A flock of cardinals brushed past the mouth of the forest, silent and bright. Their color almost blended into the sun on the horizon. Its rays peeked over the tree-line of the continuing woods opposite the coming field, red and orange fingers opened up at the bottom of the sky and felt outward towards oblivion. It was warm and embracing against the dim blue of night’s fleeting darkness. I could see the light, but it did not touch me. Two worlds, existing together but never meeting. On my side was a gorgeous demon in a house and a burning carriage and a missing girl, out in that field though, it was different. The opposing forest was the future, it was Lorelei and a spaceman beat to a pulp, it was progress.

I didn’t even find it strange that the sun was rising from true north.