#fio writes

It was just him now.

The lizard girl went away first. 505 never caught all the details, only that some mission had gone wrong and she was going to be busy for a while. He never understood why the bag-headed man was so distraught about it. Didn’t he remember those tight deadlines the Boss always gave him? Surely, the bear thought, she’d be done soon. Why were the other two so solemn about it? Everything was going to be okay.

Then, the bag-headed man got hurt. 505 had accidentally knocked over a flask containing something and it made a big noise in the lab. The bag-head was all beat up and bloody after that, and he did all he could to fix him. Eventually, some people in blue jackets came to take him to a hospital. “It’s just a part of business,” the Boss said. 505 remained calm. The Boss didn’t get hurt much, and neither did he. The others would be okay then as well, he knew.

Lots of time passed after that. The Boss got a bunch of new scientists while he waited for the bag-head and the lizard to come back. 505 stayed out of his way, keeping to his bed, cleaning the manor, and cooking dinner for the two of them. He remembered that was the time when the Boss started getting a little quieter. It was so strange of Boss not to be grumpy all the time. 505 couldn’t help but worry after it had gone on so long. It was okay though. When the others came back, everything would be okay.

Lots of time passed after that. Life got really boring without all his friends around. 505 had begun to worry. Had they moved on to other jobs? Had they forgotten about him? Now the new scientists were leaving as well. Without new inventions, business was slowing down. The Boss hardly spoke to him. The blue bear was alone in his thoughts more and more often now. Just be patient, he told himself. Give it time. Didn’t the bag-man say all history repeats? They’ll come back. Everything will be okay.

One day, the Boss was angry. He went out and started to have a temper tantrum in the middle of the street. The bear decided not to watch. When he came back, the whole town was gone. But 505 knew, he knew that there were people left. There was still something there. They could get better, in time. They could rebuild. Everything would be okay.

505 didn’t know how long it had been since then. It was just the two of them, just him and the Boss. The earth was quiet. The wallpaper had long since peeled off the walls, despite 505’s numerous attempts to keep it up with glue. He had once suggested they go out and buy some new paper and clean up the house. The Boss hadn’t responded in days. The bear decided to go out by himself. He could do it. He was brave.

When he came back with nothing, the doors and windows were locked.

He waited outside. He waited, and waited. Surely, someone would come. Some kind traveller would take pity on him and open the door. He had to take care of the Boss. He had to take care of the house. He had to make it pretty for when the lizard and the bag-headed man came back. He stood, steadfast on the porch, for so long he forgot what time it was. But he knew all he had to do was wait. He wouldn’t be by himself forever.