Amidst the darkness, a small light ignited. The yellow glow illuminated a section of the worn pavement below. It acted as a guide, helping travelers who might lose their path under the cover of night. After a full day of intense sun, the street felt scorching hot. Clouds rolled forward, hiding the stars behind their dark blankets. A flash of light burst among the clouds, brilliant and sudden. It vanished in an instant. The wind held its breath. A rumble echoed in the distance, a faint growl of displeasure. Then faint taps started, dark spots appearing on the pavement here and there. Soon the sound of rain spread around in earnest. The streetlight flickered, then dimmed as a drop of rain hit its post. The pavement hissed angrily, and soon fog was curling upward from where the cool rain met the hot concrete. Ribbons lifted and wrapped around the steel pole that held the light above the ground. Wisps of fog blurred the streetlight’s warm glow for a moment, only to vanish. The lamp only groaned as the wind pushed at it, causing it to bend a little before standing tall once again.
A shrouded figure stumbled into the very edge of the golden circle. Hunched over, it clasped a bundle to its chest while gasping for breath. The tang of blood was almost drowned out by the lighter scent that rain always carried. For just a moment, the figure stood unmoving at the light’s edge. Then, in the distance, splashes and shouts broke out. The head came up, sending drenched locks of hair tumbling from beneath the hood. Half-turning, the figure looked toward the sound before bolting back into the darkness beyond the light. Soon the light was alone once again.
The light remained as the sounds of boots splashing through the rain approached and moved past. Unmoved, it remained tall and steady, watching from its silent vigil. The light had seen worse things before and would again.