Carla listened attentively to the chatter of the two elderly women. She had managed to catch up with the thread of their conversation, which had already covered half the road to Invictus. Now in the final stretch of their walk, they could talk without running out of breath. Thérèse took a moment to think, trying to decide where best to begin her story.
She took a deep breath. The scent of the trees tickled her nose. A woodland melody floated through the air. Then she spoke, addressing Carla:
"A tale as old as time, my dear girl... It all began on a starless night. The moon barely lit up the shadows when, suddenly, a shooting star appeared in the sky. It looked like it had torn through the fabric of night. It was so bright that those who saw it thought the sun had risen. And then it fell, right there, onto this land, leaving behind a crater several kilometers wide.
