"There must be a logical answer to this. There must be. There must be." Smith repeated to himself looking down toward the floor.
The light faded away replaced by pitch black.
Smith's eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"Professor?" Smith called, looking up. "Madame? Major? Penny? Judy?"
Smith looked around as he slid the railing away. He held onto left hand within his left. He scanned the scenery seeing cobwebs decorating the corners. Spiders scurrying away from him when he took a glance at it. He yelped, stepping back at the large bugs. Smith regained his composure then looked around and stopped once he heard something. It sounded like a beep. He saw a colorful purple sleeve from the corner of the hallway.
"Madame!" Smith said. "William and I just returned from a cave-"
Smith stopped in his tracks.
There lay the skeleton of Maureen Robinson and John side by side.
Smith made his way way over to Penny's quarters then slid the door open. There lay Penny's skeleton on the floor laid to the side in her favorite outfit consisting of a two piece outfit. Smith almost wanted to puke. He quickly made his way toward Don's room. He slid the door open to see to his horror, the Major's skeleton laid in front of a dress that had faded with age and seemed to be in tatters. Smith closed the door behind him then his eyes widened in horror. There was no explanation for this. The way the hatch had vanished. The astronavigator had vanished after he had simply touched it. The plants were purple rather than green and it was odd-beep-beep-beep-beep. Had they vanished? They vanished, yet? Not yet. Why had they not vanished? Perhaps plant life was immune to his deadly touch. His touch couldn't be deadly, not unless they had been in the cave longer than they had thought.
No.
NO
no
NO
NONONONONONONONONONONOONNONONONONONONNOONONONONONONONNONO-
Smith had taken the boy with him into some kind of twisted future.
It couldn't be and yet it was at the same time.
The unacceptable loss of life.
Metal was vanishing whenever he touched it.
Smith's back met the wall as he placed his hands onto his face. Then Smith, sobbed. Sobbed for the Robinsons, sobbed for the Robot, and for the Jupiter 2. There was no way he could return to Earth in the state the Jupiter 2 was in. Tears for Debbie. Tears for a undeniable depressing, sad future. And for a bright, loving past that had been. His large family was dead. The Robot, Will, and Smith were the only survivors. Smith lost his balance then fell to the floor behind him. Smith landed on his back then turned around to see that there were dead insects laid on the floor and dust that outlined his figure. Like there never had been a wall in the first place. Smith's panic increased, staggering back from the wall then stood up straight. Smith placed one hand on his forehead cupping his eyes and lowered his head down. Smith ran out of tears and lowered his hand, his face turning to haunted.
He wasn't going to tell Will, Smith decided.
He couldn't let him see it.
That much was certain.
It was in his best interest.
Smith came over to the elevator then turned back toward the graveyard. He had to figure out what to do with Will and the Robot. What with everything vanishing from his metal vanishing touch. It was a grim, stark parallel to the time he turned everything to platinum. Penny dying before his eyes by accident. Everything he had done was to protect her and the other women. He slid the bar out, then pressed the familiar button. He cupped his hands together in his lap looking on at the familiar residential deck that had grief and darkness lingering in. The elevator slowly went up into the light.
The End.