In th? t??n??il ??tski?ts ?? ? sm?ll t?wn, n?stl?? ??tw??n ??llin? hills ?n? ???n ?i?l?s, ? ????? ?? ??i?n?s ??th???? ??? ?n im???m?t? c?m?in? t?i?. .

Littl? ?i? th?? kn?w th?t this w??k?n? ??v?nt??? w??l? t??n int? ? s?????l ?x???i?nc? th?t w??l? ????v?? ch?n?? th?i? liv?s. Un???n??th ? c?nv?s ?? twinklin? st??s, th? ??i?n?s s?t ????n? ? c??cklin? c?m??i??, sh??in? st??i?s ?n? l???ht??. As th? ni?ht ?n??l???, ?n? ?? th?m, ? ?h?t?????h? ?nth?si?st n?m?? ?mm?, s?t ?? h?? c?m??? t? c??t??? th? ????t? ?? th? ni?ht sk?. .

Th? cl???, m??nl?ss ni?ht ??????? ?n ?n??st??ct?? vi?w ?? th? c?sm?s, m?kin? it ?n i???l ?????t?nit? ??? ?st???h?t?????h?.

J?st ?s ?mm? w?s ??j?stin? h?? c?m??? s?ttin?s t? c??t??? th? c?nst?ll?ti?ns, ? ??int li?ht ???????? ?n th? h??iz?n.

At ?i?st, it s??m?? lik? ? ?ist?nt ?i??l?n?, ??t ?s th? li?ht ???w ??i?ht?? ?n? st???il? m?v?? ?c??ss th? sk?, th? ??i?n?s ???liz?? th?? w??? witn?ssin? s?m?thin? ?xt?????in???—? ??? m?vin? t?w???s th? ?isin? s?n. .

Int?i???? ?n? ?ill?? with ? mix ?? ?xcit?m?nt ?n? t???i??ti?n, th? ??i?n?s shi?t?? th?i? ?tt?nti?n ???m th? c?m??i?? t? th? c?l?sti?l s??ct?cl?. .

?mm?, ??ick t? ???ct, ???i??ct?? h?? c?m??? t?w???s th? ?n??l?in? sc?n?, c??t??in? th? ?ni?m?tic ??j?ct ???inst th? ??ck???? ?? th? ???l? m??nin? sk?. .

Th? ???, ??th?? in th? s??t h??s ?? ??wn, m?v?? ???c???ll? ?s i? ??i??? ?? ?n ?ns??n ???c?. .

Its m?t?llic s????c? ???l?ct?? th? ?i?st ???s ?? s?nli?ht, c???tin? ?n ?th????l ?l?w th?t l??t th? ?nl??k??s in ?w?.

As th? ??? c?ntin??? its sil?nt j???n??, it t??c?? ? m?sm??izin? ??th ?c??ss th? h??v?ns, s??min?l? ?n????ct?? ?? th? ???vit?ti?n?l ??ll th?t ??v??ns ???thl? ?ntiti?s. .

?mm?’s c?m??? click?? ?w??, ??c?m?ntin? th? ?xt?????in??? ?nc??nt??. .

Th? ??i?n?s, c???ht in th? m?m?nt, sh???? ? c?ll?ctiv? s?ns? ?? w?n??? ?s th?? witn?ss?? th? ?ni??nti?i?? ?l?in? ??j?ct’s ??nc? with th? ?isin? s?n. .

Whis???s ?? ?m?z?m?nt ?ill?? th? ?i?, ?n? th? ?tm?s?h??? ??c?m? ch????? with th? in?x?lic??l? m??ic ?? th? c?smic ?v?nt.

As th? ??? ??????ll? m?v?? ????n? th? h??iz?n, ?is??????in? int? th? li?ht ?? ???, th? ??i?n?s ???n? th?ms?lv?s l??t with ?n in??li?l? m?m??? ?tch?? in th?i? min?s. .

?mm?’s ?h?t?????hs, wh?n l?t?? ??vi?w??, ??v??l?? th? c?l?sti?l ??ll?t ??tw??n th? ??? ?n? th? ?isin? s?n, l??vin? ?n ?n??ni??l? m??k ?n th?i? sh???? hist???. .

Th? sm?ll t?wn’s c?m?in? t?i?, initi?ll? ?l?nn?? ?s ? sim?l? ?sc??? int? n?t???, h?? ??c?m? ? ??n??zv??s with th? ?nkn?wn—? m??tin? ?? th? t????st?i?l ?n? th? ?xt??t????st?i?l ??n??th th? v?st ?x??ns? ?? th? m??nin? sk?. .

Th? ??i?n?s, ????v?? ???n? ?? th? s?????l ?x???i?nc?, c???i?? th? st??? ?? th? ??? m?vin? t?w???s th? ?isin? s?n ?s ? t?st?m?nt t? th? m?st??i?s th?t lin??? ????n? th? ??mili?? ???n???i?s ?? ???th.