The one thing Trish could never get used to was how dark the night was now. She'd never lived in a place where it was dark enough to see more than a few stars growing up, and now, the very fact that she could see, seemingly, ALL of them was deeply unsettling to her. The flames flickering on the edge of the town, the few electric lights Jenni was able to keep running, these were the things that stood out in the dark, and they didn't stand out terribly well.<br/><br/>Somewhere, out in the darkness, an owl hooted softly. At least one species seemed OK with the new status quo.<br/><br/>She shivered and drew her coat tighter about her, wishing she was at home and in bed. But no, this was the night she had been chosen to stand watch. Everyone in town stood watch one night out of the year, and this was her night.<br/><br/>Sadly, she was sharing it with Kayla, a taciturn woman who grunted answers to most questions but one of the better teachers, or so she heard, and Victoria, a British woman, deadly in a fight, but one who had arrived under mysterious circumstances, just a few weeks before the end. The deal that had brought her here -- some sort of police cultural exchange -- still struck her as a bit suspect, but ... well ... the town had more than enough suspect characters now to go around. She could get through a night with these women. It just wouldn't be a very TALKATIVE night.<br/><br/>CHRIST, it was cold. Winter seemed to come earlier with every year. Likely not a GOOD sign.<br/><br/>The watchtowers, five in total, sat, watching the open prairie. As the other side of town butted up against the Missouri River, there was essentially no way that anyone could approach from that direction. That was the theory, at least.<br/><br/>And, honestly, it was terribly unlikely anyone would approach from the prairie. Not with the big load of nothing out there.<br/><br/>But the incident had come from that side, in the night, and the people liked feeling safe. Plus, it had been her husband's fucking idea, and he always somehow ended up serving in the fucking summer, didn't he.<br/><br/>She grumbled and poured herself more cold coffee, pacing a bit.<br/><br/>Wait.<br/><br/>Was that?<br/><br/>She squinted a bit, to make sure she wasn't seeing things.<br/><br/>She nudged Kayla and Victoria. "Quick. Is that ...?"<br/><br/>It was. Out on the surface of the river ... the river few were strong enough to cross in boat, much less via swimming, was a small point of light, a flicker of flame.<br/><br/>And it was coming closer and closer.<br/><br/>Without a word, Trish reached up and rang the alarm.<br/><br/>(OOC: DarkNinja and Toys? You know where you're at. If any other players wish to introduce a character to the game now, please begin as if you are awakened by the alarm bells or perhaps on the boat - or whatever it may be - that's approaching the village. Go nuts!)