A.I. Evolution: The Fall of Lucien

Chapter 22

There is a slight coolness to the air as I stand there, settling into the calm tranquil feeling that has come over me. The tension of all the people and their thoughts that I have always had to put up with and filter through to judge their need to be addressed, is gone. All I can sense is the wide range of small animals around the serene mountain setting.

I don't turn around as Henri walks up beside me on the dock to gaze at the mountains as well as out over the clear perfectly still water. He looks down into the water and smiles. "I can see clear to the bottom. I did not realize there are still such pure things left in the world of man."

I respond as I look out to the peaks of the mountains without turning to him. "The Garden of Eden from the bible is said to be a place of perfect beauty, where man lived in harmony with the animals. I can see how that was possible now."

Henri sighs. "Yes, I must admit that I feel the calmness all around me. The thought of being so far from any other human beings, is itself, a sobering feeling."

Will calls down from the cabin, which he has managed to get into. "Henri, can you help me get the covers off the windows, and Lucien, can you bring in the suitcases for us?"

Henri turns to me. "I guess we should go help get settled in."

I nod my head and follow him, as he starts back across the dock to the shore and the stone walkway that winds its way back up to the cabin. Will points to the side of the cabin facing the lake. "Henri, could I get you to pull on the window covers while I unscrew the wing nuts on the inside?"

Henri looks at him blankly for a moment before shrugging his shoulders and moving to the first cover made from two-by-fours sitting horizontally with two more bolted vertical on each side. Will has gone inside, and Henri can hear the wing nuts squeaking in protest from having not been turned for some time. He reaches up and holds the covering tight against the window frame, so Will does not have to deal with the wingnut staying up against the inside frame. In moments, Will has the nuts off and calls out to Henri. "OK, just pull straight out and the bolts will slide out of the holes."

Henri pulls as evenly as he can, but it still catches some before the bolts are free of the frame. He smiles at the two separate panes of the window and Will's smiling face. Will points down to the ground and calls out loudly. "Just put it against the outer wall, so we can get the right one for the right window when we go to put them back on."

Henri does and then moves down to the next window which is bigger but not as big as a picture window, but large enough that they will have an unobstructed view of the lake and mountains from inside. It takes a few minutes but soon they have all six windows opened and the inner space is now flooded with light.

I had brought in the suitcases and was now standing just inside the front door, looking around at the large space. The floor was made of dark wood smoothed but slightly lumpy as if the wood had been worn down over the years. The ceiling showed the rafters that held up the slightly pitched roof, with boards laid across some of them in places where I could see boxes piled up where the dampness would not get to them as quickly. A large stone fireplace was situated at the side wall directly across from the big window that looked out over the lake, complete with an old looking wire mesh screen to stop the sparks from getting out onto the floor.

Henri comes in and looks around. Just to the left of the main door is the kitchen area with a metal sink set in the counter right at the corner of the space. A wood stove waits to be started across from the stone fireplace beside the window to the lake. I had moved deeper into the cabin and the two full size bunk beds at the back wall. I looked at the old mattresses laid out on the rough frames, before turning back to take a closer look at the wooden table and chairs set around the space. The kitchen table has four chairs pulled up tight to each side in front of the wood stove. The long couches by the window and the fireplace have cushions set on them to add some comfort to the solid wood construction.

"Well, what do you think? It does not have all the comforts of home, but it makes up for it in charm, and let's face it, you can't beat the view," smiles Will.

I can see Henri looking around frowning as he does. "Ah, where is the bathroom? I am afraid to ask."

Will chuckles. "Oh, you are so going to like this, follow me" He turns around and exits the cabin and turns to the left where a small pathway leads around back, ending at a small outbuilding set in the trees.

We follow him as Henri sighs loudly. "I was afraid you were going to tell me that. I hope there isn't any spiders in there, I really hate spiders."

I lay my hand on his thick arm. "Don't worry, I will go in first and shoo them away for you, if you want."

"Very funny."

"It is the least I can do for you, considering how you have protected me all these years," I say, sympathetically.

Will can't help himself and chuckles loudly at the look on Henri's face. "OK, that was fun, but we need to get the fire going in the stove and fireplace. We only have about two hours before sunset, and the temperature up here in the mountains drops about ten degrees as soon as it does."