Evening Fell

Evening fell. It had a cold sky the shade of cobalt blue that occurs just before the sun is completely extinguished, turning to the full darkness of night. The view from where she sat on her porch was framed by skeleton trees, still bare and leafless.  It was hauntingly beautiful, she thought, much prettier than the gray day where no sun had appeared.

She broke the seal on the bottle of cognac and poured two fingers into the brandy snifter. The familiar smell was stronger than the organic, mossy smell of the woods. Slowly breathing it in, she hesitated before drinking, rolling it around in the glass. At first taste, it burned a little on her tongue and throat as it went down. A fine cognac should not be adulterated her mother had said. It was probably the only thing they had ever agreed on. She felt the warmth as it descended onto her empty stomach. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back into the chair, waiting. After a brief moment she took another sip, then frowned and quickly gulped the rest. She refilled the glass, this time to the rim as the darkness enveloped her.