Once the flash of light faded, Mark rubbed his eyes.
He was standing in the kitchen. Oddly enough, he couldn't remember why he had walked into the kitchen.
In his hand, he held a device that he didn’t recognize. A message on the screen simply read “Failsafe Operation Complete.”
“Brad?” Mark raised his voice as he glanced curiously at the device. “You home, babe?”
A fly buzzed past his ear, which prompted him to raise a hand and swat lazily in the insect’s general direction.
A new message popped on screen. “Power off?”
Green and red menu buttons labeled Yes/No respectively appeared on the screen.
Mark called out his husband’s name, again to no response. He shrugged and pressed “Yes” figuring if he ran down the battery on one of Brad’s devices he’d never hear the end of it.
After shutting off the Chronivac, he placed the device on the surface of the kitchen island. He started to go in search of Brad, but the fly returned, buzzing boldly right in front of his face.
“Damn pest!” Mark exploded. In a fit of temper, he swiped crazily at the insect, both arms flailing through the air as he tried to anticipate the bug’s evasions.
The insect veered away from him, and he yelled out Brad's name again. "Did you go out?" Mark shouted, hoping for an answer.
The only reply was a buzz that grew louder as the pesky fly returned again and hovered almost defiantly in front of his face.
"That does it!" Mark frowned and took a few steps, reaching between the wall and the fridge for an object hanging on a hook.
When he pulled his arm back, he held in his grasp the green plastic handle of a flyswatter made of white and yellow plastic mesh.
The fly that had been making itself such a nuisance veered off, zipping toward the kitchen cabinets.
"Not so fast," Mark grumbled, tracking the fly with his hand wielding the flyswatter at the ready.