"24"

Years ago the moon slowly moved over the sun along with Alpha Oliva's death. Its curve formed a dark silhouette that crept across the bright face, moment by moment darkening the sky. Across the landscape, rocks and trees seemed to sharpen as they drifted into this odd darkness. The stark edges of the surroundings became more distinct without the blinding glare of daylight or the fuzzy softness of night. Afraid to look upward, the people all walked with their heads down, shrouded in the long shadow of the moon. The blackness crept over the landscape as it crept over them, invariably seeping one by one into their hearts. Ancient memories rose in them, the darkness brought a foreboding that absorbed their spirit. In the darkness their hearts felt a longing, a loneliness they could not escape.

Their empty yards and unlatched gates seem so strange to everyone. The screen doors seemed to ache for a carefree spin out into the daylight. The quiet mornings ground slowly into silent afternoons