There has been a viral holocaust. People went crazy, took their clothes off, drowned themselves, starved. Whole areas of cities are laid waste.

Years later we are allowed in.

I go with my three year old daughter. She is tiny, very dark hair and pale skin. Her mother is dead.

We sit at a table surrounded by debris.

We find things that belonged to the people that died. Pictures, notebooks.

We find a little gift, wrapped up intended for a child that is now dead.

I tell my daughter that she can open it, that the dead child wouldn’t mind.

I put my hand on my daughters shoulder and I am so glad she is alive and so sad for the dead child, the dead people.

I wake up crying, doubled over with withdrawal.

4am.