[ WP ] Light is gone from the world . Electric lights will not work , fires will not light , even the sun is darkened , though it 's warmth is still felt . What has caused the light to die ? And what now thrives in this new world of eternal shadow ?

At first, everyone was convinced that there was a pandemic that had hit all corners of the globe in a matter of days. Everyone ’ s vision was getting hazing, and nothing else could be attributed to the phenomena, but when the lab results came in, none of the medical professionals could point to any clear links to the condition. After a few weeks things got worse and visibility was only out a few yards, even with the brightest lights or in direct sunlight. After solar panel grids started to lose power, it was evident that it wasn ’ t our eyesight that was fading, but the actual physical property of light was starting to diminish. After a few months the darkness is all we knew. 
 
 Reports came in that even without the light from the sun, crops were still growing and the effects of sunlight could still be detected. For some reason the light was gone, but sunlight still existed in some way that our best scientists just couldn ’ t understand. Travel had stopped completely and most jobs closed up shop since the work couldn ’ t be done without the ability to see. It wasn ’ t long before looting and crime took root everywhere in place of people living an honest life. Suddenly every day was a fight for survival. 
 
 I can remember clear as day the first time I heard the sounds born in the true dark. The sound of bones breaking mixed with the squashing of meat being ground broke the silence, and it was enough to trigger one ’ s gag reflex. As they lumbered along you could hear their low rasping breath and liquid filled sniffs in the air as they searched for their prey. When they got closer the scent of roses wafted through, creating an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was on that day that I was glad that I didn ’ t have my sight, for I fear what I might have looked upon. 
 
 Nobody knew what they were, but whatever it was they seemed to have no trouble in the darkness and they didn ’ t carry any affection for humans. My traveling companion Jack was hit on the second day after those things showed up, and it killed him right on the spot as far as I could tell. I ’ m not proud to admit it, but I scrambled out of the building we were holed up in without once giving it a though to go back and see if he was alive. When I heard the thrashing and Jack ’ s screams I just bolted. Then the whispers on the streets were that this all started at the heart of the city, and so I wanted out. 
 
 After a day or two of stumbling around in the dark I found myself a small empty house next to a field of corn. I don ’ t know what happened to the original inhabitants, but I was happy enough to have shelter from the elements and out of the open. You learn quickly in the darkness to keep your back against the wall, so open fields left me feeling vulnerable for far too long. When I arrived I cried myself into a light sleep, too overcome by relief to secure the building first. 
 
 Without light there is no telling night from day, but when I awoke the air had a crisp chill to it, so I assumed the hour must be late. It didn ’ t seem as though there was any kind of struggle that took place, since nothing was broken or disheveled. That almost made me feel even more uncomfortable with the entire scene. What could have happened here that would have left the house abandoned? 
 
 I didn ’ t sit in thought too long about it since it had been several days that I had gone without food and just a small bottle of water. As I scrounged, I came across cans and boxes filled with unknown substances and I started to dig in. Some crackers eventually became my meal after I gave up searching through boxes of cake and stuffing mix. Luckily for me the water still ran as well, so I was able to get a much needed drink. 
 
 After feeling refreshed a bit, I decided that it was time to search the rest of the house, so I crawled on my hands and knees in order to avoid tripping on the obstacles of the house. With any luck there might have been people locked away who didn ’ t respond to my initial greetings for fear that I might be a looter. Since Jack I hadn ’ t come across another person who didn ’ t want to kill or rob me, so the thought of a friendly person filled my heart with hope. Just anyone that was still alive would have been enough to keep my sanity. 
 
 Eventually I came across a door where the handle wouldn ’ t budge. Gently I knocked on the door and called out softly as not to draw the attention from anyone outside the house. I begged and pleaded for what felt like an eternity for them to let me in and told them I would be no trouble. Someone had to be in there, and they just had to have a heart enough to let in. After I decided that this was a wasted effort I slammed my hand on the door in frustration. 
 
 Just moments later I heard shuffling inside, and as I registered what I was hearing I could smell the roses from the opposite side of the door. Quickly I shuffled backwards to a corner of the room and curled up into a ball, not daring to try and outrun the thing or to make the noise needed to do so. Out of instinct I hid in my corner because it is what I felt was safest even though I knew it wasn ’ t. My body was frozen and I couldn ’ t get the courage to pry myself up and hide. 
 
 Then came the sniffing. That sickening moist sniff racked my nerves even more and entrenched me deeper into my pathetic little corner of the house. There was just a brief pause before the door slammed open and flew off the hinges. Whatever lived in the darkness was large, and as it took steps forward the floor groaned under its weight. I could feel the power of it as its attention was directly on me. The air around me grew warm as it drew near and the aroma it gave off almost made me choke. 
 
 I don ’ t know why I did it, but I reached out my hand in order to feel it. As my fingers reached out I could feel the warm metallic skin of the creature hovering over me, shivering with each lumbered breath. I didn ’ t ever think of what one would feel like, but I don ’ t imagine I ever would have thought that it would feel like that. It almost felt inviting to the touch, and suddenly I found myself standing with my body pressed against the rippling muscles of the creature. My breath synced up with its, as I felt at peace with the world.
