He left the office later than normal, knowing it would alert them. Hurrying home along the designated route, he framed his anxiety, for their benefit: he had lost track of the time, working on his quotas. Now it was late, and his husband would be wondering where he was. Home-heated nourishment congealing on the table, relief giving way to resentment when he stepped through the door – why hadn’t he called?

High above him, the air shimmered as something coalesced out of emptiness. The eye appeared, unblinking and silver as a fish. For a few long moments it probed his mind, before he felt it withdraw. The eye dissipated as quickly as it had appeared. He hurried on.

Reaching an intersection, he paused momentarily, allowing himself a brief glance at the sky. Empty. Suppressing mounting fear, he performed what he had been trained to do: he bifurcated. He walked mechanically into the building before him, seeing nothing, while in his mind he traveled onwards, towards home.

High above, the air began to shimmer…