THE AFTERMATH

It was the year 2050, the city of New York was in chaos as over a third of the population of New York had disappeared, their bodies vanished without a trace, leaving behind the things they wore. Some called it an alien invasion, others called it Doomsday; but for Professor Adam McShane, a Professor at NYU; it was the day he lost his beloved wife Alice, and 5-year-old daughter, Beverly. What happened? A question the great minds of the world were unable to answer.

It had been three days since the disappearance. Adam had passed out on the floor in the midst of several bottles of vodka. The scent of alcohol and vomit filled the room. Adam gradually sits up, holding his head in pain, the result of an aftermath of a severe hangover. He manages to get himself on his feet and walks straight to the liquor cabinet in his home. Home, he remembered when his house was a home; he saw fleeting images of his wife and daughter playing together, cooking together, such sweet memories. Beverly loved baking cookies, Adam was convinced that she was going to be a great chef when she grew up. Sadly, now she never will, because she was gone. Or was she? Is she? Are they? Adam’s mind was a wreck of unanswered questions. He was a known expert in the field of theoretical and experimental Physics but even he could not understand what happened to his wife and daughter. What’s the point of having all this knowledge if he can’t use it to protect the people he loves?

Adam opens the liquor cabinet and realized that there was no more liquor left. He slams the cabinet and yells at the top of his voice, “ALICE!”. He breaks down in tears as he gradually descends to the floor. Part of him wanted to believe that his wife and daughter would walk right into the house and then he would just wake up from this nightmare immediately. Alas, that was not to be. Adam struggles to accept his new reality, he refused to believe that his wife and daughter were no more. It all happened so fast, in the twinkle of an eye. One second, they were all together in the car on a road trip while Beverly entertained them by singing her favourite song. The next second, there was dead silence in the car. Adam turned to see his wife’s clothing but her body was gone. He turned to check on Beverly and saw the same thing. Adam was in shock, as a result, he lost control of the wheel and swerved the car off the road, and hit a tree. It all becomes a bit of a blur from then on as he is unable to recall how he got home.

Adam slowly walks back towards the couch and trips and falls on his side. He feels something in his pocket getting smashed as he hits the floor. He reaches into his pocket and there it is, the golden heart-shaped locket he had given Alice for their 10 year wedding anniversary just two weeks ago; one of the items left behind after his wife’s disappearance. They agreed that the locket will not contain their pictures but rather serve as a time capsule which they would open on their 20th wedding anniversary. They agreed to write what the present Alice would want to tell the future Adam, and what the present Adam would want to tell the future Alice. Well, Adam thought, she’s gone now, so might as well just open it. Adam opens the locket and opens up a small piece of paper with the name “Future Adam” written on it. He reads it and tears start flowing from his eyes.

Adam gets up and goes to the bathroom to wash his face. He looks at himself in the mirror and says, “You look like shit”, he sighs and walks back to the living room, wears his coat, puts on his sunglasses, and walks out of the house. Nothing ever happens without a reason, he thought as he walks down the street. Adam vowed that he was going to get behind what happened and expose everyone responsible for this event, he’s not giving up on his family. For Adam, this wasn’t the end, it was the beginning, it was the birth of the resistance – The Aftermath.