Synopsis: Into the Light

On a planet far from here, children fend for themselves until, becoming adults, they finally walk into the light. Tens of thousands of years ago, the planet was on a much wider orbit and had a day and night cycle like our own. Now, after a couple of astronomical and man-made occurances I won't go into, it's tidally locked and in a closer orbit, so one side of the planet is bathed in intense light and the other is in perpetual darkness. Because they evolved at a much lower light level, infant and juveniles of the native race cannot tolerate the daylight side, but adults crave the light and spend all their time there, returning to the darkness only to deliver their children. As a result, the juveniles are largely independent and have developed a culture of their own - until they hit puberty when they start to feel the same inherently selfish cravings as their parents and go through the physically and mentally painful adjustment from one world to the other. Not every child survives the transition.

Samuel is a guide - living in the twilight zone amidst the ruins of the ancient, global civilisation. As a youth he sacrificed his own rite of passage and chance to enter the light in order to take over from previous generations of guides and help others. Now an old man, he has to decide whether or not to go through the ordeal of trying to go through the adjustment himself or live out his life in twilight.

As he makes his emotional journey, his changing feelings about the cultures on his world colour his decision, but first he must select and train his successor, Jason. Part of that training will involve a series of expeditions into the twilight, both to the ruins, and to meet other guides, including two women who have been lifelong friends of Samuel and have differing opinions on the decision ahead of him.