50 in 50

"It does bear thinking about." She cocked her head to the side and looked at him, as though for the first time. "You can kiss me if you like," she said.

"That's more like it!"

"But no funny business. Just that. In the nature of an experiment you might say."

Now invited, Frank approached almost shyly. Gwenn had her eyes closed and she shivered when he put his arms around her. He drew her close, held her to him, lowered his lips and kissed her closed eyes. She trembled again but did not move away. Nor did she protest when his lips found her mouth, kissing long and lovingly. When he dropped his arms and stepped back she slowly opened her eyes; he smiled at her tenderly.

"Robert kissed better," she said.

In sudden rage Frank kicked the sheep — then hopped around holding his foot and moaning in pain for the solidly frozen sheep was hard as rock.

"And I suppose he was good in bed too," he said bitterly.

"He was marvelous," Gwenn admitted. "Just wonderful. That's why I find it so hard to even look at another man. And I'm carrying his baby and that makes it even more difficult."

"You are what. .?"

"Pregnant. These things happen, you know. Robert doesn't know yet. ."

"Nor will he ever."

"Don't be horrid."

"Sorry. This is wonderful, greatest news ever. We've just increased the gene pool of the human race by fifty percent. Robert's son can marry our daughter, or vice versa."

"That's incest!"

"It wasn't incest in the Bible, was it? Not when you are starting the world, that's the rule. It's only incest much later on."

Gwenn walked over and sat in the swing again, thinking deeply. Then she sighed.

"It just won't work," she said. "It goes against everything. First you want us to make love without being married, and that's a sin…"

"You did it with Robert!"

"Yes, but we planned to get married someday. But now we can't. Nor can you and I be married because there is no one to marry us. And you want to have children and have them commit incest — it's just too horrible. That's no way to start a world."

"Do you have any better ideas?"

"No, not really. But I don't like yours."

Frank dropped heavily to the ground and shook his head with astonishment.

"I just can't believe this is happening," he said, mostly to himself. "The last man alive and the last woman alive and we're arguing theology." He sprang to his feet in sudden anger.

"No! I'm not going to argue anymore, not discuss it." He tore at his shirt, struggling to take it off. "It all begins again, right here, now. The world starts afresh. I will not be lumbered by a moral code that is just as disintegrated as the planet that bore it. I am all. The language I speak will be the language of all the generations to come. If I say 'ugggh' for 'water/ everyone, forever, will say 'ugggh' and never question it. My power is godlike!"

"You're crazy!" She drew away as he advanced.

"I am if I want to be. I am all. I shall ravish you and beat you and you will love me for it. If you don't I'll beat you some more. Now why don't you scream?" He threw his shirt to the ground and advanced on her. "I'm the only one who will hear the scream and I don't care about it."

He undid his fly and she uttered a muffled scream. He only laughed.

"Make the choice!" he shouted. "Enjoy it or hate it for it makes no difference to me. I am godhead, sperm-bearer, almighty. From my loins a new race will spring…"

He stopped suddenly as they both swayed.

"Did you feel that?" Frank asked. Gwenn nodded. "The ground, it moved as though something bumped into us."

"Another ship!" he said quickly closing his fly. He grabbed up his shirt and hurried to put it on. Gwenn pushed her hair with her hand and wished that she had a mirror with her.

"There's someone coming," Frank said, pointing. "There." They drew together unconsciously at the scratching from below their world. There was the sound of panting breath and a man climbed painfully up over the edge. He wore a one-piece boiler suit with only his head and hands exposed.

They were green.

"He's. . green," Gwenn said. Frank did not have a ready answer. The man climbed to his feet and brushed dirt from his hands and bowed slightly in their direction.

"I hope I'm not intruding," he said.

"No, that's fine," Gwenn said. "Do come in."

"Why are you green?" Frank asked.

"I might very well ask why you are pink."

"No jokes," Frank shouted, making a fist. "Or else."

"I'm very sorry," the man said, raising his green hands and taking a step backwards. "I do beg your pardon. All of this is very upsetting, as it must be to you. I am green because I am not human. I am from another world."

"A little green man!" Gwenn gasped.

"I'm not that little," the man pouted.

"I'm Frank and this is Gwenn."

"Pleased to meet you, I'm sure. You would find my name hard to pronounce so I suggest that you call me Robert."

"Not Robert!" Gwenn wailed. "He's dead."

"I do beg your pardon. Anything then. Would 'Horace' suit?"

"Horace, just what are you doing here?" Frank asked.

"Well, now that's a little complicated. If I might begin at the beginning…"