She had drifted in and out of sleep for a few hours, and when the world came in focus it was distinctly red. An odd, red light streamed in through the small cut-out in the front door.

She got up and stepped outside. She didn’t know what time it was, and she couldn’t locate the sun in the sky. She stepped out into the street, thinking she’d gotten East and North confused. The sun was nowhere to be seen, and the whole sky was scarlet. There were no clouds.

There were no shadows.

She felt panic setting in, and took a moment to breathe, closing her eyes. Even with her eyes closed, the crimson light leaked through. She heard the wind blowing softly, the trees and grass rustling, and something vaguely familiar, but at a distance. It sounded like…