The Fog Has Settled

The light peeking through the windows this morning was down-trodden and abused. The fog, settling thicker than usual, had obstructed the passage of the sun's glow and left a filmy residue on La Costa. The foreboding approach of fall now creeps into the back of my mind, though the weekend bodes the last great fling of summer. The darkness of the day has rested heavily on the buildings, and the fluorescent lights are shuttering beneath the weight.

Andy did not arrive.

Absent-minded phone calls are ebbing through the pressured lines as the search begins. The consultant from Arizona, with a newly pressed desk and computer awaiting her arrival, has forgotten to arrive. The one department feeling her absence is small and heavily burdened, so the glint of mystery is trampled by the need for project progress in spite of any setbacks.

The spark begins to glow in my mind.