The city was as busy as a small capital city at the edge of the earth during the end of the world would be. They were together, and they walked together. For the first time in twelve years they felt safe and unexposed walking at each other’s side.

They walked through the park. People were drinking at the picnic table. Some people had strung up a volleyball net and were playing. Peggy and Greta stopped to watch. Then they realised Heidi was playing.

‘Wasn’t it Dell who played volleyball?’ Peggy said. They looked closer, but it was Heidi. She saw them and waved and walked over.

‘We saw Dell,’ Greta said to her.

‘She came round for lunch,’ said Peggy.

‘Oh,’ Heidi said. She was still watching the game, continuing on without her now.

‘I thought it was Dell who played volleyball?’ Peggy said.

Heidi looked away from the game. ‘We both do,’ she said, and Peggy and Greta nodded their heads. Of course.

‘Did you give us the phone?’ Greta said.

Heidi looked at the ground now. ‘No.’ And she looked back at the volleyball game.

‘Well,’ Peggy said. ‘We gave it to Dell anyway.’

‘I wish you hadn’t,’ Heidi said.

‘I bet you do,’ Greta said.

‘Why do you wish we hadn’t?’ Peggy said.

‘That sort of thing gets her riled up,’ Heidi said. ‘She always thinks she can figure out the unfathomable things.’

‘So the phone doesn’t mean anything?’ said Peggy.

‘Well – you know how it is,’ said Heidi.

‘No,’ said Greta. ‘Do you?’

‘You know,’ Heidi said. Everyone in the volleyball game clapped after a long rally.

‘We think we’re all living in a simulation,’ Greta said.

Heidi shrugged. ‘Sounds about right.’

‘Do you know what the rules are?’ asked Peggy.

‘I don’t know if it works like that.’

‘There are no rules,’ Greta said.

‘There might be.’ Heidi was shifting on her feet, not looking at either of them. ‘If there are rules, then they keep changing, so there might as well not be any rules.’

‘So nothing means anything?’ said Peggy, and Heidi shrugged. ‘And nothing matters?’

‘Those are two different things,’ Heidi said.

Peggy and Greta didn’t say anything.

‘Those two things only look like the same thing if you think you can win,’ Heidi said. ‘And you can’t.’

‘What matters, then?’ Greta said.

‘The keeping going,’ Heidi said.

Peggy pointed to the people playing volleyball and the people watching them and the people just sitting in the park. ‘Is that what they’re doing?’ she said.

‘I think so,’ Heidi said.

‘Is it just wandering about?’ Greta said.

‘I think so,’ Heidi said. ‘But what would I know? What did Dell say?’

‘Not much,’ Greta said.

‘She’s a fighter,’ Heidi said.

‘What about you?’ Peggy asked.

‘Me?’ Heidi said. ‘I don’t think it’s as simple as who’s fighting and who’s surrendering.’