The proposal, if it had happened the way the internet
wanted, would have been a spectacle.
A stage.
A spotlight.
A slow-motion gasp from a perfectly curated crowd.
Leo would have cried loudly. Rowan would have pretended not
to. The town would have pretended it had always known.
But life rarely aligned itself with expectations.
Especially theirs.
It started with a blackout.
Not metaphorical.
Literal.
The entire town went dark just after sunset.
The café lights flickered once, twice, then surrendered.
Mira stood frozen behind the counter, holding a mug
mid-wipe.
Leo screamed.
"THIS IS HOW HORROR FILMS BEGIN."
"It's the grid," Adrian said calmly. "Storm surge."
Outside, thunder rolled across the sky like something
ancient shifting in its sleep.
Mira walked to the window.
The town looked softer in darkness.
Less performative.
Less visible.
More real.
"It's kind of peaceful," she murmured.
Leo lit a candle dramatically.
"It's apocalyptic."
