An autumn breeze blew down the empty streets of the normally bustling town. The wind, if observed by any of the townspeople, would have seemed as normal as the low-hanging gray clouds that had covered the sky for three dreary days. This wind was not normal,nor were the clouds, for that matter. The wind rose, rattling fences and scattering the freshly fallen leaves of the giant oaks the town was renowned for. It's strength intensified, howling between the houses and bending the tall pine trees that grew around the town's churchyard.
The old man who tended the yard observed the rising wind, but thought nothing of it at first. Such winds were common this time of year, and he had seen more autumns than any other in the town. Suddenly, the wind died,and the yard was silent and still. The old man looked around, surprised at the sudden silence. Then, in the middle of the yard, a bright blue flash blinded the man, and a tremendous boom shattered the short-lived silence. When his vision cleared, the stunned man gaped at the figure of a young woman, lying motionless on the packed gravel of the yard.
Rushing to her side, the old man hurriedly checked for signs of life,. To his relief, she was breathing slowly and deeply, as in a deep sleep. Lifting her with arms not weakened by age, he carried her into the cottage he occupied on the church's grounds.
