[Year 2072 19th may 3:00 AM]
The sound of the phone vibrating broke the silence of the room as my father stirred awake, reaching out from his bed and picking up his smartphone, his eyes still heavy with sleep as he swiped to answer the call.
Timothy Sandler.
"What is it?" my father asked, rubbing his eyes as he sat up.
"There is an emergency, Daniel, we need you to reach 37°14'0"N 115°48'30"W as soon as possible," the voice on the other end replied, sharp and urgent.
There was no explanation, and there didn't need to be.
My father got up immediately, putting on his clothes with practiced speed before picking up his identification card, the text on it reflecting faintly under the dim light.
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Name: Daniel Brown
Position: Senior Research Faculty
Organization: Classified Government Research Program Association (C.G.R.A)
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Within minutes, he was on the road, following the coordinates that led him far from any city and far from anything that resembled civilization, until the road itself disappeared into dense forest where massive trees stretched high enough to block most of the sky, their shadows spreading endlessly across the ground while distant animal calls echoed through the darkness, creating a silence that felt heavier with every passing second.
He stepped out of the car and looked around carefully, trying to make sense of the place, but there was nothing, no buildings, no visible structure, no indication of why he had been called there, and just as doubt began to settle in, he heard footsteps behind him and turned to find Timothy standing there with a torch, the beam cutting through the darkness as relief appeared on his face.
"Come, follow me, I'll explain on the way," Timothy said, already turning back as if he expected no hesitation.
They moved deeper into the forest until the ground beneath them revealed a concealed entrance, and within moments they descended into an underground bunker hidden far below the surface, where the atmosphere felt entirely different from the world above.
Inside, the bunker was filled with people, scientists, politicians, and businessmen whose presence alone reflected importance, yet even in that crowd there was something missing, and it became clear almost immediately that the President was not there.
"What is all this?" my father asked, his voice carrying both confusion and unease.
"Don't worry, just wait till morning and you'll understand," Timothy replied, his tone calm but not comforting, as if he already knew what was coming.
Morning, however, did not arrive in the way anyone expected, because the earthquake began before that moment could come, and even deep underground the tremors were strong enough to make the ground shake violently, leaving no doubt that what was happening above was beyond anything they had prepared for.
As the bunker held steady and protected those inside, a realization slowly formed, not spoken but understood by everyone present, that this had not been a coincidence, because while the disaster itself had not been controlled, survival had been, and the government had already chosen who would be saved and who would be left behind.
Tears filled the bunker, not because those inside were dying, but because they were not, because even though some had managed to bring their families along, countless others had been left behind without warning, without a chance, and without any way to be saved.
Three months later, survival had become a different kind of struggle, because the world above had transformed into something unrecognizable, with snow covering broken buildings and barren land alike, forcing people to remain inside bunkers as conditions outside grew harsher with each passing day, while inside resources became limited and people began to die, not from the disaster itself, but from what followed it.
It was during this time that Timothy, now leading the research group, received a call carrying new orders, instructing them to move to India immediately along with all scientists, and there was no room for discussion, only urgency.
India was where everything changed, because the chip had first been discovered there, something unlike anything the world had seen before, and scientists from across the globe were brought together to study it, understand it, and eventually replicate it, while India chose to keep its origin confidential, a decision that surprisingly faced no resistance since all participating nations were given full authority to research and produce it in large scale.
It was during one of those long days of work that my father met Dr. Raghav Malhotra, not through any dramatic introduction, but through a simple accident as they collided while moving through the lab, both too focused on their work to notice each other.
"I'm sorry, brother," my father said instinctively.
"It's okay, Daniel," he replied with a small smile.
My father paused for a moment before asking, "How do you know my name?"
Raghav smiled slightly. "It's written on your shirt," he said, giving a small wink that felt unexpectedly human in a place driven entirely by urgency and precision.
That small moment turned into conversation, and conversation slowly turned into familiarity, as they began working together, eating together, and eventually forming a friendship that felt natural in a world that had lost almost everything, because in times like those, people needed something to hold onto, even if it was just each other.
One evening, as they sat together after hours of work, my father asked, "So, are you married?"
Raghav shook his head slightly. "No, not really… what about you?"
"Same here," my father replied.
Raghav let out a quiet laugh. "Not going to lie, I get jealous watching couples sneak into washrooms," he said, and for the first time in a long while, they both laughed, not because things had become better, but because they hadn't.
Three years passed like this, with work continuing and the world slowly stabilizing, until the day sunlight finally returned, breaking through the thick grey sky that had covered the planet for years, marking a moment that felt almost unreal after everything that had happened.
Before the scientists returned to their respective countries, an announcement was made declaring that all scientists involved in the program would be granted three hundred years of additional lifespan, as the chip had been successfully tested and mass production had begun, and the room filled with applause that carried relief, disbelief, and hope all at once.
My father and Dr. Raghav Malhotra stood together one last time before parting ways, exchanging a quiet farewell that carried more meaning than words could express, because neither of them could fully understand how much the world, and their own lives, were about to change.
Raghav adjusted his glasses as he stood near the exit, a faint smile forming while people moved around them, preparing to leave.
"Three hundred years, Daniel… not bad for people who almost didn't make three months."
Daniel stood beside him, his hands resting loosely at his sides as he gave a slight nod.
"It's not the years that matter, it's what they turn into."
Raghav let out a quiet chuckle, shifting his weight slightly.
"Still thinking ahead, I see."
Daniel glanced at him briefly.
"And you're still not."
Raghav folded his arms casually.
"Someone has to live in the present."
For a moment, neither of them spoke, the noise around them fading into the background as Daniel looked down, then bent slightly to pick up his bag, adjusting the strap over his shoulder with a small pause as if he had something more to say but chose not to, and when he straightened, he finally spoke.
"Take care."
Raghav stepped forward and extended his hand.
"You too… and try not to start a revolution."
Daniel shook it firmly.
"No promises."
And with that, my father left, returning to a world that no longer followed the rules it once did.
[Year 2242]
Dr. Raghav leaned back into his chair after speaking for nearly two hours, though to us it had passed far too quickly.
"So… that was how I met your father."
Anthony and I exchanged a glance, both of us caught off guard as the realization settled in that my father had been part of the world long before the tragedy, something neither of us had ever known.