Polly took the long stroll along the paved sidewalk. The only cracks were those that were intentional. Polly could go with confidence in her high heels, developing the swift, smooth strut that would become her signature.

The lights cut through the night at the end of the road. The perfect dark that only came in places without light-pollution surrounded her on all sides. Polly would rather deal with what might lurk in the night than what was waiting in the town hall ahead. But ...