The rotation of the earth turned its surface from the shade into the light being generated by a sphere a million times its size. The leading edge of the light, traveling 1,000 mph, scurried across the face of the water and land like a gigantic blanket, exposing all objects in its path as ensuing portions of earth came to life.

Leaving China, it pushed through Pakistan, Iran and Turkey and plundered into Europe. Across the English Channel it roared and soon left the shores of Ireland for the North Atlantic Ocean. Across the blue liquid it traveled for three hours, showcasing diamonds in waves and exposing dolphins in mid-air.

At long last it reached the shores of the United States coast and burst up the Chesapeake Bay, illuminating the east side of all structures built above land. Norfolk, Virginia, with its 245,000 residents, stretched itself, as one rising from a good sleep, while movement began to define the streets below.

Granby and Waterside came alive as the downtown tunnel filled to capacity once again, the long line of impatient drivers extending past Effingham as car horns commenced to speak.

A ray of light wafted through the air and slipped into the opened third-story window of apartment 318. It traveled past the dirty dishes, the balled up Snickers wrappers and the stained carpet. It slid over the blackened microwave and seeped under the closed bedroom door, curling up around the bedpost and colliding against the cornea of a 6’1” Caucasian male weighing 193 lbs. His nappy blonde hair drooped over his eyebrows and his left hand slumped down upon the floor.

A calico cat squatted in the corner, daring a valiant mouse to scamper across the floor, as a regimented column of ants encircled the blob of jelly in the corner. A Brown Recluse dropped from the bedroom ceiling like a paratrooper and landed on the sixth vertebrae of the prostrated human. But he was to be disappointed.

The heart of his prey had ceased functioning two days earlier… .

REX ALPHIN of Walters is a farmer, businessman, author, county supervisor and contributing columnist for The Tidewater News. His email address is rexalphin@aol.com.