The Light Comes: Post-Apocalyptic
Light travels at a different rate in the mountains. First it covers the peaks and slowly it creeps down the side of the mountain until it reaches the valley. It leaves in reverse, letting shadows sink in to cover us first. So sometimes if you get a really paranoid person who habitually wakes up and tunes in to the radio before the sun reaches that valley floor, if you hear a broadcast screaming at everyone to get out of the light, to hide and not let it touch you no matter what, and if you have fifteen minutes before the light touches the valley, well, you may survive. If you're paranoid, if you believe the broadcaster, or maybe just if you make it a habit to believe every paranoid threat because someday it's going to be right. Not many of us types live in the valley, of course. We favor higher spots up on the mountain, where it's harder for people to get to us. The advantage of high ground, right? But my daughter was 8 months pregnant with her second child, her husband had to work long hard hours, and she needed a hand with the kid. I knew the house well enough, and I believed the radio broadcast. I might not be at home, where I had the full supply stocked, but I did set up an emergency go bag as soon as I got in. Just reflex, really. I knew that my daughter would be the problem. Too many false alarms as a child. She'd never listen in time. But pregnancy's lack of sleep and hormones made her suggestible first thing in the morning. First thing I did was grab the radio and my go bag. I ran to my grandchild's room and lifted her out of bed. As she complained sleepily, I carried her down the steps and into the basement. There was one room without windows and I put her in there and then squatted down and said, very sternly, "You MUST stay here, do you understand? If you leave you will be in a whole lot of trouble." She nodded her head, scared. Good. Now to trick my daughter.
Inspiration: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53400673@N08/8201465748/in/faves-aswiebe/
Story potential: High.
Notes: Light is bad, and maybe vampires are involved somehow, or not, and...not sure if this is actually a good story idea or if it just pulls at all my post-apocalyptic triggers!