Andros, Oregon is a tourist hotspot for space nerds and intergalactic fans of all ages. With the tourist season gone and school in session, there isn't much to do. No fairs, no visiting celebrities- the town is veritably dead.
That is until the perfect shower is forecasted. A meteor shower.
Armed with nothing but their bikes and a battered old telescope, Matt Harris and his two friends get far more melted and flying space debris than they bargained for as one of the stars above them proves to be anything but.
____________________________________________________
RANIUM E is approximately 25 trillion miles from Andros, Oregon.
An icy planet plagued by turbulent storms, this frigid colony holds the central government and research divisions for an empathetic and technologically advanced civilization called the Ghoulia.
Rasiel al Reehmel is one of the Ghoulias' brightest minds and a member of Ranium E's royal family.
Politics and a recent assassination attempt behind him, Rasiel is given rather dire information regarding the restricted and dangerous etomaim-covered planet of Gaia.
Thermal patterns are skewed, radiation spikes vast, and any time wasted can spell disaster for this undeveloped world.
Little does he know, Gaia is by no means undeveloped
Andros, Oregon is a tourist hotspot for space nerds and intergalactic fans of all ages. With the tourist season gone and school in session, there isn't much to do. No fairs, no visiting celebrities- the town is veritably dead.
That is until the perfect shower is forecasted. A meteor shower.
Armed with nothing but their bikes and a battered old telescope, Matt Harris and his two friends get far more melted and flying space debris than they bargained for as one of the stars above them proves to be anything but.
____________________________________________________
RANIUM E is approximately 25 trillion miles from Andros, Oregon.
An icy planet plagued by turbulent storms, this frigid colony holds the central government and research divisions for an empathetic and technologically advanced civilization called the Ghoulia.
Rasiel al Reehmel is one of the Ghoulias' brightest minds and a member of Ranium E's royal family.
Politics and a recent assassination attempt behind him, Rasiel is given rather dire information regarding the restricted and dangerous etomaim-covered planet of Gaia.
Thermal patterns are skewed, radiation spikes vast, and any time wasted can spell disaster for this undeveloped world.
Little does he know, Gaia is by no means undeveloped
Matt made headway through the brisk autumn air as reds, yellows, and deep ocher oranges crackled underneath his tires. His brown hair blew sporadically against his wind-burned cheeks as he pedaled uphill. He was excited as he willed his exhausted, wiry frame over the last concrete segment before cresting the bike.
The thirteen-year-old pulled his feet from the pedals and grinned ecstatically as gravity dragged his weight forward and down the street on the other side. It was like going down a roller coaster, and he hollered happily as the momentum shot him forward.
Matt was a multicolored blur as he flew through the business-lined avenue. Tires continued crunching against leaves as he sailed by the various shops and space-themed tourist attractions. Clusters of coppery red maples were around every sidewalk in Andros, Oregon, creating blankets of bright golden color where the evergreens surrounding the town could not.
To his right, Hartley Gaming and Arcades was just clicking on its bright orange fluorescent sign. Matt waved to Mr. Hartley as he passed. The thin fellow looked up and waved ecstatically as the teen passed. The after-school crowd would pile through the Hartley's doors at any moment now for games of Pacman and homemade pizza. Box Sportswear and Equipment was right next to that, and just up the street, the small-town businesses trickled into the neighborhoods in branch-like diversions from the main road.
Khan Props and Apparel was at the corner of such a diversion. Some would even argue it was on the very tip acting as a divider between businesses and homes connecting off Rigel Lane and Sirius Road. The small three-story house hosted a live-in home and a small store disconnected off of the side of the garage that never saw use unless a customer pre-ordered a prop or needed a fitting. Matt's smile broadened. Today was going to be life-changing.
He just knew it.
Sort of like how he knew the number of moons around Saturn was eighty-two or that Neil Armstrong learned how to fly before he ever got his driver's license.
Mai and Tyrell had told him about the meteor shower only a few hours prior. Tyrell apparently had seen the update in his emails during lunch for the light show.
It was a rare occurrence that no one in his sleepy little town had been previewed to in over a hundred years because of heavy rain clouds and poor weather.
Today though? The sky was cloudless. A perfect pristine blue that stretched in every direction for miles.
Matt's torn and roughed up left sneaker kicked out to turn him into his driveway, and Phantom veered at the weight change. The brilliant neon green bike rattled and shook before skidding onto his lawn. Matt slowed his dismount and gently wheeled his prized possession into the nook by the garage where the metal garbage cans were set out.Â
Phantom had been his thirteenth birthday present. His father had scoured the junkyard off the county road outside of town for three weeks to find the perfect parts. Fresh paint, mountain bike level steering, and top-of-the-line brakes made it the crown jewel of his meager collection. His old scooter in the garage was missing a wheel, and his previous bike had been closer to looking like a modern art sculpture than an actual mode of transportation you could sit on.
Gently patting off the black and chrome seat, Matt turned with an almost jittery giddiness in his step.
'Okay. Phone, telescope, Oli's old wagon, blankets... What else do we need?'
He opened the door and moved to step in, only to go wide-eyed as his foot connected with something slippery and orange on the floor. He righted himself on the door frame and squinted at his shoe.
His sister flicked a wavy strand of auburn hair out of her eyes and behind her ear before apologetically looking up from her Stephen King novel. "Oh... right. Mom and dad were testing the slime guns again for Vul-con. Are you alright?"
Matt sighed and kicked up his shoe against the yellow entranceway mat like an agitated horse. "Just peachy.â
Then his eyes trailed back to their tattered red sofa, and he raised an eyebrow. "Where are mom and dad, Oli?"
Olivia smirked. "They went to Salem for more parts. They have this nifty little idea for a magnetic 'prop gun' harness. You know how bulky those fake weapons can be, and attaching them straight to the belt pulls on the costume."
The younger teen gave a slight nod, and Olivia bookmarked her page.
 "Are you going out for the night?" Matt asked with a hint of hurt.
Olivia nodded, and her brow furrowed at the disappointment in Matt's voice. "Yeah, I'm spending the weekend over at Laura's. We're going to a book signing in Albany tomorrow, and I want an early start. It'll be easier if she doesn't have to pick me up, so we figured I should just spend the night."
The thirteen-year-old flinched. "But tonight..."
Olivia sighed and reached over to cup a hand under his chin as she pulled her jacket over her other arm. "The stars don't change very much. I can look up at them any old night."
Matt pouted, "But Oli! It's one of the biggest-"
Olivia sighed but smiled kindly, so the dimples in her cheeks revealed themselves. "Just take some pictures for me, little buddy. I've been looking forward to this book signing for weeks... I promise I'll make this up to you later."
Matt huffed but perked with an idea. A sly smile tugged at his lips, "Even a Trekkie marathon in the attic?"
Olivia groaned at the thought of watching yet another episode of either the old series or the new continuation.
Unlike the rest of her space-oriented family, she preferred things at ground level. "Maybe." She reasoned.
Matt took that as a yes and victoriously pumped a fist in the air.
Olivia smiled flintily. "If you're going out tonight, bundle up and bring-"
"-Blankets." Matt finished. His feet were already halfway up the staircase to retrieve his telescope from the roof. He passed the bedrooms and pivoted to the fire escape on the left side of the hall. His shoes skidded over the metal as he quickly made his way to the flat area that operated as a second yard for the family. Or, as his mom endearingly called it, "The Blue Lagoon."
It was a cringe-worthy name for a cringe-worthy story that transpired when Matt was around nine. He and his friend Tyrell had dragged the water hose from the backyard to the roof and turned it on to make an artificial beach. The bricks on the sides of the building near the drainage area were still stained from them, pouring blue Kool-Aid into the water. Oli had been the one to discover them a few hours later. Matt had been dyed blue from the waist down, and Tyrell an off shade of purple.
The resulting photos had left the two boys with the joint nickname: little-blue men. His mom and dad still teased them about it, and the photo of him crying with his mother spraying him in the backyard was still tacked to their fridge under a Saturn magnet.
He walked past the stains and nosed around by the lawn chairs until he found his telescope. The yellow tape he used for his initials was coming undone, causing the label to flap a little.
Licking a thumb and straightening the tape around the base, he quickly tucked the tripod under the crook of his arm and began making his way to his bedroom to retrieve some blankets from his closet. The metal creaked as he made it to the platform under his window. An engine rattled below him, and Matt used his free hand to wave at his sibling's blue suburban as it sputtered away from the street.
Olivia honked twice and rolled down her window. "Money is on the fridge!"
Matt grinned. "TELL LAURA I SAID HI!"
Olivia nodded briefly before rolling up her window and driving over the hill and out of sight.
Matt turned from the street and began wrestling with the latch on his windowsill. He jiggled it open and used an elbow to keep the pane of glass from sliding back down like a guillotine against the back of his neck. The teen dragged his telescope into the bedroom and leaned it against the desk in front of his window.
With the instrument safely propped within the narrow gap between his mattress and his desk, he clumsily weaved his legs over the furniture obscuring the windowsill. His laptop nearly toppled onto the flooring, but he quickly shot an arm out to catch both himself and it.
He sighed in relief and gently wriggled the laptop and his homework aside before jumping off his desk. His sneakers connected against the hardwood with a satisfying thump.
Matt's family was eccentric, which had easily transferred to his bedroom. Everything from the glass star attachments on his blinds to the glow-in-the-dark stickers on his ceiling were space-themed.
His bookshelf was on the far wall next to a secondary broken and locked window. Layered on those skewed shelves, there were stacks of books on stars, planets, theories on travel, and alien-themed Sci-fi adventure novels. It was like looking at a Tetris game frozen in place just before a level cleared. The bottom shelf was so crammed it was practically keeping the rest of the disheveled horde from cascading down in a mountain of blue hardbacks and monochrome print.
Several comic books crinkled underfoot as Matt rushed to his bed and dumped the contents of his backpack onto the comforter. Mr. Lermet's Fahrenheit 451 essay assignment detached and spun in mid-air before landing under the bed. The teen paid it little mind as he ran to his closet across from the bed to retrieve a couple of blankets to keep both his telescope and himself safe and chill-free.Â
A dull ringing echoed from the bed to the faint tune of David Bowie's Starman. Matt ran back to the right corner of his room with the sheets draped in his arms and tripped over his shoelaces. He toppled against the floor with a bone-rattling *smack*. The teen moaned and plopped a wrist over the lip of the mattress to rustle through the papers obscuring his phone.
It was clicked on and answered with a defeated, âYello?âÂ
Tyrell's excited voice reverberated over the line."Yo! Matt? What time are we meeting up? I just finished at the register over here, and my mom's giving me the green light to leave."
Matt beamed and crawled up from the floor to stuff the sheet into his cross-body bag. He tucked the phone, so it was sandwiched between his chin and neck. "I just have to get the wagon hooked up to Phantom."
Tyrell snorted, "Dude... seriously? You need to rename that bike."
Matt scoffed in mock anger before slyly answering, "Come on, this is my battlecruiser! Do you know how many bullies from Clement I've out pedaled on this puppy?"
Tyrell raised a hand to lift two fingers before groaning, "But Space Ghost? Of all the-"
Matt narrowed his eyes as he slung his bag back over his shoulder. His fingers knotted in the sheets as he ripped up one of the less fortunate ones. Bundling his telescope in the fabric, he defended. "Dad built it, dad named it. I like it, so it sits."
Tyrell sighed. "Fine. Hey? Should I meet up at your place to help with the wagon or-?"
Matt kicked open his bedroom door and staggered down the staircase. He yanked his spare key from under the yellow entranceway rug, looked at his full hands, and then returned his gaze to the phone between his cheek and shoulder. "I may need help. I mean, there is a ton of stuff we have to-"
An annoying ringing echoed from the door as Tyrell hung up on him with an audible 'click'. Matt raised a brow and leaned forward so he could open the door.
Tyrell leaned against the doorway and popped a finger gun at him with a sly grin. "Hartley is here and ready to assist. As you said, there's a ton of stuff we have to do. What's first? Dating lessons? Karaoke? Basking in my aura?"
Matt laughed. "Oh, yeah, totally basking..." He paused as he smelled an overly strong woodsy scent wafting in from Tyrell. " Are you wearing Axe?"
Tyrell blushed, and his amber eyes averted nervously as he fidgeted. "Erm... Mai is going to be-" He fumbled over his words, "Is it too much?"
"You smell like a pine car freshener." Matt then teased, "So, you're going to make a move again? Didn't you learn anything after the whole popcorn helmet incident?"
Tyrell took off his baseball cap and fisted it before jabbing a finger defensively in Matt's direction. "I told you I didnât mean it that way! It was the last time I got dating advice from Martin and- She's into me, I just know it..." That last part was said with a bit of uncertainty.
Matt smirked. "Sure... And if you keep this up? She may just end up into you even more. One more corny pickup line, and she'll probably give you three more inches of up close and personal to the kisser." Matt mimed punching as he handed Tyrell the telescope.
Tyrell cringed, "DUDE. She wouldn't." His eyes became dreamy for a moment. "Mai has the temperance of a kitten! She's sweet and-"
Matt flicked his friend's nose with a free hand. "So are lions at one point, bud. She's wild, and you're a lover, not a fighter."
Tyrell's eyebrow twitched. He rolled his eyes with an indignant huff. "The same can be said for you, Admiral Awkward. How long have you been staring off at Diana and Padmé? " Motioning toward himself and then to Matt, he added. "We're bottom-tier shelfware, my dude. It's like off-brand cereal trying to flirt with Fruity Pebbles. One's already dating that moron, Clay, and he already kicks your butt during gym. What did you even do to get that guy on your case?"
Matt turned beet red before shoving past his friend and clambering to the garage. He chose to ignore the last question in lieu of retorting, "I already asked Padmé last year, Ty. She said no, remember?"
Tyrell rolled his eyes. "How can I forget? You acted like you got dumped by your fiancée the night before the wedding." Tyrell paused, and his eyes narrowed. "Wait, a gosh darn second... You're still into Diana, aren't you?"
Matt's cheeks stained bright crimson, and he quickly whipped his head up as he grabbed the wagon's handle. "So?"
Tyrell slapped a knee as he snorted, "You like the black belt toting, swim team captain. Nice choice, string bean."
Matt balled his fists. "I have a chance! She likes stars-"
Tyrell rolled his eyes. "Well, congrats, you're officially a star-crossed lover then. Diana only dates once in a blue moon, and it's always with guys from the track or football team."
Matt slumped dejectedly, and Tyrell immediately backtracked with a reassuring smile. "But what do I know? I've never actually dated anyone, and the one girl I like seems to be constantly staring at this one clueless doofus." He bent down and chained the wagon.
Matt brightened slightly. "So what made you fall for Mai? You guys are practically opposites."
Tyrell walked over to his muddy bike and kicked up the brake pedal. He tossed his hat in the wicker basket on the front and shrugged. "I think I like how strong and free-spirited she is. She's crazy at times but compassionate⊠And between us? The way she squinches her nose or twitches it when she gets agitated? It's adorable." Tyrell leaned against his handlebars as Matt picked up the bundled telescope from the ground and attempted to fasten it to the wagon.
Tyrell reached into his cargo pants and pulled out a large roll of silver duct tape. He threw it at Matt. Matt caught it appreciatively, and Tyrell asked, "Why do you like Diana? Physical or-?"
Matt blushed, and his nervous stutter became more apparent as he taped the telescope in place. "I... um... w-well..." The boy bashfully wiped a few strands of brown hair out of his eyes. Tyrell was grinning smugly as Matt continued. "She's pretty and...I... um..."
Tyrell spun a wrist against his handlebars in a motion for Matt to keep going. "What's pretty about her? It can't be her attitude. She snaps at people more than a mousetrap."
Matt frowned slightly but then giddily elaborated. "Her eyes? How does someone even get that shade of gray? It's like staring into a pool of liquid moonstone or gazing at Uranus. They're pearly blue abysses I just get hopelessly lost in."
Tyrell dog whistled. "Wow. Okay, kudos on the romance vibes, but only one word in that described Diana Ross. She's an ass. So that planet you just compared her to? Nailed it."
Matt glared and tossed the tape at Tyrell. Tyrell winced as the roll popped him in the forehead and made for its escape. He fumbled for a moment but managed to stuff it back into his pants as he smirked, "Hurry up, Kirk. We have a schedule to keep, and I hear meteor showers are choice events for making wishes and getting girlfriends."
Matt snorted and quickly kicked up his own bike stand. "So what am I? The third wheel?"
"I thought you could be my wingman. Every Han needs a Chewie." Tyrell snorted.
Matt raised an eyebrow and began peddling out of the driveway. "So what do I do in this situation? Provide backup or use that tape in your pocket to fix your nose once she decks you for another one of your 'friend' kisses?"
Tyrell growled and sped ahead of him to the side path leading to the highway. "I've changed my mind. You can be C3PO and stay out of every major scene while I swing the princess over to my side."
Matt laughed joyously as the breeze picked up.Â
After a few seconds, another cheery laugh swept out from the side of the woods as a lilac bike sped up to join them. Tyrell went wide-eyed at the laughter and turned to see Mai pedaling behind him. He slowed down to allow her to join his side.
Matt snorted, "What took you so long, Mai?"
Mai rolled her eyes and pouted her lips. "Just a ton of boring old World War II memorabilia stowed in the attic that my great-grandpa hid. Swords, kimonos, even a few old hair combs. My mom wants to clear it all out, so we can give my grandmother her own living quarters. There must have been two or three katanas rolled up in the rugs upstairs."
Tyrell got a mischievous glint in his light brown eyes at the possibility of a pun or pickup line he could use. "That's a fantastic spot to hide them. Some would argue it's a real cutting edge-."
Mai smirked knowingly. "Tyrell? If you dare-"
Tyrell blushed and averted his gaze back to the road. Making a pun within 'blackout' distance would surely end with his face cheese-grating into the cement.
Mai smiled when he wasn't looking and turned her attention to Matt's wagon. "Hey, Matt. Where are we going to set up for the shower?"
Matt grinned. "There's this old area up the road I scoped out the last time I went with my dad to pick up scrap from the junkyard. It should be perfect. There's an open field and-"
Mai quirked an eyebrow and interrupted. "You mean McKinley's airfield?"
Matt nodded and swallowed, "Yeah... I figured-"
Mai smiled slyly and tapped a hand against her handlebar as she gazed out from under her choppy bangs to look at Matt. "What if I told you I found someplace better? We'll have a full three hundred and sixty-degree view."
Matt raised an eyebrow in surprise. "There's a place like that near here?"
Mai nodded. "It's a twenty-minute ride from the main road, but it's perfect for stargazing. You two in?"
Matt and Tyrell looked at each other, Tyrell blushing and Matt gawking. Matt swallowed and answered, "Sure. Lead the way."
Mai grinned broadly to expose her purple studded braces. She turned her bike down one of the hiking trails ahead of them and gave a playful laugh as several branches crunched underneath her tires to punctuate the move.
Tyrell swooned partially, and Matt hollered, "Hey, Han? You're about to crash your Millennium Falcon."
Tyrell snapped out of his temporary googly-eyed daze and picked up his pace to follow Matt and Mai.
Matt skidded over a bump in the path, and his bike and the wagon bounced before reconnecting with the moss and leaf-covered forest floor. Tyrell grinned and rolled his bike toward the bump. It bounced up before it reconnected with the ground to be accompanied by the soft crunch of his tires and giddy laughter.Â
Mai glanced back and whistled, "Nice air stats, gamer boy."
Tyrell blushed and flashed a flirty smile. The plus side to his parents owning an arcade was that he had ample time to perfect his skills, whether it be console or cabinet, from the time he was six years old. Sadly, this left him on the weaker side regarding physical activity. He and Matt preferred entertainment that negated sweat and physical pain.
Running? Nope. Football? Eh... They both had tried out for the team at one point, and Tyrell was pretty sure a few of his ribs were still recovering. Basketball? Tyrell could manage some decent hoops but was still too short to keep up with his peers reach-wise. Soccer?
Tyrell's blush became even brighter as he glanced toward Mai. The first time he had met her was when he and Matt had been forced into the local YMCA's soccer club by their parents. Mr. and Mrs. Sato had argued for ballet classes, but ten-year-old Mai-Lee had blatantly refused.
Mai had chosen to be on the opposing team against Tyrell and Matt at the start of the season, and during their first game, the soccer ball had barreled from Maiâs extended leg to hit Tyrell in the face with enough force to shatter his glasses and bust his nose.
Needless to say? He stopped wearing glasses to practice after that, and he eventually talked his parents into buying him contact lenses. From that day forward, the trio had been inseparable.
A laugh jarred Tyrell from memory lane, and he whipped his head up to see Matt grinning at him. "Earth to Ty? Hello? Do you read me?"
Tyrell blushed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I read you. Sorry... I was just thinking about when we all used to do that ridiculous soccer thing at the Y. How many times did you and I run into each other?"
Matt turned and thought about it for a moment before slyly answering, "Hm... About half the amount of times you stumbled into Mai?"
Tyrell blushed even brighter. It had been easy to lose his footing even with contacts, and Mai had constantly bumped into him or landed under him.
Mai glanced back. "Hey, Ty? Careful up ahead. There's a huge ditch on your side."
Tyrell nodded and sped up to easily jump the enormous gap cleaved into the ground by recent rainfall. Matt grinned and wheeled his bike and wagon to avoid it.
Mai started a conversation as she clicked on her bike's light, so they could see better in the fading sunlight. "So, Aldrin, how has your Algebra homework been going?"
Matt groaned at both the nickname and the thought of the incomplete homework waiting back home for him. Tyrell snorted. "I take it you're stuck on-?"
Matt butted in, "-everything. I'm stuck on everything. Who even came up with the idea of ninth-graders trying to figure out sales ratios for some figurative guy trying to get rid of apples? Do I look like I'm going to become an apple salesman? And how do X and Y even-"
Mai sighed. "Okay... okay... We get it. You hate the quadratic function assignments. What do you expect, though? After that last quiz, Miss Fisher had to give you remedial work."
Tyrell looked at Matt apologetically. "Dude... If you need help, I can tutor you?"
Matt perked and turned to stare at Tyrell. His green eyes were wide in the setting sun. "Really? You aren't going to be busy with the shop or-"
Tyrell smiled. "Martin is coming back this semester, so I won't be working nearly as much as over the summer."
Matt raised an eyebrow. "So your brother is coming back from University early? I thought he was going for a degree in design or something."
Tyrell shrugged from behind his handlebars. "Yeah... He apparently wants to take a break before the spring term to visit us, and then he's going to be going abroad for a few months."
Mai piped in, "What country is he thinking about?"
Tyrell snorted, "Russia, of all places."
Matt winced. "So given the opportunity to go to any other warm climate or country, he's picking the drunks' version of the Antarctic?"
Mai giggled at that description. Tyrell shrugged as he wheeled his bike around a large hole. "At least he can tell us if the meme culture is accurate for the joint."
Matt smiled. "True, but I can't see Martin surviving one day in Russia. He's the exact opposite of tough-guy material. There are Girl Scouts braver than him."
Tyrell winced. "Hey, that's not really fair! He's not a complete wuss."
Matt looked at Tyrell with a deadpan stare. "We're talking about the guy who cried for three days straight after watching the Titanic and who had a mini-meltdown at the Kwiki Mart when he couldn't find the restroom, right?"
Tyrell groaned. He couldn't deny the facts. His brother was a complete pansy. Matt grinned broadly and turned from Tyrell with an air of triumph. "I'd give him a solid four hours before he starts screaming and crying because of all the new stuff and begging to go home."
Mai snorted. "And what about the language gap? Jez, the poor guy, would be completely thrown for a loop! Everything is so guttural and harsh sounding. He'd feel threatened just trying to ask where the restroom was." She spotted the red and white sign marking the site just a short distance ahead of them and instructed. "Okay, guys, this left turn at the fork."
 Mai paused and turned to look at Matt. "Slow down as we get closer. There's one hell of a ditch, and it would royally bite if your telescope catapulted over the hill with Olli's wagon."
Matt nodded appreciatively and slowed down as they made the turn. Tyrell slowed down in the event Matt would need to dismount to manually drag the wagon out of the relatively large ditch.
Mai skidded to a halt ahead of them and quickly kicked down her brake leg to support her bike. She grabbed her flashlight and pointed it at the ditch where the two boys had stopped to manually drag the wagon over. Both boys hissed at the glaringly bright light and covered their eyes before falling backward into the water-carved hole.
Mai laughed and walked over so she could look over them. She pointed at the bikes on the other side and the wagon still at the soilâs edge. "Just leave them here. No one ever comes out here."
Tyrell swallowed thickly as he looked at their surroundings. They were way further out than he had initially wanted. He looked around fearfully as he questioned, "Um... Mai-lee? How far out are we? Is it safe for us to be-" The sound of an owl overhead cut him off, and he squeaked before grappling onto Matt.
Matt sighed before wriggling out of his hold. He motioned toward the darkness surrounding them and sighed, "Ty? It was a bird. Chill."
Tyrell calmed slightly but nervously argued. "Have you met my mema's parrot? Birds are vicious!"
Mai crouched down and smiled warmly at Tyrell. "We're completely safe. He's more scared of you than you are of him."
Tyrell calmed down, and Matt added with a lighthearted smile, "What can possibly get us out here?" He grabbed the telescope and tucked it under his armpit.
Tyrell tensed and mimed claws with his fingers. "Oh? I don't know? Freaking lions or tigers or..."
Matt laughed and began dragging his friend over the small hill. "This is Oregon. Bears? Maybe. But I can't see anything else you're describing coming after us unless someone broke into a circus or a zoo and let everything loose."
Tyrell put an arm out to motion to the eerily tall trees around them. The pines cast shadows against Mai's flashlight and created spooky snake-like mirages against the ferns and weeds. "What about Bigfoot?"
Mai laughed. "We're as likely to come across him as we are, Dracula or ET."
Matt smiled but froze as they came to an enormous obstacle. A large metal fence topped with barbed wire was blocking the path. Mai looked at it unfazed, but both boys froze in their tracks. Matt cleared his throat, and a tiny wisp of warm air swirled to reveal itself briefly in the light from Mai's flashlight as she turned to him.
She groaned, "What?"Â
Matt pointed at the fence with his free arm. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that bullet-ridden, red and white sign say this is private property?"
Mai rolled her eyes. "The state owns it. That's just to keep poachers out."
Tyrell raised an eyebrow as Mai plucked a neon pink bobby pin out of her bun and fidgeted with her flashlight. Holding the metal in her teeth, she motioned them to the left, where a small service road gate was padlocked shut.
To both boysâ mounting panic, she bent the wire and jammed it into the keyhole at the bottom of the lock. Matt shot a hand out to her shoulder. "Woah! Mai... This place obviously is-"
The lock clicked open in Mai's palm, and with a smug finality, she from her fingers. It smooshed into the mud as she grinned at the wide-eyed boys beside her. "If they didn't want anyone here, they would have done better than to buy some flimsy dollar store padlock. We're not stealing anything or doing anything illegal by hanging out for an hour or two to watch the sky. It's not like anyone will ever know, and I can easily relock it when we go to leave."
Tyrell protested. "Mai-lee, I'm not liking where this is going. We're breaking and entering, and I reallllyyyy don't want to end up Sasquatch's toothpick."
Matt looked just as uneasy. "The airfield isn't that bad....I-"
Mai rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips mockingly. "Come on, guys. We'll be here for three hours. Tops. No one will find out we were here unless one of us blabs, and even then, I doubt we would get in any real trouble. The state bought this place months ago, and no one has touched it since."
Matt bit his lip and looked from the bikes behind them to the open gate, debatingly. Mai smirked. "Come on, Aldrin, just down this hill, there's the best view of the stars for miles. Can you guys just take this leap of faith with me?"
Matt took a shaky breath before looking back at her with newfound determination. "I trust you, Mai."
Tyrell looked at the duo in utter disbelief. "You two are joking, right?"
Matt raised an eyebrow, and Mai jeeringly tossed the flashlight up and down in one hand as she motioned toward the opening. Matt took the invitation and bowed under the wire. Mai grinned broadly at Matt's enthusiasm. Tyrell stayed at the fence, so she added, "Ty, let's do an inventory check? You have no flashlight, no way of traversing back without getting lost, and a severe fear of open spaces."
Tyrell looked up to her pleadingly. "Mai, I-"
Her hand reached out and caught his shoulder to pull him closer. Tyrell blushed, and Mai quickly tangled her fingers through his to keep hold of him before marching him through the fence and into the underbrush. Tyrell tried to pull away, only for Mai to yank him even closer to herself. "Come on. We'll protect you from the big bad monsters." Mai mused sarcastically.
Matt smirked at Tyrell's confused and enamored expression and leaned in to whisper, "This is your chance, Han."
Tyrell's eyes widened as he glanced from Matt to the hand being held in Maiâs vice-like grip. He smiled. This wasnât too bad.
Matt grinned and began whistling behind them as he adjusted his grip on the telescope. Mai led them to an abandoned footpath obscured by thick, tendril-like vines and undergrowth. Her combat boots cracked against the fallen leaves and branches as she coaxed both boys deeper. Matt nearly tripped as they rounded a segment of the hill and quickly propped his sneaker against a large boulder to keep himself upright.
Tyrell glanced back at the harsh squeak of rubber and gently detached Mai to help Matt regain his balance with the telescope. Mai watched enthusiastically but facepalmed after a moment. "Shoot! I knew I forgot something!" Her hand fell to rest against the bridge of her nose. "I totally forgot to pack the cookies bÄchan made."
Tyrell looked up. "Your granny made cookies?"
Mai sighed and nodded yes before looking back up at them. "They were on the counter... We baked them earlier before my mom snatched me to clean the attic, and in my rush to catch you guys, I forgot to grab them."
Matt smiled appreciatively, "It's the thought that counts."
Tyrell nodded in agreement.
Mai huffed. "We looked up this cool new recipe and everything..."
Tyrell sighed. "What flavor?"
Mai groaned. "Strawberry cheesecake."
Tyrell and Matt went wide-eyed. Matt swallowed, and both boys exchanged a guilty look at the missed opportunity.Â
Tyrell smiled gently at Mai. "We could always come over to your place tomorrow. I can help you with the attic and Matt with his algebra stuff."
Matt perked at the thought of both the cookies still being a possibility and the promised help with his homework. Mai smiled broadly and raised an eyebrow at Tyrell. "You sure? It's a lot of stuff to pack up."
Tyrell scuffed and looked away from her in mock annoyance before proudly jamming a finger against his chest. "I'll do anything when food is involved."
Mai chuckled, âThatâs not exactly something to brag about.â Then she snorted and turned from them. "Come on, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. The clearing is only a short distance from here and-" She glanced at her wristwatch with her flashlight. "-the shower starts in six minutes."
Both boys sprung to action. They were invading private property after all for this shower. There was no way they were going to miss it.
The trio stumbled through the underbrush for a few more minutes until they came to a slightly raised area in a small clearing. Matt giddily ran forward and spun around with his telescope as he motioned around them. "This is perfect! Oh, my gosh! Guys? Look at Canis Major! And Orion is-"
Mai and Tyrell's laughter echoed behind him, and he blushed a deep scarlet. Green eyes nervously averted to his shoes as his stutter returned to once more announce his emotions. "C-Come on, guys... The shower is going to start s-soon."
Tyrell ran over to him and glomped a hand against his back in a comforting motion. He frowned slightly as he noticed Matt's excessive shivering, and he yanked the thinner teen's plaid shirt from his waist before forcefully wriggling it on him while Mai grabbed the telescope and set it up. "First things first, dude. You're shaking like a leaf. Why didn't you grab a jacket? It's like thirty degrees out right now!"
Matt squirmed as Tyrell looped his arm into a sleeve and protested. "I'm fine! My house is an icebox, remember? Otherwise, the prop adhesives do weird stuff while they're drying."
Mai snickered as she adjusted the lens. "You still need to look out for your health, space cadet. You won't be able to get into NASA if you're sick twenty-four seven."
âSpace Force.â Matt corrected. He smiled as Tyrell playfully tugged his head under his shoulder and ruffled his hair.
Several bright lights began streaming through the sky above the teens, and they ecstatically looked at them in awe. Streaks of white, hot rod red, and bright cobalt blue sparked and danced across the sky to paint an otherworldly celestial dance against the deep navy.
Mai laughed ecstatically as Tyrell and Matt wrestled for the telescope. Tyrell won and quickly put his eye to the lens. Matt tugged at his shoulder and felt Tyrell tense. A worried question bubbled to the shorterâs lips, "Did I accidentally crack the lens earlier when I fell? Ty? Hey?"
In confusion, Tyrell retracted his face from the instrument. "Matt, meteors are itty-bitty pieces of space rock that burn in the atmosphere, right?"
Matt nodded, and Tyrell stared up at the sky with a mixture of horror and disbelief painting his expression. "Whatâs the likelihood a space station could fall out of orbit?"
Matt immediately spouted a memorized fact. "Um, zero? Space stations are maintained and kept in perfect orbit to prevent space debris from swatting them out of alignment. Ty, what are you-?"
Tyrell swallowed and motioned Matt to the telescope. Matt felt his throat catch. The flame-like tendrils blanketing the flickering black object were revealing odd shapes that wouldn't coincide with space debris. Something else was layered just below the lights flickering across the sky. "It's not a meteor... Whatever that is, itâs only 50,000 feet up, and it's angled wrong." Matt shivered fearfully.
The meteor shower was forgotten as he began adjusting the telescope to get a better view of what it was. "It's small... Oh, god- It looks like a transport shuttle! It's the same size as the Dream Chaser."
He retracted his gaze from the telescope and stared at the flaming mass in unrestrained horror.
Mai grabbed onto his shirt and yanked hard. "AND IT'S COMING STRAIGHT FOR US!"
Tyrell growled in frustration before dragging his friends to the ground and putting his weight over them. A flaming, black-tinted ship sailed through the air above them less than thirty seconds later. Matt peeked up as it rocketed by. Someone was most definitely dead or dying from their rough re-entry into earth's atmosphere. All three cowered fearfully at the cracking of pine trees not forty feet away from them, followed by an earth-shattering boom.
Red and orange glimmered through the trees, and Tyrell quickly got up. Mai followed his example and yanked Matt up as she tried to pull him away from the eerie light. Matt knocked his hand out of her hold and ran toward the impact spot.
Mai and Tyrell called out to him in horror, "MATT! DUDE?! DON'T GO TO THE BURNING-"
Matt screamed over the roar of flames and the smell of burning wood. "THEY'LL DIE! I'M NOT GOING TO RUN AWAY WHEN SOMEONE NEEDS ME!"
Matt made his way through the pines, the tops of which were snapped or catching aflame to illuminate his path in sparks. The fire was pretty controlled due to the dampness, but the ship ahead of him was quickly becoming engulfed. The end opposite the cockpit was smoldering and sparking in decayed wisps. Large holes were riddled through the sides of the wings and across the back end of the craft. A sizeable crescent-shaped explosion mark was blown through the underbelly of the ship.
Smoke, sparking wires, and several additional miniature infernos were quickly filling the window-sized area. A small movement out of the corner of his eye jarred Matt's attention.Â
A human figure was weakly trying to crawl out of the wreckage but couldnât muster the strength to clear the flames trying to ensnare him. Matt watched in horror as a piece of sparking debris crackled overhead and broke off to topple on top of the white-suited pilot.
Tyrell and Mai caught up with Matt just in time to witness the figure being pinned and immediately steeled themselves to follow Matt toward the opening. Matt slid across the mud and to the figure's side, where he quickly reached a hand down to grab the man's arm. He flinched backward at an unexpected rush of static electricity. It ran up his hand, so his hair tufted and sparked to drift above his head as if rubbed against a balloon. His eyes vaguely glimmered, and his pupils blew before contracting. There was a shake of his head to dispel the dizziness before the boy reached back for the limb.
The skin was cold in his grip, but he bit his lip and pulled the figure forward. Tyrell made it to his side and reached down to help yank the pilot out of the almost stifling smoke.
The debris shifted to both teensâ relief, and the man was safely pulled out of the flaming ship to be dragged towards a spot a few feet away. Tyrell and Matt collapsed in a panting heap with an arm apiece snagged within their shaking clutches. The astronaut fell with them and came to a rest with a slight thump against their legs.
Matt took a shaking breath to calm himself as he looked at Tyrell and then back at the individual they had just saved from being cooked alive in a pile of scrap metal with momentary relief.
Green eyes widened once his gaze caught the hand now being illuminated by the flames behind them. Cerulean blue skin was poking out through the charred remains of what looked like a thermal undersuit. Five humanoid fingers tipped with black talons most would associate with a 50s horror flick were cradled around Matt's clammy palm.
Mai and Tyrell noticed his silence and glanced toward what was holding Matt's attention. Both paled. Matt looked at the unconscious figure he and Tyrell had dragged out of the burning craft in disbelief before he gently dropped the wrist in his hand and went to turn him over.
He motioned for Mai to point her flashlight at the pilot. Mai complied, and Tyrell bent in to help Matt.
The flashlight's warm glow dimly reflected in the cracked helmet to reveal humanoid features to the motley group of terrified stargazers.
A blue light flickered off and on behind the gray-tinted glass. It was a warning light, perhaps, or maybe an emergency light damaged by the crash. The flickers illuminated an oblong face with a tapered jaw. The being furrowed his brow in his sleep at the overly bright light flashing into the cracked helmet. Long raven hair was swept back, revealing thick eyebrows that framed clenched and down-turned eyes.
With worry, Matt noted the seeping green gas spewing from the alien's helmet. He swallowed as he looked up at Mai and Tyrell in silent question.
All three jostled from their temporary awe and shock at the sound of a helicopter somewhere in the distance. Matt looked from the injured alien to the burning ship and abruptly stood. He brought a hand under the alien's right shoulder in an attempt to carry him.
Tyrell gaped. "What. are. you doing?!?"
Matt growled. "S-Saving him! Haven't you seen any alien m-movies?"
Mai went wide-eyed and glanced back at the burning ship. Her expression became determined. The marks on the craft's rear were obviously made from some sort of projectile...
And from the looks of the ship? It wasn't made for combat.
She quickly looped her own arms around the man's other shoulder. They could easily lift the surprisingly light pilot between the two of them. Tyrell growled in exasperation and ducked down to snag the man's legs off of the ground. He tucked one black boot under each elbow and quickly began keeping pace with his floundering friends as they walked backward with the top half of their mystery pilot. Under the cover of the forest, Mai guided them and their unexpected addition through the darkness and back to the abandoned hiker trail and service road they had used.
An enormous explosion shook the ground behind them. Red and orange flames could be seen reaching into the night sky above. It contrasted sharply with the gentle white and blue wisps of the meteors trailing through the atmosphere to give an eerie sense of urgency. At some point, Tyrell had switched their positions so that he was in front, and they were behind. This allowed them to guide his movements so that only one person would trip in the event of an unseen obstacle.
Lights and heavy footfalls soon echoed behind them to jar their pace into a frantic dash. Matt nearly lost the arm he was holding as they tripped through the open fence.
Mai hurriedly skidded to a stop, and Tyrell fell backward at the edge of the ditch. He released the alien's legs as he tumbled into it with a startled yelp. Matt looked from Tyrell to Mai in a slight panic. Mai motioned him to set the relatively light, five-foot-seven-inch alien against the ground.
Despite how careful they were, he grimaced in his sleep.
"Ty? Matt? Get one of the sheets and bundle him up. I have to cover our tracks."
Tyrell gawked and looked from the alien and then to her in absolute disdain. "You mean we're kidnapping the space cryptid?!"
Mai and Matt both growled in unison. "Tyrell.â
Tyrell sighed and reached over the gap to grab a sheet from Matt's wagon. "Okay! Fine!" Snarling, he added under his breath. "Let's all just bait Bigfoot and Casper the Friendly Ghost while we are at it. Get a complete set?"
Mai growled as she rummaged for some broken branches and leaves to cover their footprints. "Now is not the time for sarcasm!"
Tyrell snapped, "If you haven't noticed, Mai, we just stole ET from a wrecked spaceship and dragged him out to an abandoned service road! I'm entitled to some sarcasm!"
Matt's fingers worriedly tried to probe the alien's suit for punctures or wounds. The man seemed to tense and groan as Matt's small hand brushed over his ribs. Both Mai and Tyrell snapped their heads toward the faint sound. Seeing the pilot wasn't waking at his inspection, Matt snapped. "B-Both of you, just be quiet! If you haven't n-noticed, this guy just fell out of the s-sky!"
Tyrell glanced at the alien dejectedly and quickly tossed the sheet from the wagon to land in front of Matt. Matt wasted no time dragging the unconscious individual into the center of it.
Both boys wrapped him before pulling the white-suited pilot over the small chasm. Mai glanced up at the trees they had left behind with fatigued determination as she balanced her flashlight between her shoulder and cheek. A hand numbly grabbed the mud-caked padlock from the ground and positioned it to its prior location. Brown eyes dimly reflected in the amber light, and with a silence-shattering click, the lock and their choices were set.
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I am a fan of sci-fi, but I haven't read a sci-fi novel in quite a while. However, when I came across Etomaim Rising by B.N. Bearain I found myself incredibly intrigued, especially because it falls under the young adult category as well. It wasn't until finishing the first couple of chapters that I knew I had made the right choice. I was in for one hell of a ride!
The book follows Matt Harris and his two friends in Andros, Oregon, a hotspot for fans of sci-fi and intergalactic interests. However, the town lies dormant until a meteor shower is expected. The group soon finds themselves mixed up in intergalactic dealings with nothing but a telescope. The story pits three young friends against a galaxy far, far away, and the reader has no choice but to join in.
Young adult novels are my guilty pleasure, and I found Etomaim Rising to be a real treat. Pitting three youngsters against something that is much larger than them created a plot that completely sucked me in as a reader. Even though the novel is listed as a young adult novel it did not talk down to the reader but provided the reader with an excellent entrance into the sci-fi genre.
Overall, Etomaim Rising by B.N. Bearain is at once both a young adult adventure and a sci-fi epic that will speak to readers of the genre and those just visiting. I was blown away by the elegant detailing which strapped me into the story and refused to let me go. Bearain is a master storyteller who deserves a big audience for their big ideas. Fans of both young adult and sci-fi, rejoice! I have found an excellent new author for you to follow, and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Pick up this book as soon as you can!