The music started before the sun went down.
At first it was just the faint sound of a guitar drifting through the streets while people worked. Someone played near the center square, slow notes rising above the clatter of tools and engines.
By the time evening settled over Hydetown, the entire town had changed.
Strings of lights stretched between buildings. Old Christmas bulbs, mismatched and dim, but bright enough to throw warm color across the street. Long tables had been dragged into the open square and covered with trays of food.
Smoke drifted through the air from grills and fire pits.
The smell made Iyisha's stomach twist with sudden hunger.
She stood near the edge of the gathering, watching.
People filled the street now. Workers from the machine yard had washed the grease from their hands and arms. Someone rolled out a large drum and began tapping a rhythm while the guitar picked up speed.
Laughter rose above the music.
