Orange Crush

I wake up. There’s a strange almost florescent glow coming from the window. I look out. Orange. Everything is orange. I can make out the images of the things nearby. I can’t see anything else. It’s all orange. I lie back down and try to go back to sleep.

Before I doze off again, the oddity of the scene suddenly strikes me, and I wonder if I had dreamt it. I get back up and look out the window. Still orange. I don’t think to take a picture. The confirmation that I’m not hallucinating is good enough. I go back to sleep.

I wake up. It’s dark. Dark yet gray. I go outside. The wind is blowing hard. And then I feel it. The density of the air. Walking to my destination, eyes nearly shut, I start breathing harder. Trying not to. Every breath is like consuming a teaspoon of dust. I finally get there. I can still feel it in my lungs. I didn’t even walk that far.

I check in with Wikipedia, to learn more of this monster that confronts me. Guess what location has the feature picture? That’s right. It’s us.