Buried under centuries of tidal silt, New York City had been eliminated from the eastern seaboard. Once a thriving metropolis, the population was wiped out after a series of category five hurricanes made landfall. There were a total of thirteen storms over twenty two days with each successive hurricane being larger than its predecessor. Some experts argued it was a result of global warming. Others blamed deep water fracking techniques. Republicans and Democrats pointed accusatory fingers at one another, despite both parties ignoring the warning signs of the potential catastrophe. Perhaps Mother Nature just got fed up with the Earth being treated with blatant disrespect.

In the aftermath, the ocean engulfed the city. Only a few nostalgic landmarks poked their way above the water’s surface. The spire atop the Empire State Building, first constructed as an airship docking station, now served as a warning buoy for cargo vessels. The torch on the Statue of Liberty served the same purpose while the observation deck in its crown was converted to a fishing pier. With water up to her chin, Lady Liberty became a metaphor for life upon the planet.

As the centuries passed, archeologists and underwater looters alike began to scavenge the three hundred square mile area. Scuba enthusiasts explored the underwater buildings as if they were natural, water filled caves. During one excursion, an amateur botanist came across unfamiliar plant life living in one of the famed towers. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.

The thin strands of organic matter looked like a furry jellyfish without any arms or tentacles lingering around its underbelly. When the water current shifted, the plant moved in the opposite direction, as if stubborn in its refusal to conform with the changing tides. It’s like it had a mind of its own. All the sea creatures distanced themselves from it, distrustful of what it was or how it might act.

Not wanting to remove it from its natural habitat, the diver snapped photos and noted the GPS coordinates for future reference. He sheared off a few pieces with his knife for further study once he returned to dry land. A week later, when the test results were completed, the underwater explorer was horrified. It made no sense for the plant, which wasn’t a plant at all, to survive intact for five hundred years. As if it were comprised of an alien material, the item discovered in Trump Tower was the former president’s hair.