Meet the Melmoths,
Harry and Lorraine: a mortgage broker and systems analyst from Marietta, Georgia. Homeowners, nonsmokers, Presbyterians, aged 43 and 38, married six years and seven months next Thursday. One child (his, non-resident, by a previous marriage). Three-bedroom two-bath
The sky above the port
1
9
8
4
was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.

William Gibson, Neuromancer

Colonial in a nice seventies development convenient to schools, churches, and the mall. One 1992 Honda Accord, blue, one 1995 Toyota Celica SE, gray. Two cats and assorted tropical fish. Liabilities of $177,903 against assets of $232,199. No known pre-existing conditions or outstanding warrants.

In just a little while their lives will be changed beyond recognition.


"What channel is that?"Lorraine asks.

Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes:
Saul plodded downstairs in flatfooted clump clumps. It was going to be a sunny, happy day and he was depressed by it. Earlier this morning, before accidentally eating a cockroach whole and before sitting on a toilet for an hour in an effort to entice its exit,
but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
ECCLESIASTES 11:9
Saul had known that today would be odd. The previous night all of his relatives, many quite dead, a stadium full of them, had accused him of misspending his inheritance on malarial slaves from Uganda. He hadn't done this. He woke with sandpaper in his eyes again.