[He couldn't help but subtly--or not so subtly, really--watch the ribbon swish. It wasn't quite as captivating as, say, glitter, but it was close.]

That's really weird. A whole city doesn't just- get empty like that.

[Unless there was something wild like a rapture--which Noah wouldn't buy, not being religious--or mass alien abduction--which seemed more plausible, in comparison--or...he didn't know.]

Oh. Right. That's going to take a while to get used to, again.