Fog slowly crept over the rolling hills and slipped quietly into the sleeping city. Under the darkness it stretched its arms out to embrace one building then another. Through the black and grey streets it meandered, careful to stay away from the bright beacons that lined the asphalt paths. The city lay open and vulnerable to the mysterious creature that slipped soundlessly through. The hungry creature spilled into alleyways, and snuck into all the cracks in its attempt to encompass its meal. As it went on its way, swallowing more and more, it found the small apartment building with the blue door and the brass handle. Taking a detour, it slipped up the cold cement stairs and climbed the wall to the fourth story window closest to the corner. It surrounded the window and slowly peered in through the soft white curtains that dangled daintily around the whitewashed window frame. Just as the fog was about to slip in at the cracks of the tightly locked window, a rosy hand reached out and snatched at it, causing it to disappear on the spot.  Suddenly, beams of golden light began to shoot in from every direction, chasing the fog out of the corners and alleys. Bits and pieces tried to hide behind buildings, but the pale gold streamed in around the buildings and then flew the fog, back to whence it had come.

Rosy dawn was now the ruler of the city, but luckily for the inhabitants, she was a benevolent queen. Rather than creep about the buildings and try to suck them into her waiting clutches, she danced down the streets, between the beacons, and into the alleys. Delighted as always to see the bright little apartment on the corner of 6^th and H street, dawn twirled and skipped merrily right up the stairs. With a great bound she flew up to the fourth story window closest to the corner and hovered about the window. The curtains did not try to block her out as they had done with the fog, but rather brushed eagerly aside and let her pour through and fill the small bedroom with a lovely warm light.

The small twin size bed was pushed right up against the wall, so the now-golden light had to jump over it in order to enter the room. But once she had permeated the small space, she turned her attention to the young girl snuggled deep under the white and turquoise comforter. Laughing a quiet tinkling laugh, the light gently surrounded the girl.

The girl rolled over and faced the wall in protest. At that the light was done playing games and burst out into its full magnitude. The girl rolled onto her back in defeat unable to ignore the somewhat obnoxious presence. With that the rosy creature was satisfied and flew out her window, only to be replaced by the full fledged morning in all it’s radiant glory.

The new day had begun.