[ it quickly becomes apparent that nick either has no idea where he's going, or he's too distracted to pay attention, so cain begins to subtly guide them to turn where appropriate. he'll send them to the main boardwalk and hopefully nick can figure it out from there. ]

I have, [ he murmurs, and chooses very carefully not to think of the years of his youth. .. well, relative youth. the first rise and fall of humanity.

his lips part to respond again--he eats occasionally, to keep up his strength, his diet is just very particular--but the boy is easily distracted and jumps from the subject before he can address it. he finds himself smiling again, amused and a little charmed in spite of himself. people are never so easy with him anymore-- but then, he's one of the foundation's artifacts, not technically considered a person. and foundation personnel are the only ones he gets to speak to any longer. ]

Very, [ he says at last, when it seems as if nick wants the answer to this question. ] Millions of years. Billions, perhaps. One has a way of losing track of years after long enough, even with my memory being what it is. Are you familiar with the story of Adam and Eve? [ he doesn't really like using it as an example, given how terribly inaccurate it is, but it's technically correct about some things. ]