The 1970s Great Eclipse

Alley Rose Novel- Scene Excerpt

After feeding and petting the cat, Savannah walked off the porch, into the yard, and raised her head up toward the sky, expecting drops of rain to hit her in the face. Instead she spotted dense, gray clouds gliding toward the midday sun. It was disappointing not being able to see the ‘great eclipse’ everyone at school had been talking about.

Mom and Dylan didn’t seem interested in it. But it would’ve been so exciting to see it happen. A once in a life time event. And all anybody has to do is look up into the sky at the right time. If I could’ve been at Mamaw Liza’s, I know I would be having so much fun. Maybe it’s not cloudy in Newport. Melia and her parents might be there. I wish I was.

Returning to the back of the house, she headed for the porch steps. At that moment a flash of light pierced through the gray gloom in the sky. In front of the sun, the clouds rolled swiftly back and revealed the moon’s shadow engulfing the sunlight. A thin, silvery ring appeared from the edges of the giant fireball. Untimely darkness had enveloped everything in its midst, causing the stars to emerge in the background.

Previously chirping birds and barking dogs were silenced as confused crickets and cicadas began their nightly rhythmic tunes.

Feeling the effects of the temperature drop, Savannah wrapped her hands around her shivering arms. Turning away from the cosmic scene above, she covered her eyes with trembling hands and fell on the muddy ground, soaking the knees of her corduroy pants.

I looked at it! I saw the eclipse! Am I going to go blind now? I thought it already happened and I’d missed it. I didn’t know I was going to see it! Oh God! When will it be over? Or is this the end of the world? God are you mad at me? Will I go blind?

Go here