Elias

From the crest of the next ridge, he had a view of the land to the north: the broad ribbon of river looping through the dark hills; the moon above, a bright crescent. He began to search the skies. It was just past midnight. He waited and watched until he saw it. There, he whispered, then shut his eyes and opened them, to make sure his vision wasn't playing tricks. Against the black scrim of space, a star—but not a star at all—began to fall, flaring to brightness as it drew nearer to the earth, somewhere far to the north: one of their black ships descending from orbit.