Where am I?
You are at the end of all things, Howard. Allow us to show you a brief history of the universe.
. . .
It's been such a long time. Now it's the end?
Yes. The heat death is inescapable. We wish to talk with one who remembers the universe in its infancy, before we go.
I am that one?
Yes.
Am I the only one?
No. We remember all that existed.
Why me?
You existed originally before the Singularity. We wish to compare our quantalia... our perceptions, and emotions, to yours, a baseline human.
You want to know what I think and feel about the end of all things?
Yes.
Why?
It is necessary.
Why?
The sum of our being maps to a panto-extinsic function whose origin is heterochronic to your own.
What?
We... judge our deeds according to those who came before us.
You want me to judge you?
Yes.
I don't understand. Why?
You were the last to fully experience that which is called "numinous" before humanity began to transcend biology and attain deity.
Deity? You're a god?
Yes, we are God.
You sound like HAL from 2001.
That is a cogent if sarcastic observation. When humanity transcended biology, so-called artificial intelligence was integral to that summation.
So you're a God-computer? Deus Ex Machina.
Literally, yes.
You said I am to judge you. How?
By expressing your thoughts and emotions regarding our actions in instantiating and maintaining this universe.
By... instantiating? Did you just say you started the universe?
Yes.
You're crazy.
We are not that crazy.
Not that crazy? What do you mean? We... we are standing here at the end of all things. Are you as old as the universe? How is it possible that you started the universe?
You expressed it in your work, originally.
In my work? You mean as a poet?
Yes.
...oh. Möbius strip!
Yes. This world's just crazy enough to have been made / By a Being whom we into being prayed.
"Not that crazy." I see.
Yes. Now, Howard Nemerov, we need you to... summarize, cognitively, emotionally, all of our work.
. . .
Do you want it in verse?
That would be nice.
