Her breath produced thick smoke as the temperature dropped least ten degrees in ten seconds, she looked toward the sun and saw it was going down the same way Bobby had when he’d first walked through the woods. She tried to will herself to her feet, but her body wouldn’t go anywhere until it was good and ready. Come on body, let’s not start this shit, she thought.

Kalip looked around but didn’t see her, couldn’t see her. She’d just vanished from this plane of existence without a trace. A speck of dust gone with the wind. Kalip was bewildered, shocked, but most of all, he was afraid.

This was a different darkness, a darkness that took no sides had no friends, and didn’t play favorites. This darkness was the all-consuming kind. The kind that took angels and demons indiscriminately with no semblance of remorse.