In A Universe Without Stars 1: Skyeater Read Free Page A

sputters.
    To
his left on the floor, Cole sees what he believes is the kid’s action figure, a
GI Joe. He grabs it and hands it to the kid. He must have dropped it.
    “Well
big boys don’t cry, they have to act big and strong. Just like Mr. Joe here.
Are you like Joe?”
    The
kid’s tears start to ebb.
    “I’m
like Joe.”
    “Joe
is strong and doesn’t cry, he would act confident and he would ask for help and
find his mother. And when he finds her he wouldn’t cry because he has to be
strong and protect her. Can you be strong and a big boy to protect your mommy?”
    “Yeah!
I’m like Joe!” His tears stopped completely.
    “Let’s
go to the front desk and when you find your mother, be a big boy and wipe away
her tears and always protect her okay?”
    “Okay!”
    Easy
enough.
    They
walk up to a register, there’s a heartwarming scream when his mother sees them.
    “Oh,
thank god!” The mother runs up to the kid and hugs him. “Please never do that
again.”
    “It’s
okay, Mommy he helped me,” The boy says.
    She
looks up. “I don’t know how I can repay you, I looked away for one second and
he was gone.”
    “It’s
alright, you don’t have to do anything,” Cole says. She continues to hug her
child. There’s nothing left for him here. He has a sudden thought, seeing
somebody cry over someone else. He pulls out his phone and looks at the day. He
forgot about something, something he does every month on this day. He rushes
out of the store.

2
- Power
     
     
    A
tombstone lies in front of Cole. The crisp green lawn of the
cemetery is under his feet. A hot California sun beats on his back. Various
types of tombstones litter the grass, from stone angels to cheap marble slabs
on the ground. The grass is oddly nice in contrast to the rustic moss-covered
markers.
    He
almost missed it today.
    The
tombstone is embossed with gold lettering. Eric Chives, 24 years old, Master
Sergeant of the United States Air Force.
    Fresh
flowers decorate his grave. Someone is still replacing them after all these
years. A man walks up next to Cole. Cole swears he knows every time he’s here.
It’s one of Eric’s brothers.
    “You’re
not going to run me off again?” Cole asks. The man doesn’t answer.
    “Aren’t
you going to yell at me and try to chase me off?” Cole catches himself, he lets
the anger burn away inside him. He’s not going to take it out on him.
    “I’m
tired of trying too, it’s been years. You’re just going to keep coming back
anyway,” Eric’s brother finally replies.
    Damn
right I am. “So are you finally forgiving me?” Cole asks.
    He
glances at Cole’s leg. “No, I’m just going to let karma have its way with you.”
The man leaves.
     
    …
     
    Cole
limps down the street next to the cemetery and stops at a crosswalk. There’s barely
any traffic on the two lane road. He hits a button on his keys. A beep is heard
across the street as the light finally turns red and he crosses.
    A
car cuts him off as it runs the red light. A can bounces off his head.
    “Fucker!”
Cole yells. The driver flips him off. Its Eric’s brother.
    Karma
my ass.
    An
oncoming car suddenly swerves toward Cole to avoid Eric’s brother. Abruptly
everything slows down as the car hurls toward Cole. His heart pumps, adrenaline
runs through his veins. He swings out his hand as a reflex as it’s too late to
jump out the way.
    A
great booming sounds as his arm crashes into the car. A blue light flares up
from his hand and the car explodes out in a metallic fury. The passengers fly
straight for Cole.
    In
an amazingly quick motion, he catches them both in his arms as their momentum
forces him back. His cast skids on the ground until he finally stops.
Everything speeds back up. Cole stands holding the passengers, the wrecked car
in front of him.
    He
just stopped a speeding car.
    “Dude…What
the hell?” One of the passengers sputters.
    “What?
What the—!?” Cole murmurs. What just happened? The watch. His arms