Prologue
Mary stared down the street, squinting into the cold wind. The doorway she stood under didn't shelter her from much. She wrapped her coat tighter around her. "He said he'd come." She assured herself. "He said he'd come, and he'll be here."
The street was empty. All the shops were closed. It was eerie. Quiet. Too quiet. Mary sighed. No one was coming. She might as well leave. As she stepped down from the curb, she caught her breath. She'd seen something out of the corner of her eye. Was he coming? She turned, a greeting on her lips, but it died immediately. Instead, an exclamation of surprise sprang out. At the end of the street, suspended in midair, a small ball of light was…dancing? As it hopped and sprang lightly, it slowly approached her. Mary stepped toward it, mesmerized, and reached out her hand. The ball came closer and closer. It seemed to be getting more agitated, bouncing higher and more quickly. Suddenly, it stopped. And Mary touched it. She screamed. The ball gave a brilliant burst of light.
And then she was gone.
