Sheena trembled with anticipation. Though the annual Technology Festival arrived every year, only once a century was the history of her town celebrated, on Generation Day. This one, however, was even more historic. This year, the village's celebration would be the tenth Generation Day. One thousand years since the first Generation Day, those who were old enough to remember the last one would come together with those who had barely seen one day. They were to have a great outdoor party, the likes of which had never been seen before, and would never be seen again.

Sheena ran towards the Town Hall, where the night's festivities were about to begin. Doom Speakers littered the streets, ranting, "The apocalypse is nigh!" "Armageddon is coming!" "Catastrophe shall befall us all!"

Checking her pocket calendar one last time, Sheena giggled, then entered the field near the podium where the mayor was about to make a speech as the last minutes ticked away before the millenium anniversary of Generation Day drew to a close.

"As we begin the glorious countdown, we should think of this moment as a signpost, a celebration of past, present, and future. Let us make a resolution to always remember, to hold this time in our hearts and minds. Ten seconds, folks! Ten seconds 'till the future!"

"10...9..." The excitement rose as the crowd chanted along with the mayor.

"8...7..." The crowd pulsed and rippled with apprehension.

"6...5..." A man laughed giddily, a child began to cry.

"4...3..." The crowd was whipped into a laughing, screaming frenzy.

"2...1..." A great cheer went up, but was silenced as a shadow drew itself over the crowd, and all was dark...