SUICIDAL MONARCH

It began as a faint shadow on the horizon, barely noticeable, like the flicker of a dying bulb. But then, it grew. A slow, creeping darkness, stretching across the sky as though the very fabric of space was being torn apart. At first, people in the streets of cities around the world paused, shielding their eyes against what they thought was a solar anomaly, a fleeting eclipse or perhaps some rare celestial event. They had no idea.

Then, the air began to change. A deep, unsettling chill swept over the land, colder than any winter night had ever been. People shivered, pulling their coats tighter, their breath visible in the suddenly frigid air, but no one understood why. It was as though the planet had inhaled, holding its breath for a moment too long.

And then came the silence.