The Dark at the End of the Tunnel
ShortStory 5,679 words Recommended by 3 award/anthology sources
"2090 It’s true, my young friends. I was there as, one by one, the first stars began winking out. And again, the horrible night when one of the brightest of them all blazed brighter still—before disappearing forever. Serious? Yes, I’m serious. Moreover, if you’ll pardon the unavoidable pun, Sirius. In Canis Major."
Quasar links out; the story lives on Analog, where the author gets the click.