Out there in the darkness he would have sworn that there were eyes and ears strained as his own were strained.

And the darkness was lifting.

Shadows began to disentangle themselves from the gray chaos.

Trees and bushes took form, and over his head the last heavy windrows of clouds shouldered their way out of the sky.
Still, as the twilight of dawn took the place of night, he did not move, except to draw himself a little closer into the shelter of the scrub spruce behind which he had hidden himself.

He wondered if Celie would be frightened at his absence.