The Disappearance (Episode)

“The Disappearance (Episode)”
Series 1, Episode 1
Production
Written by	Alison Hume
Directed by	Jon East
Script Editor	TBA
Producer	Stephen Smallwood
Executive producer(s)	TBA
Production no.	TBA
Length	28 Minutes
Original airdate	14 February 2011
Episode chronology
"N/A"	"The Invasion"
	Episodes

The Disappearance is the first episode in the first series of The Sparticle Mystery. It was first broadcast on Monday the 14th of February, 2011.

Synopsis[]

When everyone the age of fifteen or over disappears leaving only kids behind, the world becomes a big playground. But soon they realise they need a good shelter and to stick together.

Plot[]

Entry To Sandstone Caves Mine — **Entry to sandstone caves mine.**

'The End Of The World Is Nigh' Sign — '**The End Of The World Is Nigh' Sign.**

At the sandstone caves entrance in Bristol, some children are seen walking towards it and going inside. The two children seen are Callum and Reese. Callum is with his social worker and passes a man holding a sign talking about the end of the world. He comments that the man probably said that yesterday too, before being ushered inside. Reece, who is with Miss Lowman, is ushered inside next.

Callum Kicking Reese As They Descend The Ladder Into The Sandstone Cave Mines — **Callum kicking Reese as they descend the ladder into the sandstone cave mines.**

Reese and Callum are both next seen descending a ladder into a cavern, joining the rest of their group. Together the five children are the winners of a day out competition. They won a day out in the mines and this adult is the guide for their tour. He starts telling them about the history of the mines. He is interrupted by Callum being mean to Reece and Ami messing about, doing gymnastics when he shouldn't be. He tells Callum to leave her alone and Ami to stop his handstand against the wall. Jordan then asks their guide, "Why was it so dangerous?" Sadiq starts to joke around with Jordan and Ami about poisonous gases (farts) much to Reese's disgust. The guide sees they're messing about and thinks he's losing them, so tries to interest them by bringing up that they're winners, but Callum interrupts him and says it's not exactly the lottery. The man responds by trying to make the trip sound better, telling them how lucky they are by being out of their classrooms. He also subtly jabs at Callum for being in care when he mentions how they get to meet children from other schools (or agencies). Callum is clearly not pleased, though doesn't respond.

The Caves Guide Trying To Reassure Reese — **The Caves Guide trying to reassure Reese.**

Reese then says it's not safe, but the guide tries to reassure her that everything is fine. All necessary risk and safety assessments have been done and cleared. Then, thinking she's going to be fine now, he tells them to all turn on their helmet lights. He starts to lead the way further into the caves, but Reece refuses to follow the group. This forces him to have to come back to her.

It then cuts to Kat's house where her older sister is studying bones. She's having trouble, whilst Kat is acting like a bit of a know-it-all. Her sister is annoyed by her jabs and their mother gets angry when Kat interrupts and answers the question herself, not allowing her sister to try and remember or figure it out for herself.

The your guide stays with Reece to try and reassure her more and encourage her forwards. The boys mess in the background.

Kat continues to name and point out other bones. She points out the humerus, joking around much to her mother's and older sister's annoyance. Then it cuts back to the tour guide calming the boys down and calling in with his walky-talky about Reece being claustrophobic, before the disappearance happens. Kat and her mother tell her to stop showing off, Kat leaves angrily saying that she wishes they would leave her alone. They disappear. She then adopts a worried look and says this is not what she meant... Sadiq decides to leave, while Kat goes out to her back garden, thinking it's some kind of big joke. Meanwhile, Sadiq and the others look around an empty, abandoned street and attempt to try their mobile phones but there is no network.

The scene shifts to a lone blue car driving that turns out to be Sadiq, Calum, Jordan, Ami and Reese, with Calum driving them to the Police station.

Calum then reveals he's a twock, which leads to a silence.

Meanwhile, Kat is out on her road looking around at cars just sitting there, most with their engines still on. She turns one car off and then hears a voice calling for help.

Kat heads into the house, calling out to Liam. She lets a curious Liam out of time-out. Kat then hears an ice cream van and proceeds to give Liam a double 99 with raspberry and chocolate ice cream. Liam then suggests going to search for someone.

It then cuts back to Sadiq checking the radio with Reese complaining that everyone's gone somewhere. Calum then stops the car and leaves the car telling Sadiq he can do anything he wants before laughing and walking away from the car.

Ami then asks whos hungry as they're beside a supermarket. Jordan suggests it's a national strike. Sadiq then suggests whoever gets to the till first with a full trolley wins. Reese instead searches for raisins and olive oil while the boys crash into various things. Ami and Sadiq don't notice the olive oil and end up slipping and crashing, with Reese looking at them and saying, "Beat you."

Sadiq opens the till and the Kat comes in with Liam demanding what they're doing with Kat and Sadiq arguing about stealing. Kat states she's looking for her mum and sister. Then Kat decides to head back home with Liam. Sadiq then suggests that they should check on their siblings. It then cuts to a school with Sadiq driving badly, as they arrive at a school. Jordan then spots his brother, Jeffrey and tells him he's come to collect him. Jeffrey asks where their mum is as Jordan helps him into his wheelchair.

Meanwhile, back in the car Reese and Sadiq have a conversation about Sadiq's childhood, before it cuts to the school office with Jordan trying to get Jeffrey's medicine.

Ami then injects himself with insulin, revealing that he's a type 1 diabetic whilst Reese looks at the security tapes, revealing that all of the adults disappeared at 11:11 am on the dot, but Ami is trying to deny it. Sadiq then explodes unexpectedly, while Jeffrey reassures Reese.

It then cuts to Kat and Liam who are walking by a van when its back doors open suddenly, revealing many plastic balls. Liam starts playing with some of them.

Meanwhile, at Sadiq's house. He comes home to a warm welcome from Frankie and Tia, Frankie's babysitter who checked on her and stayed to look after her. Tia had Frankie hide with her at first because they didn't know who was coming into the house. They emerge relieved when they see that it's Sadiq. Frankie then explains her day to Sadiq, mentioning that there are only Hawaiian pizzas in the freezer, which is fine by Reese Sadiq tells her to go and put them on, whilst Frankie says Reece can help her.

Meanwhile, Liam and Kat get home only to see looters looting their stuff. Liam is concerned, causing Kat to have a brief outburst. Meanwhile, in Sadiq's house everyone is eating pizza together and discussing the disappearance. They then hear looters outside. Sadiq dismisses it as little kids to others, but when he sees Callum he becomes frightened and decides that they have to leave too. They sneak out by the garage but before leaving they remind Sadiq they have to get Jeffery's wheelchair which they successfully do.

It then cuts to Liam and Kat, who are walking down a street with Liam asking where they're going. Kat is unsure, before she spots a group of kids and asks them where they're going. She had asked Liam not to move, but he heads into a sweetshop. Kat decides they'll go to the hotel with the group.

Meanwhile, Sadiq and the others are walking and then he spots a sign for the City Hotel to which everyone agrees. They walk in where luggage has been left behind and it seems empty. Reese goes under the desk and roleplays with Jeffery, before noticing a large group of kids are coming towards the hotel. Meanwhile, Kat and Liam are in the large group walking. Sadiq meanwhile tells everyone to lock up the hotel. Meanwhile, the group have noticed this and starts to speed up.

Sadiq barely locks the main door in time, the head of the group suggests they head to another place nearby but Kat and Liam decide not to go on with them. Meanwhile, Reese finds an article on the Sparticle Project while sitting at the reception desk while Kat and Liam look in, seeing Sadiq and the others from the supermarket.

Meanwhile, Kat and Liam try to get in the back but Jordan locks it before they got there so they head to the loading bay. Kat sends Liam through but he gets his foot stuck. She frees Liam and gets her cast off in the process. Reese tries to tell Sadiq about the Sparticle Project with some success.

Meanwhile, Frankie misses being at home, but Sadiq cheers her up by comparing their situation to a sleepover and directing her to the hotel's hot chocolate supplies, which makes her run to the kitchen and bring Reece along to make some together. Tia then tells Sadiq that it's the end of the world as they know it.

Cast[]

Quotes[]

"It's the end of the world as we know it." - Tia

Errors[]

When Sadiq and the others exit the mine, they find the "The End is Nigh" sign, which was being held by the doomsday man, on the ground. However, later when Reese is watching the CCTV footage, some of the adults can be seen holding objects and they vanish along with them. (It's possible the man put his sign down for some reason or even dropped it.)
Doomsday Dora says a couple of episodes later that humans cannot be duplicated, but objects can. Why then are the clothes worn by the adults, and anything else they have, not duplicated and simply just vanish with the adults?

Trivia[]

This is the only episode to not feature a pre-title recap (for obvious reasons).
First appearances of Sadiq, Reese, Ami, Jordan, Callum, Kat, Liam, Jeffrey, Frankie and Tia.
This is the only episode of series 1 where Holly does not appear.