GET IT RIGHT
Detective Johnson stood in front of a camera crew outside a police station.
“This is Annie,” he started, holding up a picture of an eleven-year-old girl. “And it’s been five years since she disappeared.”
“Do you have any theories on what happened to her?” the reporter asked, microphone in hand.
“I'm convinced she was abducted by someone not known to her,” Johnson revealed.
“What keeps you going though, Detective?” the reporter inquired.
Johnson looked away for a moment, a hint of vulnerability breaking through. “Finding her alive. Even though I’ve never met her, I’d love to see her smile.”
The reporter nodded. “But, what if you find that Annie’s actually dead?”
Johnson paused, his gaze shifting down. “I don't want that to happen, but it’ll be the only other way I can move on.”
“So, what's next for the investigation?” the reporter followed up, her tone chipper.
“I’ve got an old tip-off to retrace,” Johnson revealed. “I’m going tonight, after we’re done.”
“Can we come with you?” the reporter quizzed.
“Of course not,” Johnson replied firmly. “I can’t risk anything compromising the investigation.”
* * *
Later that night, Johnson entered a dilapidated building, toting a flashlight. He navigated through the dark interior and discovered a hidden trapdoor in the floor.
“Down the rabbit hole,” he uttered, descending the narrow staircase that the door concealed.
He came upon an abandoned lab, dominated by two large sarcophagi. Wires and pipes ran from them to a computer terminal, and then into the lab wall.
“What the hell?” Johnson whispered, approaching the first sarcophagus.
He tried to pull it, but it was locked tight. However, the second sarcophagus next to it was open.
He moved forward to inspect the computer terminal. “Wonder if this still works?”
As he touched the screen, a set of speakers crackled to life.
“Sequence initiated,” the terminal indicated.
Johnson stepped into the sarcophagus to examine it closer. However, the door suddenly slammed shut on him.
“Hypersleep initiated,” the terminal announced.
Panic set in as Johnson realized what was happening.
“Open up!” he yelled, banging on the door.
“Hypersleep commencing,” the computer confirmed as gas filled the sarcophagus.
Johnson’s eyes grew heavy, and he could only manage a faint whimper before everything went dark.
* * *
The sarcophagus opened, and Johnson stumbled out, unchanged but disoriented.
“What happened?” he murmured, noticing the other sarcophagus was open as well.
Exiting the underground chamber, he shielded himself from the bright sunlight.
After his eyes adjusted, Johnson looked around at the city. It had transformed into a futuristic marvel, overwhelming Johnson as he wandered through its advanced architecture.
“How long was I in there?” he asked aloud, as he strolled towards the city’s main square.
A massive screen caught his attention, displaying a news report.
“And now onto stranger happenings,” the presenter imparted. “Today marks seventy years since the disappearance of Detective James Johnson, who seemingly vanished one day.”
Johnson’s eyes widened with shock as the realisation shrunk in.
The broadcast cut to footage of Johnson being interviewed by the reporter.
“What makes this even more bizarre,” the news anchor continued. “Is the fact that Johnson was working on a missing person’s case when he himself disappeared. He was known for his obsession with the investigation and was close to being fired for insubordination for continuing to pursue it after it was closed.”
The broadcast showed a picture of Johnson with his wife and children. “His family also left him due to his neglect, shortly before he went missing.”
Johnson stood in shock, absorbing the harsh truths. He then turned and noticed a girl next to him, watching the same screen.
He was stunned to find that she looked like a sixteen-year-old Annie.
Feeling Johnson’s gaze, the girl turned to look at him. She was equally bemused to find Johnson standing next to her.
“Annie?!” Johnson exclaimed.
Annie took a moment to compose herself.
“Is all of that really true?” she asked.
Johnson smiled, relief spreading over him. “I decided I wasn’t gonna stop until I found you. And now I finally hav—”
“You’re a fucking idiot,” Annie interjected.
“What?” Johnson replied. “What’re you talking about?”
“Why the hell did you ruin your life for me?” Annie asked, her voice cutting through his confusion.
Johnson was devastated. “How can you be so ungrateful?”
“I used to go to that lab to escape my abusive parents,” Annie spat. “I went there so much that I figured out the sarcophagi were hypersleep chambers. I initiated the sequence on purpose, to get away from them.”
Johnson was shocked, struggling to process the information. “But… seventy years?!”
Annie stepped closer, her voice cold. “I knew they'd be dead now. If you’d have done your job properly, you would’ve figured it out!”
“I… I didn't know,” Johnson uttered, completely defeated.
Annie turned and started to walk off. “I would’ve killed to have a family like yours!”
“Annie, wait!” Johnson cried. “I just need to see you smile!”
“Goodbye, Detective,” Annie mocked, as she kept walking. “I’ll be doing plenty of smiling when you’re not around!”
* * *
Tears streamed down Johnson's face as he returned to the abandoned lab.
“What have I done?” he lamented, staring at the open sarcophagi. “I destroyed everything.”
After a few moments, he wiped away his tears, a new determination forming.
Johnson stepped into the sarcophagus. “In another seventy years, Annie’ll be dead and I can finally move on.”
The sarcophagus closed, and the terminal activated. “Sequence initiated.”
Inside, Johnson was calm.
“I deserve a second chance,” he muttered.
The status bar on the screen filled up. “Hypersleep commencing.”
“This time,” Johnson whispered as gas filled the chamber. “I know I'll get it right.”