A homework assignment to write an essay about what his life might be like a few decades into his future should be an easy task for Sam Foster. After all, Sam is the inventor of a time machine. With his friend from the past, Meg Clayton, Sam journeys to the year 2040 to investigate his fate firsthand. It doesn't take long for Sam to find information about his future self. Not only does he become a wealthy businessman, he makes a name for himself in the world of computer technology. It appears Sam is destined for fame and fortune. But the pair also discovers something about "Older Sam" that stuns them: Sam's future self died just five years earlier, at the age of 45. Will Sam and Meg be able to stop this "future shock" from happening? Or is Sam's destiny sealed for all time?