By Judy Lane

My eyes flew open. I searched the darkness frantically, knowing something was terribly wrong, but what? From outside came the faintest of sounds. Fearfully, I swung my feet over the edge of the bed as quietly as possible and stood up. My heart pounded. I dared not turn on the light, but the room was utterly dark. Too dark. I felt my way blindly to the window. Slowly, cautiously, I parted the curtains, and in that instant, my husband switched on the bedside lamp. The pool of darkness shrouding the window instantly contracted, revealing the oval of amber surrounding it.