The nights when the power is out

Walking into the guarded subdivision, that lies as a sanctuary, after months living day by day in danger. I’m often met by a sudden shift to complete darkness. It takes twenty minutes to walk from the road, to the house I am so kindly allowed to take refuge in. I arrived at the guard house when the beacon died and I was met by complete stillness. I cautiously take small steps trying to find my way home. The sky coming to life with thousands of tiny lights that have never shined so bright. I stare up as I walk, trying hard not to loose myself from the set path. Counting stars and loosing count as soon as I have started. Pretending I have a giant pin and striking the sky letting through new tiny lights. A little game to play to pass the time. I pass dark empty windows, that slowly one by one flicker with the orange light of a naked flame. It takes longer to get home, but I dont mind I love to listen to the silence, until it is broken by wildlife or a distant murmer of life on the outside. I feel no fear I know all the things that scare me are outside and still illuminated. Right now im safe within my dark little world. Step by step easing my way home to smiling candle lit faces.

Turning the corner, there stands the house. I enjoy the nights when the power is out. Everyone leaves the house, in hope of the odd cool breeze. They sit on the grass talking and laughing waiting to get back to the lives they were leading. It is as if times stops and we remember all the important things. We have recently gotten into the habit (when our world stops dead.) Of groping in the dark for blankets and escaping to the cool grass of the garden. Laying out the blankets and taking small adventures to get beer. Lying and drinking. Star gazing and laughing. Time stopped but we go on living. Taking the time to remember; all the little things that have been filling our days. Feeling grateful to each other for sharing it together.

Sometimes when the power comes back on we go in and turn it back off. We play pretend not wanting to give up the moment we have made. Forever Longing for the utopia we create when time stops. We lay for hours or until the beer runs out. Laughing and remembering That these are the moments that keep us sane and give us hope when life chooses not to go your way. We live in a world of people who feel so independant. They all move so fast but when the power stops, the worlds batteries run low and the earth lies still. We realize how much we need each other And the moments of nothingness to remind us how much we have.