We watched the eclipse and the darkness that crept over the land.

No one expected that the darkness would remain.

We waited and watched in disbelief.

They emerged from the muck, the bowels of dusty towns, and neighbors’ dens, emboldened by the shadows and the promise of a new order.

Alison witnessed the solar eclipse, and wondered what would happen if the darkness stayed. Then she wondered whether the darkness has already prevailed.