The waves lap the sunset beach. Sixteen month-old baby James, sleeps peacefully in his Moses basket while his parents let the cool water lap at their ankles.

His mother’s laughter echoes off the surrounding rocks, only to die against the wind. Baby James remains sleeping, ignorant of the fact that his parents have suddenly disappeared.

After a few hours, baby James wakes to the gentle rocking of his basket and a cold patch of water soaking through his vest to his skin.

A toddler named Max, cries as his baby sister gnaws at his favourite car toy. The rubbery sides gentle on her protruding teeth. He knows she is hungry, even though she doesn’t understand his questions. Two hours have passed since their father, a single parent, vanished off the couch. Max goes in search of something to trade for his toy. The nearest find is a fragrant potpourri orange sitting in a bowl on the side. His sister eagerly give up the toy in little of the dried orange.

A bubbling creche starts the day with fifteen small souls, but by mid morning it is reduced to twelve. Little two year old, Chris loses his five year old brother playing hide and seek. When no one comes to give them cut up apples, the little ones descend into tears, crying themselves to sleep. Little Chris, however, keeps looking despite the gnawing hunger in his belly.

While one year old Kelly’s dad splashes and plays in the water with her three year old sister, Margo, Kelly’s mum cooes with her on a playmat safely beyond the pool’s edge. She doesn’t see Margo dip below the water. Not until many hours later when the one-year-old rolls clumsily to the edge herself.

Roads pile up with unmanned cars. Machines whine and jam up. All around the world, people vanish. But not those four years old and below. For some reason they remain to fend for themselves.