Early morning walk, the neighborhood is asleep, clouds blanket the stars.
An ambulance siren splits the quiet. With little traffic or commerce this early, the broken calm is unavoidable. A minute earlier, the brisk siren of local first responders sounded, quickly traversing the main drag from east to west.
Following the same route, the sound of the ambulance resonates differently in empty streets. Though traveling at speed, the Doppler effect renders the ambulance siren a mournful wail, sound waves seemingly slowed, a lugubrious processional, like the sorrowful keening of the banshee, for those who know what I mean.
I paused as it passed, it seemed to call for it. I moved on with a wish and a prayer for those whose story summoned the sirens this day.
Shouldn't...but Do 