The Second Sun

The little town saw tremendous growth in the last decade and a hectic routine replaced the easy pace of sustainable business. Days were spent in an endless pursuit of more, and evenings in haze of the never-ending materialistic high. Townspeople who had stopped knowing each other, enjoyed their insular lives in climate-controlled environments.

That day had gone by just like any other. The orange glow of the sinking sun in the west signaled the end of day and town’s roads became crowded. It was perhaps on the main bridge where a man first noticed an odd light across the eastern horizon. Instead of the anticipated advance of dark a new front of light was taking shape. A second sun was rising.

Before long the whole town came to a disbelieving halt, looking towards east in a hypnotic trance yet knowing it was for real. That glaring anomaly resulted in a physical and emotional melt down. The energy, which had built up in the past few years, now found an escape in a mass catharsis of sorts. People’s lives passed before their eyes, collages of long forgotten faces and simple moments spent together before the effects of that collective binge on technology had set in.

The scorching sun rose, making it impossible to look at any longer. Indifferent of their possessions, people started to move again. Roads were littered with affluence. Cars abandoned with keys inside. Shopping bags full of expensive articles left lying about without notice. Everyone was moving away from the gains which had required incredibly hard work.

Sun had reached the zenith. Everybody was now gathered in the central park and it was a strangely relaxed crowd. Relatives inquired each other about the years gone by and were slowly catching up on missed stories. Old friends were developing a new taste for simple things of life, engaged in aimless chats amidst green trees. And so it was, the park seemed to have gone back to good old times, immersed in a glow of satisfaction and happiness.

After a while, with rapidly sinking sun everybody turned to the east again. People were not sure though about what they wanted anymore.

Another day or another night?