Starless

The satellites.

They should have known when they launched them, battalions at a time. Everything was mathematically planned. No collisions, no crossing paths or degrading orbits. Full coverage. But the little mirrors grew so numerous as to first double the starlight, then block it out completely.

The light remains, however. Trapped within this reflective sphere, it bounces across the globe, an endless city twilight of false day. Just as the clouds brightened to the electric glow beneath, so is the present diffusion of all artificial light over our planet, now required to hold true darkness at bay.

For humans fear the night, and without the stars, there is no guidance.