Tractor ran in combine’s trail, and dust from the threshing rose and obfuscated sun as smoke and sky of smoldering flame. He tried to see but was blind in its cast, and stepping out, he choked on the dust, coughing to clear, little different than in world on fire.
In few minutes’ time, all would change. Sun would fall. Gone would be the fire-sky, night’s temper into black’s begin.
Sun’s fall, he looked back to east: pink-glowed clouds, lavender edged, reflecting last of day still shining on high place, beyond horizon’s shadow cast upon the land.
Soon, glow of clouds faded too. World was shades and depths of gray.
In his mind, he dreamed in colors soft-shone in candle light—other tones, shades, and hues; lovely in the flicker-glow. He wanted ahead to workday’s end when he would find and meet her—waiting—there.
_____
Night’s further fall, heat-lightning shone in tall colonnades of clouds to south and east—violent flash of energied release without rain or ease of world’s thirst beneath. At the distance, all was silent though he could hear the crack and rolling echoes in his mind.
How long the storm would show, how long the night would go, he knew answer to neither one. Combine ran. He followed by, thinking still to home and she.