The corporate trappings of the day melted away with the growing flames and the dawning darkness of night. Neighbors shrugged at the sight of a man sitting alone in front of a fire. As they watched television, he watched the coming of the eschaton, beautiful and terrible, merciful and fierce.

Jackson Courter is a linguist and writer based in Illinois. He is currently exploring the intersection of linguistics and cartography. Learn more at jacksoncourter.wordpress.com.