ~~~~~~~End~~~~~~~