I like to sit up here and watch the dawn.

That first flicker, the unsteady fragile glint of sunlight peaking over the horizon.

It means that a hundred and fifty million kilometres away, the searing ball of gas is still glowing, emanating warmth and light towards us.

One day someone may sit in my place and wait for that glimmer in the darkness. And keep waiting. And waiting.

And then there would be no life.

A tragedy, yes.

But then there would be something peaceful, even rejoiceful, in knowing that the end will come this way.

That what ends humanity is something beyond our control, a hundred and fifty million kilometres across the universe, and not humanity itself.

As the sun rises, burning off those last few clouds and another day begins, that is the glimmer in the darkness that I hold on to.

This is a response to the #writephoto Prompt – Glimmer curated over at Sue Vincent’s Daily Echo. Click on the link to read other stories inspired by the image.