After the Ashes: A Novella

A haunting tale of survival, loss, and the courage to rebuild when everything you've known turns to ash.

In a future stripped of modern technology, the settlement of New Altadena thrives in a valley where life moves at the pace of the 1800s-until the Santa Ana winds bring catastrophe. When a wildfire consumes ninety percent of their town in a single terrifying night, Marie and Anthony Johnson must flee with nothing but their little dog Cantinflas and the clothes on their backs.

But surviving the flames is only the beginning.

As their community grapples with the impossible loss, the Johnsons confront impossible questions: How do you rebuild when insurance companies won't pay and predators circle your ruined land? How do you carry the weight of surviving when others didn't? And how do you find hope in soil that will forever taste of ash?

Through the changing seasons after the fire, Marie documents their community's slow transformation-from the funerals to the first green shoots pushing through blackened earth, from paralyzing grief to the trembling courage of planting apple seeds that won't bear fruit for years. Anthony struggles with the haunting memories of bodies and ruins, while Cantinflas, injured and traumatized, becomes an unlikely beacon of resilience for them all.

"After the Ashes" is an unflinching exploration of collective trauma and the long, imperfect path to renewal. This novella asks: When your world ends, who do you become in what comes after?

"Aftermath of Ashes" reminds us that home isn't just a place that can be destroyed, it's a choice that can be renewed, even in the face of the next approaching wind.

This novella is meant to honor those who lost their lives, homes, or a stable life in a secure place and community. We hope our rebuilding will enable us survivors to heal as we hold each other and support our efforts to reconstruct all we lost. Each person who survived has a different story. This is one version of one story that may convey some of the feelings and aftermath of destruction and rebirth. May each person's recovery provide what is needed in their world and may they be embraced by family, loved ones, and their community. This story is set in a future world where advanced technology has been lost. Life is simpler but the people must deal with unexpected challenges.