The Second Dawn

Part One

The sun hung low over Willow Circle, bleeding copper light like someone had slit its throat. Everything glowed orange. Too bright. The saturation turned up too far, until the edges began to fray at the edge of my vision.

Sprinklers ticked in perfect arcs across perfect lawns. Water sprayed the hedges, catching the light and shattering it into sparks.

The air smelled like fertilizer. Sharp enough to make my eyes water. Like the whole neighbourhood was fighting off death with chemicals.

I rolled my black Silverado into the driveway. The engine shuddered, wanted to die but couldn’t quite pull it off.

I let it idle longer than I needed to. One hand loose on the wheel.

Grease was ground into the creases of my fingers. Looked like dried blood under my nails.

Sweat evaporated on my skin, turned to salt, made the hair on my arms stand up.

The houses across the street leaned toward me, all perfect siding and glass windows glowing like molten metal.

Somewhere a garage door droned shut, swallowing up se…