Date: 2011-08-10 14:46:19 Created: 2011-08-10 10:46:12
It had, in whole as well as in parts, been a great summer holiday.
Work had faded into the distant past after less than a week and there had been so much sun and warmth that the odd rainy or cool day had felt like icing on the cake.
Now, the holiday was slowly winding down and coming to an end. It was an unusually cool and rainy day. He was enjoying it to its fullest, keeping windows open to let cool air and the sound of rain in and wearing cosy thick clothes.
It was well into the evening and with the sun hidden behind clouds it was not only almost cold but also a bit darker than usual.
He had just watched a quietly magical movie, cuddling up under a blanket, when he got her message.
”Home again”, she wrote, having spent much of the summer working in her hometown. ”It is so empty here. Quiet. Oh, and dark too!”
Like a ton of bricks or a herd of very small elephants, Autumn came crashing down on him. Blinking in surprise, he stared into a tunnel, several months long, of moist, cold darkness.