No one knew what was happening. No even realized something was happening - at first.
The day started off normal enough - if a bit late, the sunrise was as expected. People continued about their business as if the late rise was just cloud cover or the days getting shorter - in short, they put it out of their mind.
The next day, the sun was a bit late - say, 10 minutes. Again, most people saw no concern with this. The few who did were the ones who got up early for the sunrise. Again, no one questioned this strange phenomenon.
Again, and again, and again - the days just kept getting shorter. But it was a pattern - as if it was to throw off suspension of a plot - but who could slow down the sun? That's right - preposterous! At least, that's what everyone thought. As the days got shorter and shorter, people got used to the days, adjusting their schedule and using more lights. They taught their children the same. But even so, if you were to look at a chart, you couldn't deny the facts that the days were getting shorter. In just 20 years, there were 3 less hours in a day.
On and on this went, until the pattern stopped. One day, people awoke, seeing the sky was dark. Well, this was normal for them. The sun waited at least 5 hours before showing up. But 5 hours passed, then 6, then 7, until people began to worry. There were no clouds in the sky, yet the sun was nowhere to be found.
People went to bed worried and hoping for the best the next day. Work and school were excused, and people gather in high mountains to see the sun - yet it never rose. As the onlookers looked on in awe, a large silver ball rose as if it were the sun and a howl escaped into the air.
No one was safe as the day gave way to night.
Image Credits : Public domain image courtesy of Public Domain Pictures (Dawn Hudson)
https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=80896&picture=vintage-sun