The Light in the Sky

Arthur Grayson had built his empire with grit, and tonight, he felt the weight of it as he crossed the George Washington Bridge. It was past midnight, and the Manhattan skyline gleamed behind him, towering symbols of his victories. He'd just wrapped up a critical deal, one that had consumed his focus for weeks. Now, he looked forward to a moment alone, just him and the road, to unwind before he reached his quiet penthouse.

The night was clear and calm, the air crisp with a late-autumn chill. As he drove, Arthur's mind wandered over the day's events, savoring each win, each strategic move that had brought him here. But his thoughts abruptly halted when a flash of light tore across the sky, pulling his gaze upward.

It was like nothing he'd ever seen—brighter than any star or plane, a brilliant, piercing light that seemed almost alive. It streaked downward, illuminating the entire skyline in a ghostly glow. The sight was mesmerizing, pulling him in as if hypnotized.

The light intensified, and for a split second, Arthur thought he heard a faint hum, like some distant melody calling to him from the heavens. He squinted, trying to focus on the origin of the light. But before he could make sense of what he was seeing, his car swerved, the wheels skidding dangerously on the slick asphalt.

With a sudden jolt, he felt the car lurch to the side, metal screeching as it collided with the bridge's guardrail. The world spun around him in a blur of lights and colors as the force of the impact whipped him forward. The last thing he saw before everything went dark was the faint, pulsing glow of that otherworldly light, hovering in the sky like a silent sentinel.

And then, there was only darkness.