The Falling Stars

Los Angeles

The stars look amazing at this time of night. I'm just glad they're visible from out here. Almost every night when I'm not working, I drive out here with my son to get away from the city. It's relaxing to be able to count something that doesn't involve finances or scheduling or data in general. I've been working in that office building for seven straight years. Seven straight years of just sitting there wishing I was doing more, but instead wasting away my life for a job I don't even enjoy. I just type and type and type, stare at a screen for twelve hours, and then go home to sleep just to wake up to do it again. I guess it's not really as bad as it sounds. I'm not one to be discontent with what I have, especially knowing how bad it could be. I'm just glad I can provide for my family and have time to spend with them on the side.
As I'm looking up at the stars, something catches my eye. A streak of light across the sky. I say to my son "Hey Jason, did you see that?" He says "Sure did. You make a wish?" Jason is already seventeen, it's crazy. He's done good in school, played a couple sports even, and now he's on his last year. He hasn't had a girlfriend yet which is something I dread, but his question rings in my mind again so I say in return "Yep. What about you?" It was the same wish I've always made, and it wasn't too far off from Jason's. He says "Same as always. Wished for a long happy life." A long and happy life with my family is what I wish for. He's still young, but one day he'll have a family of his own. Letting him out there alone in the world scares me.. but I know he'll do just fine. I remember back when I never wanted anything to do with children. Having a kid was the worst scenario to me because it was going to be stressful, confusing, a financial struggle, and terrifying.. but Emily, she changed my mind completely. I fell in love with her, and immediately, whatever she wanted was what I wanted. Because of that, we got married and had Jason.

As we're laying here watching the stars, we laugh and talk for a little while about the things I went through as a kid growing up and all my struggles, which I'm sure is absolutely boring him to death. Still, I remember being so free as a kid. It was a pleasant time. My wife Emily, I met her thirty six years ago. I was only fourteen, and crazy enough I met her doing about the same thing I'm doing right now. I was in the park laying on a bench and just watching the stars. I was well aware that I wasn't supposed to be there at night on my own, but I was a kid and didn't care. Neither did she apparently. We both made it a habit of just coming out to watch the stars together. Time went by, and we got to know each other more. We went from strangers to friends, friends to best friends, best friends to dating, and dating to married over the course of thirteen years. Six years later, we found ourselves financially stable enough to have Jason, and here we are now, one big happy city family. I may complain quite a bit, but it doesn't mean I don't find my life with my family to be nothing short of perfect. As long as I'm with them, I'm happy.
As we're laying here, I see another shooting star, but it does something weird. I see the initial huge white streak across the sky, but when it stops it almost looked as if a new light appeared at the end of the streak. I know my eyes were just messing with me, but I swear there was not a star or.. light there before. I ignored it for a moment.. but suddenly, a dreadful chill washes over me when I see it happen again. Not just once, but hundreds, maybe even thousands of times. Flash after flash, they just start raining across the sky. It looks like the Earth is being showered in millions of them. Lights are popping up as far as I can see in all directions, and I look over at Jason to make sure I'm not losing my mind. Honestly I'm not sure if I should be thankful or not that he's also looking up at the sky in horrific confusion. Not a sound can be heard during this frightening display, nothing other than the wind and nature.
I lay my hand on his shoulder and shake him a bit before saying "Hey.. why don't we head home to Mom, make sure she's alright."
He nods and doesn't say a word as he slides off the side of the car and steps around to get in. I follow his movements, but I get out my phone to call Emily. I sit down, turn the keys, and the cars hums to life. I turn around in the dead end dirt road, making my way back into Los Angeles. Emily picks up the phone as I'm driving and I speak first saying "Hey hon, are you alright?" It takes a moment for her to answer before she says nervously "Baby.. have you.. seen the sky? I.. I was just about to call you. They're saying the sky just filled with a bunch of strange glowing objects. This is happening all over the world. They're surrounding the whole planet just outside the atmosphere." I can hear the distress in her voice, and I say calmly "Yes, I'm with Jason right now, and we saw the whole thing. I've never seen anything like this before. It looks like a meteor shower times a thousand. I don't know what it is, but we're on our way home right now."