She slowed down as she stepped out of the empty station building, into the vast expanse of nothingness. Caila looked over her shoulder and witnessed how the last building disappeared into the ground. She almost got the giggles, as a thought popped into her mind, “All services have been suspended until further notice.”

She turned back to face the Neteru, who was now standing behind her, “Has everything gone, Mateos? Everywhere?”

“No, not everything, but we did remove most the buildings and the infrastructure, together with all contaminants and weapons.”

Caila slowly spun around and took in the breathtaking panorama around her. Instead of offices and high-rises, she saw only trees and parks. The beautiful red and orange shades of the autumnal trees had replaced the greys of this once great city. In a few years’ time, it would be beautiful again.

She looked up at Mateos and smiled, he had delivered on his promise. This morning, she had witnessed no distress or suffering, while humans were removed from Earth.

The scent of spring, used to create a sense of euphoria during the Event, still lingered in the air. It produced an intoxicating aroma in combination with the smell of the freshly fallen autumn leaves. Caila took a deep breath, this was the scent of a new beginning, the scent of a new chance for Earth.