“Ughh, finally!” I let out a long sigh as I click the save button on the last of my work for the day and slump back in my chair. I blink a few times, trying to clear the afterimage of endless spreadsheets as I look around. Having been so focused on my tasks, I hadn’t even realized how dark it had gotten. If the dim light filtering in through the shaded windows was any indication, it was already well into the evening.

“Wait…” There was no way. I should’ve been done well before sundown. I idly look down at the little clock on the corner of my computer screen. Sure enough, it was only 3:00 in the afternoon. “Ohhhh, that’s right!” I had been so focused, I had completely forgot that there was supposed to be a solar eclipse today! Eyes widening, I pull myself out of my computer chair and head over to the window.

When I was working, I always kept the shades drawn to keep the glare off my monitor. With a flick, I pull them aside and squint as a few rays of sunlight hit my eyes as I glare up at the thin sliver of light emerging from behind a dark shadow. An odd blue glow seems to emanate from the shadowed sphere, illuminating it for a brief moment and casting it in an eerie glow before suddenly being replaced by the light of the emerging sun. It had been so brief, if I had so much as blinked, I would have missed it. One thing I certainly don't miss is the sudden stab of sunlight boring into my eyes.

“Aghh! Wow, that was stupid!” I mutter to myself as I abruptly pull away and blink rapidly to clear the spots from my vision. Yeah….I’m pretty sure it was common knowledge that you don’t look directly at the sun. Even worse, I had been so focused on what I was doing, I had missed most of what was possibly a once in a lifetime event! Already, the late afternoon sun was once again shining in through the partially shaded window.

With a disappointed groan, I wander back and once again plop down in the comfy chair, still rubbing my eyes to clear away the lingering spots of irritation. Of course it's not like I truly could have seen much without some special equipment to protect my eyes, though that thought didn't really do much to console me.

A few bleary moments later, I close my laptop and pull myself up once again. I make my way over to my small kitchen. Hey it’s still Friday. I may have missed out on the eclipse, but at least I could kick back and have a few beers to help me relax….or not.

I frown as I open the fridge and my eyes scan across the pitiful collection of food items before settling on one lonely can. “Argh, of all the times..” I grumble irritably to myself as I grab the solitary beer and slam the door closed.

There was nothing for it. As much as I wanted to just settle in and let the time slip away, I was going to have to make a trip into town for some “supplies.” It probably wasn’t the worst idea, as oblivious as I may have been, I had still caught the forecast warning of a particularly harsh early season snowstorm set to ravage a good portion of New England.

Not needing to convince myself any further, I shrug on a heavy jacket, and stuff my wallet and keys into my pockets before clipping a holstered pistol securely to my belt and tucking it under my shirt. A quick glance at my phone informs me it would be another hour or so before the impending storm would roll in. Hah! More than enough time for a quick trip into town. Not that it really concerned me too much.

Stuffing my phone into a pocket as well, I head out, twirling my keys idly in my hand as I make my way over to an aging little pickup that was most likely coated more with rust than paint at this point. Even so, the trusty little Ford had taken me where I needed without issue more times than I could count, and it was a source of pride for me that I kept it as well maintained as I did, despite its outward appearance.

Settling into the well-worn bench seat and closing the door with a satisfying ‘thud’, I rub my cold hands before starting it up and setting off, beginning to regret not letting it warm up for a bit as I shiver in the unseasonably cold October weather.

Fortunately it isn’t much of a drive into town. Of course, living out in the country, most would consider a short trip like this to be inconvenient just to make a stop at the local convenience store, but really it was just a fact of life here.

As I pass a familiar sign welcoming me to the town of Granite Peak, NH, almost proudly declaring its quaint size with the tag “Where the people and mountains come together, population 1200,” the gray skies were already beginning to shed a few errant white flakes, forcing me to turn on the wipers as they began to collect and melt their way down the windshield in wet streaks.

As I wind my way through a series of twists and turns, making my way between forested hills and sheer walls of granite where they had been cut away to make way for the road, I idly listen to the local news blaring on the radio. As I expected, it was mostly about the recent eclipse, and crazy weather. Rarely did anything truly interesting happen in this quiet little town, so of course those would be the highlights.

Not terribly interested, I found myself mostly tuning it out to dull background noise as I cover the last few miles and finally reach ‘downtown.’ The term was really more of a joke among locals as the smattering of mostly brick buildings interspersed with aged wooden houses could barely pass as more than a village. But hey, at least they had a modern convenience store!

Pulling in past the brightly lit gas pumps, I’m greeted with a flurry of activity as I see several people filling up their vehicles and gas cans alike. “Hmmph, always wait till the last minute.” I grumble to myself as I park, blatantly disregarding my own hypocrisy as I make my way into the store.

I waste no time working my way through the isles. Of course, being a convenience store, there aren’t many options for fresh food, but I make sure to stock up on some snacks and a few frozen meals. Hey, it’s better than nothing! Satisfied at now being at least somewhat prepared for the dreaded “snowpocalypse,” I head for the real prize.

A case of beer and a bottle of whiskey later, I’m struggling to balance everything in my arms as I make my way over to the cashier. I mumble an obligatory “Hi” as I set everything on the counter.

The cashier, a skinny bearded man about my age squints at me from behind a thick set of glasses as he begins bagging my items. “Just the essentials, eh Dave?” He asks with a faint smile at the collection of junk food and booze.

Great, he was in a talky mood today. While hardly friends, I had become a bit of a regular, and we’d strike up a conversation every now and then when business was slow. “You know it, Sam. If this storm is all it’s talked up to be, the last thing I want is to be stuck at home hungry and sober.”

“Yeah, I hear that.” Sam glances out the window as he bags the last of the items, and frowns at the thin blanket of snow already beginning to coat the roads as the flurry seemed to have picked up during my browsing, the scattered snowflakes having given way to a wall of white that reduced everything more than a few dozen feet away to dark, blurry shadows. “I’m not even looking forward to driving home in this myself if it’s already this bad.”

After paying and giving our goodbyes, I finally manage to escape with my goods. Walking past the pumps again, I’m somewhat surprised to see most of the last minute shoppers had cleared out already. Apparently no one wanted to risk getting stuck in this mess.

Depositing the bag on the seat of my truck, and wiping away the snow that had built up on the windshield, I give the roads a glance before shifting it into 4wd. Sure, they didn’t look that bad, but I also hadn’t bothered to get my winter tires put on yet, and didn’t feel like embarrassing myself by slipping and sliding my way through town. Not that many of the few remaining cars making their way along the road were faring much better. I give a faint sympathetic chuckle at some poor sap inching along in a sports car as I turn onto the road, his tires spinning in a desperate bid for traction. Ugh. It was far too early for this kind of weather!

The way back was slow going. Fortunately it seemed just about everyone else had better sense than I did, and I was all but alone on the road by the time I made it out of town. Unfortunately, I could hardly see a thing through the torrent of snow, and the blanket of white obscuring the road only added to the problem as more than once I found myself nearly driving right into a ditch.

I once again thanked whatever powers may be that the road was empty as I make my way embarrassingly slowly up a hill, the tires struggling for traction until I finally reach the crest, squinting my eyes as I stare out through the blur of the wipers working overtime. After a white knuckled descent, I breathe a sigh of relief as I reach flat ground again, but it quickly turns to a gasp as a dark shape pops into view right in front of me.

“Fuck!” I slam on the brakes, feeling the vibration of the ABS struggling to find traction as the shape coalesces into a four legged figure. I try to jerk the wheel, but the truck stubbornly refuses to change course and continues to slide until I feel the dreaded ‘thump’ of it making contact, sending the poor creature sprawling as I finally jerk to a stop.

“God Dammit!” I slam a fist on the steering wheel as I shakily shift into neutral and yank the parking brake. My hands tremble, knuckles turning white as they grip the steering wheel like a vice. It takes several moments of sitting and taking deep breaths before I finally manage to get ahold of myself.

Flicking on the hazards, I get out and walk around the front. “Oh…okay, it’s not that bad…” I reassure myself as I assess the damage. There were a few new dings in the chrome bumper, and a small crack running up the grille, but otherwise, everything seemed to be fine. With a sigh, I then turn my head to get a look at the dark shape lying in the roadway several feet away. I check my side to feel the familiar weight of my pistol. I hated the thought, but if the deer, or whatever it was is still alive, it would probably be best to make sure it doesn’t suffer.

Hesitantly, I make my way towards the dark shape. Okay, this definitely wasn’t any kind of deer I had seen before. The coat that I thought had simply been shaded by the wall of snow and fading light, was actually a midnight blue. I stop as I notice the hair…mane?…and tail flowing softly as if in a breeze, even though the air was relatively still. In fact, everything seemed to be still and quiet around me, my harsh breaths echoing in my ears as I inch closer, my eyes growing wider as I take in the dark purple glow and gleaming field of stars rippling in the “hair” that nothing natural could possibly replicate.

"Wh....what the hell are you?" I breathe as I kneel down to get a closer look at the thing.

Author's Note

Hey there readers! This is my first real attempt at a novel length story, and any feedback and commentary is more than welcome. See a mistake? Let me know.