As he took in the view from the twentieth floor, the lights went out all over the city.

It was going to be a cold, cold night, he realized somewhere deep inside him.

He could hear how people screamed in shock or anger, maybe missing out on some series or movie, others in the middle of cooking or studying, but the most bewildered were those in the middle of the street and those still driving.

They were the first to notice that this wasn't just a power outage.

Here and there, a car crashed or tumbled in some manner.

And the people stranded in the dark...

Like whispers in a dark corridor, slowly the muffled sounds of people being whisked away and meeting their end began to filter in; a short scream here, a gasp over there, and a far away exclamation or call for help.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

From up high on his apartment complex, he could see how the lights turned on by those stranded outside, either by lantern or phone, were frenetically moving around and being snuffed out one by one.

He didn't know what to do. His feet were frozen, and sweat seemed to run like a river down his back.

He didn't have any proof, nor did he have some secret insider knowledge, or know anything in special that would point to it, but he knew, somewhere deep inside him, that something terrible was going on, and that if he didn't hurry and do something, it would soon enough come for him too.

He was finnaly spurred into action when he could hear the strangled voice of someone - a teenager perhaps? - directly below from him.

His head snapped down as if someone had shoved it downwards, lest he miss what was going on.

But in a flash, one or two seconds at most, it was over.

He could only briefly remember an single image.

That of a injured female teen, her arm missing and her complexion ashen gray, being moved with extraordinary speed and strenght towards the darkness beyond the few lights cast by those inside the apartment complex.

He didn't know what to do. He didn't not know who to call.

But he did know that he had to get ready, whatever that may mean, and do it fast.

He had a long night ahead of him.