Slow Fall: Counting Down

The end of times may not emerge from the darkness like a thief creeping through the shadows, or rage with fearsome abruptness like a nuclear blast lighting up the night sky. Instead, it may lift its head far in the distance, glare directly into the sun, and hide from no one. It will crawl slowly forward, moving with absolute purpose, unyielding in its approach. The final bell will not ring for decades, but it will ring, and there will be no way to stop it.

Ray Breckford faces such a future. Working as an accountant for a local hospital, he experiences the initial fissures in the breakdown of civilization. A strange anomaly grips the world and it is Ray's misfortune to become the focal point of a growing crisis. Mysteriously, all mammals face a barrier to conception. Scientists and engineers explore theories in hopes of explaining the mystifying condition, but they fail to find any answers. People of the world are somewhat slow to accept the dilemma, but when they do, panic erupts.

Ray witnesses terror and confusion unfold as governments across the globe react to the predicament. He notices an alarming tension rising all around him, not only from the calamity but also from the strict regulations enacted to maintain peace at any cost. Decisions meant to protect the innocent grow beyond the scope of their original intentions. Policies initially designed to guard the welfare of certain citizens lead to even greater turmoil.

As Ray searches for safety and sanctuary within the mayhem, he faces difficult questions regarding his own role in the dwindling legacy of humankind. Ray does not seek the attention, but his unwillingness to ignore the plight of friends and strangers places him within a struggle for control and security. While he realizes he cannot prevent civilization from entering the abyss, he attempts to save one small piece of humanity in hopes of grasping a ray of light for a darkening future.