The Vanishing
Alice didn’t disappear in an instant. She faded slowly over the course of an otherwise ordinary day.
One morning she noticed that her body wasn’t quite as solid as it once was. Her hands felt porous and spongy, and she could feel the breeze move through her chest. It didn’t frighten her, but it did spark her curiosity. What caused this sudden change? And what would happen next?
She went to her job at the office, and made it through the day without anyone asking her about her condition. She drove home, and was grateful when she arrived at her apartment. Her little home was cozy and warm, and she could retreat into it safely.
Once she changed into her pajamas, Alice sat down to read the latest thriller on her reading list, and was frustrated when the pages passed right through her fingers. “What the hell?!” She grunted in frustration. She, still wasn’t afraid.
Alice sat on the couch, looking out the window at the deepening sunset. She thought about her life, and wondered if she was happy. She wasn’t, at least not particularly. She was just living, and that should be enough. Sure, she didn’t have any family, and no, she didn’t have friends. But she had her apartment, and her health, and her job. That was more than a lot of people had, right?
Just then Alice sank deeper into the couch, but only slightly. She could no longer feel her chest move with her breath. She tried to smile. She couldn’t call for help, even if she wanted it. She felt herself surrendering to the strange sensations, not fighting against them. She felt an overwhelming wave of peace radiate from her heart, even though she could no longer feel it beating.
In an instant, the window lit up in a bright orange light, setting Alice’s face and body aglow. She was overcome with emotion, and tears began streaming down her cheeks. She sat unmoving until the light shifted and she was left sitting in darkness.
Alice sat cross-legged and noticed that she could no longer see her feet. As she made that observation, she also noticed that she could no longer feel her back. Within a few brief moments, Alice could no longer see nor hear. She continued to sit.
And sit. In a darkness that was closer to a void.
Alice’s thoughts were still intact, and she thought to herself how strange it was that she was disappearing. She still wasn’t afraid. Instead she thought, “So this is it”.
All the while, Alice’s body was becoming less and less, until it was barely perceptible.
The sliver of her body remained for a few moments before finally vanishing completely.
By this time, the room was completely dark. The couch was empty, except for an unread paperback on a cushion.