x
Springing from bed, they rushed to the window, hearts thudding in unison.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7LgcGoUNn
The backyard was unrecognizable.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63miobpAvE
A massive crater split the earth, glowing with a pulsing, unnatural light—like it was alive, like it was calling.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7bl80jIeV
“Was that a meteor?” Kyra whispered, eyes wide, face bathed in the surreal glow.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInqefWN7hM
Evan stared, pulse hammering. “I… I think so.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3L4ro1v9aM
They scrambled to dress—Kyra yanking on her robe like armor, Evan pulling on boxers in a frenzy. Every second felt like it was slipping through their fingers.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQElsQE7FcB
“First an earthquake, now this?” Evan muttered, flinging the back door open. “What the hell is going on?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbDFk9TqZ6
The air outside was electric—charged with something they couldn’t name. Something bigger than either of them.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9SO1oePB9
The crater pulsed like it was breathing—veins of crimson and electric blue crawling along its edges, painting the night in something far from natural. The air buzzed, heavy with static and something older than language. Evan and Kyra slowed, awestruck, the glow casting otherworldly shadows across their skin.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uwbNlJMib
Then—
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCqMDuzCbg
“Howdy, neighbor!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZyPyB3naA
The cheery voice cut through the moment like a jagged knife.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv24BHAq1cH
“¡Ay, carajo!” Kyra jumped, spinning around with her hand clutched to her chest. “Dios mío, you scared the hell outta me!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQofg9YjQrS
Their neighbor stood just beyond the fence, leaning casually on the post like he’d always been there—like he belonged in the glow of this unreal crater. His eyes were hidden behind reflective sunglasses, even in the dead of night.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDf86hg61iY
“Sorry, Kyra,” he said with a grin that didn’t touch the rest of his face. “Didn’t mean to sneak up on you. Just saw the lightshow and figured I’d stop by. Is this Evan?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAwzMazOkY
Evan took a step forward, half-shielding Kyra with his body. “Yeah, I’m Evan. And you are...?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaUGdRqdoT
The man ignored the question, still smiling. “He looks like an Evan. Strong jaw, wild eyes. You can tell a lot by a man's posture.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2wux91AWM
Kyra narrowed her eyes. “How do you even know his name?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQjBQrtTyw
“Lucky guess,” the man said with a lazy shrug. “Besides, you talk in your sleep sometimes. Hard not to pick up on a few names.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITNhmdQikw
Kyra’s face shifted from confused to alarmed in an instant. “¿¡Qué carajo!? Excuse me?! How the hell would you know that? We live a mile apart.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWFh0IKShv
The man chuckled, tilting his head like a curious bird. “Sound travels on cool nights, Kyra. And last night?” He grinned wider. “Well, y’all weren’t exactly quiet, were you? Passion like that carries.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡliZwQ33dsr
Evan’s fists clenched, every instinct firing red. “You spying on her?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewCuqP1ctl
The neighbor smiled like he hadn’t heard him. “You should head inside. It’s not safe out here tonight. Lotta strange things happen when the sky falls.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeUyRumIEm
Kyra stepped forward, chin high. “Óyeme bien, pendejo—you keep talking slick like that, and I’mma let mi novio handle you. You feel me?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWi9anwIDQ
The man just tipped an invisible hat. “Just neighborly advice, Miss Kyra. Wouldn’t want either of you to... get lost.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoYN2wvgZQ
And with that, he turned and walked into the dark—his silhouette vanishing long before his footsteps stopped echoing.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEq6uBPzv3
Evan and Kyra stared after him in silence, the glow of the crater suddenly feeling more like a warning than a wonder.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qrbiYWpN8
Kyra, unshaken, lifted her phone toward the glowing crater. “I’m getting a picture of this. Ain’t no way I’m not.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ284BZN24W1
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice murmured—right behind them.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6kHxefagy
Kyra spun around. “¡Pero qué carajo, bruh?!” she snapped, stepping back. “You trying to get decked?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6C4hT3ZEOA
Evan moved instinctively between them, his frame rigid, his eyes locked on the neighbor. “She says you’ve been creeping her out. Asking weird-ass questions. So here’s what you’re gonna do—leave her the fuck alone and get the fuck off this property. Now.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfyUrjA2Ff
His voice was a low growl, simmering just beneath the surface.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtvEWWYOau
The neighbor didn’t flinch. Instead, he slowly removed his sunglasses, revealing pale, unreadable eyes. His smile faded—not gone, just... muted. “Mr. Pettway,” he said calmly, “there’s no issue here. Not unless you make one. I suggest you both go back inside. Right now.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJA4yiup9X
Evan’s jaw clenched. “How the fuck do you know my name?” His words came sharp, but unease coiled beneath them. “You better start talking before I really lose my patience.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAPf7L6S1f
The neighbor tilted his head slightly. “That’s not the question you should be asking.” He nodded toward the crater, now pulsing faster, almost alive. “That’s what you should be worrying about.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4yN4P96cq
Evan’s fist balled tighter. “I don’t give a damn about the crater right now. You’re the problem.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3EJhp2Vpj
“Evan…” Kyra’s voice softened. She stepped up beside him, her hand brushing his tense arm. “Let’s just go inside. Por favor.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzaAnFPhUL
But Evan didn’t budge. “Nah. This dude’s been lurking around your house, asking about secret government shit, and now he’s pulling this?” His voice rose. “Nah, fuck that. I’m not just walking away.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygPmw4m3VF
As he stepped forward, the ground near the crater shuddered. A deep thrum vibrated through the air—like a living pulse, calling. Evan’s breath caught. His anger paused mid-beat. He turned toward it, something ancient and magnetic tugging at the edge of his soul.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7zhsOXYHu
It wasn’t just light anymore.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRiFrupH3e
It was calling him.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppmrGR7NM8
The neighbor’s smile vanished completely, replaced by a tight, dangerous expression. “Inside. Now,” he snapped.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoulRHAykz
Kyra grabbed Evan’s wrist. “Babe… let’s go. Something’s wrong. Like really wrong.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AXLNsn19p
Evan’s eyes stayed on the crater, drawn in like a moth to a flame. He nodded slowly, but stepped fowaed, pulse still thrumming from whatever that thing had done to him.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcgxubxY3q
Behind them, the neighbor pulled out a sleek black phone and raised it to his ear.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpB6rg1j63L
Evan didn’t move—not because he was afraid, but because he couldn’t. Something in the air held him. Not physically, not quite. But spiritually, supernaturally.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt7R81aHPUy
Like the night had wrapped invisible strings around his chest and whispered:
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGISFOpXEb3
You’re not ready.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3N8EMLvPmC
“Babe, vámonos!” Kyra shouted from the doorway, panic sharp in her voice. “Now!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zIrcwZrs2
Evan turned, chest heaving. “Kyra… I can’t!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkSxFUFK4W
“What?” she cried, eyes wide, already halfway to him.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MDHIX4i9k
“I—” He gritted his teeth, every muscle straining. “I can’t move!” The force gripping him felt like invisible roots coiled around his bones, anchoring him to the spot.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDU4wHoETGL
Kyra froze, fear crackling in the air between them.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRgNnQynnQv
The neighbor, now several steps behind, slammed his phone to his ear. “Goddammit! I told you to get them inside! M63’s locked onto him—he’s caught in the vortex!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcFkiOS3ZT
He turned toward Evan. “Don’t move! And Kyra, stay back!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1udt7OBvW
But Kyra didn’t hesitate. “¡No me jodas!” she hissed, running to Evan’s side, her love outweighing fear.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjc1cOXNfYz
The neighbor lunged for her—too late.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhme1Q35qiP
As soon as her hand touched Evan’s arm, she gasped. Her legs locked. Her body seized.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM1Zcqc4Kl
“Ay, Dios...! I—I can’t move either!” she cried, her eyes wild.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8iCJnHvOou
“FUCK!” the neighbor roared, pacing in a tight circle. “I fucking told you not to get closer!” His face contorted with rage and dread, veins pulsing at his temple.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhHvNOzU9O
He pointed a trembling finger at Evan, voice suddenly cold. “You should’ve listened when I called you Mr. Pettway. You think that was a coincidence? You think any of this is?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWe4k7f84dT
Evan’s breath quickened, panic rising. “Who the hell are you?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytz8jcgIGb
The neighbor’s eyes glinted with something unreadable. “You should’ve stayed in Florida. If you had, this could’ve ended quietly.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SXZOXT6i0
He took a step forward, his silhouette flickering unnaturally in the pulsing glow of the crater.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipF0MwumdX
“But now?” he said, voice low, grim. “Now you and your girl are part of something you don’t understand. And trust me—you’re already too deep to climb out.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAo3eRUSlwk
Evan, trapped in confusion and fear, shouted, "What... That was you who called me? ... Who the hell are you?"
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14n8FTAQnn
Smirking with a hint of arrogance, the neighbor glanced at both of them. "Well, since you won't be leaving this place and won't hear this story elsewhere... My name is..."
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iNrxSmZ0z
Evan, trapped in invisible binds and spiraling fear, shouted, “What… that was you who called me? Who the hell are you?!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKCMmGXJro
The neighbor—no, the man—smirked, the glow of the crater flickering against his face like firelight dancing over something rotten.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3MhmYlt3JI
“Well,” he said, tone shifting into mock sympathy, “since you’re not going anywhere—and let’s be real, you’re not—might as well let you in on a little secret.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6IAVEpyzm
He turned fully toward them, voice smooth, practiced, and smug.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfX64UTPZvw
“The name’s Agent Clark. Secret Agent Clark. And I was dispatched to this ‘quiet’ little town with a very specific mission—secure Unit M63.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPu7kPUywly
Kyra’s brow furrowed, breath short. “What the fuck is Unit M63?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXPgaVD5Co
Clark gestured lazily to the crater. “That. Right there. That’s M63. My job was to watch the skies, track the descent, secure the landing zone... and monitor for any local interference. Unfortunately, that includes nosy pedestrians. Like you two.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnM5EKLEWJl
Evan’s voice cracked as he pushed through the rising panic. “Wait—wait. What is M63?!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoQJVDBjhb
Clark’s eyes lit up. Not kindled with excitement, but ego. Power. He was enjoying this.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6W3JdXPqU
“M63,” he said, drawing the name out like a holy mantra, “is what we now call Project Mazekiel. A cosmic anomaly. A sentient fragment of something not of this world.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvy3gKIURZ
He took a step closer, lowering his sunglasses. “This project has been quietly developing for eighty years. Eighty. Generations of research, billions of dollars in hidden budgets, technology stolen, traded, reverse-engineered. A few lucky accidents. And of course… help from an external source.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWbmF5CBu7
"Who are 'we'? The government?" Evan presses, the tremor in his voice betraying the sense of impending doom curling in his gut.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgv8AtIcFBF
Clark chuckles darkly, the sound reverberating like distant thunder. "Oh, sweet, ignorant Evan. You're in the middle of something much deeper than that. Let’s just say, not all of our collaborators are Earth-based.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcGYPgDLXs
Kyra whispered, “Not Earth based… like aliens?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwwtfPg0SC
Clark’s smile widened "Something like that."
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vN9b5eN2p
Evan’s mouth was dry. “So what... you’re with the government?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqarAtb0jEr
Clark barked a laugh—harsh and humorless.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhelueMrV1R
“Oh, Evan.” He tilted his head, like a disappointed teacher. “You still think this is about your government? No. I’m with them. The real ‘them.’”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Ndnsmr0Us
He paused, letting the silence stretch until it ached.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdAdntKAZn
“The Silent Society. Shadow government. The Unseen Hand. The Illuminati. Pick your poison. We’ve been called a lot of things over the centuries. But whatever label you slap on us, we’re the ones pulling the strings behind every major decision your elected puppets think they made on their own.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlrk0MfRedc
Evan’s stomach churned. “And… this was all planned?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7e3sonJ982
Clark’s voice turned sharp. “Not just planned. Engineered. And now you and your girlfriend have stumbled into something you were never supposed to see. And that… complicates things.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PbeogfpwG
Evan fell silent, stunned. His jaw locked, chest rising and falling as the world seemed to twist sideways around him. His heart hammered, breath shallow. What the hell was this? What the hell was any of this?
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Fptm9Nu8u
“This specimen,” Clark said smoothly, like he was giving a fucking TED Talk, “isn’t just any ordinary comet. As you may have gathered by now, it predates the very existence of the universe itself. It existed before God spoke the light into being.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxNNrrfdiA
Kyra blinked—and snapped.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpQ6DTMj68
“¿¡Tú estás loco, verdad!? You sound fucking retarded!” she spat, her voice sharp and furious despite being unable to move. “Are you seriously claiming there were comets before the fucking universe even existed?!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rbTFtVAKL
She couldn't step forward. Couldn’t even throw up her hands like she wanted to. Her body was frozen—completely paralyzed from the neck down—but her mouth was working just fine.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPU2skhXrNP
Her voice rang out like fire cracking in a silent room.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbJaIOATp7
Clark’s smile dropped. His tone turned venomous.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXyjrFGMef
“No, you ignorant bitch,” he said slowly, like he enjoyed dragging every syllable. “But you know what? I’m glad I get to eliminate both of you now. Gives me the chance to say what I’ve wanted since the moment I saw you. That mouth of yours—always running, always snapping, always acting like you own the damn room. I can’t tell if it’s your Latina pride or if you’re just a fucking cunt.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUivZNp4BI
Kyra’s eyes widened with pure rage. Her neck twitched as she tried to lunge at him—but her body wouldn't budge.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaymQvkm3L
“¿Perdón? ¡Hijo de puta! You’ve been creeping around my house, asking weird-ass questions, spying on me like some freak, and you wanna act like I’m the fucking problem?! ¡Chinga tu madre, maldito enfermo!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkZnPalNPj
Clark let out a slow, mocking laugh. “Maybe if you’d been a little more polite. I even brought you cookies, didn’t I?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9ONImSsHw
“Cookies?! Ay, por favor, I threw that shit straight in the trash where it belonged, cabrón. What, you think I was gonna eat roofie biscuits from a pervert?!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvfaRoQYBI
“Good,” he snapped. “You didn’t need any more empty calories anyway. I should’ve brought you a salad instead.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr5agVG5irC
Kyra’s entire face twisted. Her fingers wanted to curl into fists, her arms wanted to swing—but her body wouldn’t move.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXddj7p6wBm
“FUCK YOU! ¡Vete pa'l carajo, malnacido!” she screamed, her voice trembling with fury.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKJoS4IW0g
Clark stared her down, unmoved. His voice dipped lower, more chilling.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusFNpmpznJ
“You remind me of my ex-wife. Had to eliminate her too. Same reason I’m going to eliminate you. Didn’t listen. Didn’t obey.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bWFZmRD67
“IF YOU LAY A FINGER ON HER—” Evan’s voice ripped through the air, deep and burning, “I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD, I’LL KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9qmQAn0IC
It wasn’t a threat. It was a sentence.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡonY9GgDKEK
His entire body shook—fists white-knuckled, jaw locked, veins standing out across his neck.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOV2iDoHH28
Even the meteor pulsed louder. Harder. The energy in the air warped with fury—like it too was listening.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYXWiLmOU0
Clark laughed—a dry, low sound, cold enough to scrape bone. “You’re not in a position to threaten me, Mr. Pettway. Your empty bravado… it actually amuses me.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoKSnbgRO2
Evan clenched his jaw, seething. “I swear I’ll—”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7T1bsDICCa
A sharp ringtone sliced through the tension.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2H2clbk5A3
Clark pulled out his phone and answered, voice clipped and coiled like a loaded spring. “Where the hell are you?... Understood. Once you’re done with that, I need you here ASAP. Yes, they’re both secured. No—it’s too late for that. They both know too much. They both need to be eliminated. A house fire will serve as the perfect cover.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrulx8NmhWi
Evan’s blood ran cold. His breath hitched. Kyra let out a sound—half scream, half sob—her voice cracking under the weight of horror.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQn51xrMWtu
Clark hung up.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxvfi1KWHB
He turned back to them slowly, eyes gleaming like blades, like he could already see the flames swallowing their home. “Now… where were we?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrC0XzAp5P
“Por favor, don’t kill us!” Kyra cried, her voice raw with desperation. Her body remained frozen, but her spirit fought to break free. “I’m sorry, okay?! Te lo juro—we won’t say shit, I promise! Please!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKXSWI41H8
Clark sneered. “Do you really think I’d believe a single word from your mouth? After you threw away my cookies?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLLP3b5Nm3
He took a step closer, voice rising with manic fury.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83ZR1cyBvk
“No wonder the GPS said you were at the fucking landfill! You threw away the gastrointestinal tracker. Do you have ANY idea how much those cost, bitch?!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzhq5zbCTm
“¡PUÑETA, VETE PA'L CARAJO!” Kyra spat, trembling in rage. “FUCK YOU! You psycho motherfucker!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqm6J9C1aQ0
Her voice hit him like a slap, and for a moment, he paused—just long enough for the fury to pulse through the air.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHJw5zuStE
Clark exhaled sharply. “It seems we’re not the only ones drawn to M63. A few curious yokels are making their way here from the nearby town. But don’t worry. My crew is… handling them. Once that’s done, we’ll finally deal with this little problem.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDeTSWzISgB
He turned, arms spread toward the glowing crater behind him, like a preacher delivering a sermon to hell.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIE1flb4MVO
“Now. As I mentioned—this thing is older than the universe itself.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8LSbTnO8U
Evan’s voice shook, his mouth dry. “How is that even possible…?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28NSBPI08o
Clark’s eyes glittered with something close to reverence.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhN0WoRDZdo
“Everything is not as it seems, Mr. Pettway. Just as solid ice melts into liquid, and boiling water transforms into steam… M63 exists in various forms. It hails from Dimension 63. It moves through the layers of reality—your universe and others. Shifting, adapting, transforming depending on the dimension it touches. It reappears every 77 million years.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcr13P69xv
He smiled wide, practically glowing in the crater’s pulsing light. “And now—it’s here.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnctBfZ41K2
Evan’s breath caught. “So… it just randomly landed in Kyra’s backyard?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2CNzEsSq7
Clark chuckled darkly. “Not random, Mr. Pettway. Deliberate. Carefully guided. With a little… assistance.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9yUhuuFNo
Evan’s brow furrowed. “From who? Foreign governments? Intelligence agencies?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1c27zquvy
Clark shook his head slowly, savoring the moment like fine wine. “No, no… Simple-minded Evan. Not humans. Not countries. Something older. Something else.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvE8SXcM9tj
His voice dropped.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgkeiWSqS0
“A different civilization. A different species.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyr7Ufsej36
Evan’s skin prickled. His lips parted.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHTeLJJzgO
“…So… aliens?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDeeNsJ84A
Clark’s smile stretched, wide and awful.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysifuFExud
“Now you’re catching on.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQ1eJFyl3G
“Oh yes, Mr. Pettway,” Clark said, eyes gleaming in the crater’s pulsing light. “As I told you, Project Mazikiel has been underway for nearly eighty years. M63 doesn’t just appear. It shifts dimensions—every seventy-seven million years. Unpredictable. Unreachable. Until now.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqK3rtwh6V8
Evan’s voice was raw. “Wait… so aliens helped you find it?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FcqA752m1
Clark gave a pleased nod, as if Evan were a student finally catching on. “Exactly. Though let’s be a little more refined with our terminology. Interspatial bodies. Interdimensional entities. We’re not the only ones aware of M63’s existence—we never were. We would’ve never even known it existed if not for a signal from an external source.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VfPLUSW1h
Evan swallowed hard. “You’re saying something… out there… told you when M63 would arrive?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fGeMHThmZ
Clark clicked his tongue. “M63 was stationed in Dimension 385. Just one week away from shifting to its next reality layer. Our ‘friends’—and I use the term loosely—intercepted it before that could happen. They opened a dimensional gateway and portaled it here.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViwOw2gCIx
He raised a finger. “However… that kind of dimensional redirection? Unfathomably expensive. Energetically speaking, of course. They couldn’t send it to Earth specifically. Just to our solar system. That was our job.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNU93viVmT
Evan’s mind reeled. “So… you redirected it?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO82voYzMGO
Clark nodded, smiling like it was an inside joke. “Exactly. We tracked its arc once it entered this realm. Couldn’t control the precise impact site, but we could guide it. Think of it like nudging a meteor in deep space and just hoping it hits the dartboard.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvOyObThuU
“And it just so happened to land in Kyra’s backyard?” Evan’s voice cracked, incredulous.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkXEeS4sby
Clark raised a smug brow. “Yes and no. It was still a randomized descent. The energy needed to move M63 was catastrophic. We altered its path, but the landing? Beyond our grasp. All we could do was prepare and observe once it hit the atmosphere.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMtbyOhpPg
Evan's stomach dropped. “If the energy was that massive… then the earthquake in Florida...”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbo8T4g28gK
Clark didn’t even blink. “Yes. The shift in trajectory released enough force to displace tectonic plates.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppVIfvJv4i
Evan’s eyes widened, horror creeping in like a flood. “You… you caused that?!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6ChjPsxtc
Clark’s smirk returned with ease, polished and cruel. “Don’t go painting me the villain, Mr. Pettway. I wasn’t alone. The entire team shares the blame.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeG1boMBkRt
Evan’s mouth opened. His fists clenched. His voice trembled with disbelief. “My brother… he’s—”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4lekObZlo
“Wa wa wa,” Clark cut in mockingly, waving his hand like a tired teacher. “Yes, yes. The tragic tale of the broken brother. A useless cripple. Spare me the guilt monologue.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGeNiMisIG
The words landed like a punch to Evan’s gut.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesu7j877JL
“You son of a bitch,” he growled, voice cracking under the weight of rage. “You... monster.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndBoWEGr1P
Clark stepped closer, voice calm. “Hate me all you want. I genuinely don’t care. What we stand to gain… is worth the casualties.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgDpKFvv5p
Evan’s blood boiled. His heart thundered in his chest. His breath came short and hot. With nowhere to channel the fury burning inside him, he threw his head back—
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLwSsB4Owr
—and let out a scream so deep, so full of grief and fury, it felt like it could shake the stars loose from the sky.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpAixon4WN
“This doesn’t make any damn sense!” Kyra snapped, voice cutting through the crackling energy. “If this meteor is so important—why the hell would these so-called aliens give it to you instead of taking it for themselves?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBCVutfCtM
Clark paused mid-step, glancing back at her with a smirk like he’d been waiting for that.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmgFu1ryEAG
“Bitch says what?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ992nd2Cstq
Kyra blinked. “What—?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUs3C7OmamX
“Gotcha!” he barked out a laugh.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXAAwjhEZU
“¡Chinga tu puta madre! FUCK YOU!” Kyra shot back, eyes blazing, frozen feet be damned.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09gAeG1iB5
Clark chuckled, loving every second. “You see, other dimensions? Far more chaotic and unstable than that smooth Latina brain of yours can fathom.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7VTcK0jPA1
Kyra’s lip curled in disgust.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5kee6TL20
Clark kept going, voice smooth like oil over ice. “M63's non-physical essence? It can’t be contained by organic life in their realm. It's beyond even them. Eighty years ago, these ‘interspatial friends’ approached us with a proposition: they’d deliver M63 into our physical dimension, where it could be captured in a form we could observe… and in return, they'd give us something we value just as much.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToxzJn26EA
“Bullshit,” Kyra growled. “If it's so damn powerful that everyone in the universe wants it, you expect me to believe they'd trade it for information?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fyPy9tYv3
Clark grinned wider. “Cunt says what?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5IBqRZvlT
“ANSWER ME, CABRÓN!” Kyra screamed.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNknM0v3id
“Hah, you’re no fun.” He waved her off. “Believe it, don’t believe it—I honestly don’t give a shit. Here’s the truth: we can’t extract its energy. We’re barely keeping it stable. Right now, M63 is throwing off gravitational distortion so bad, our sensors are shorting out trying to process it. We can capture it. We can contain it. But we can't touch what’s inside. Not yet.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bQX3VnEkW
He gestured toward the crater like he was introducing a guest speaker.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyD4NniExnq
“Our allies? They can harness its essence once contained. But they also struggle to hold it. Their dimension’s physics? Nothing like ours. Chaotic. Unstable. Constantly folding in on itself. They needed our stability. We needed their tech. A fair trade.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvBthHzEkWQ
Kyra narrowed her eyes. “Still don’t buy it. If they’re so advanced, why not just shove it into a physical dimension, trap it themselves, and dip out with it? Why the hell involve us?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIBymgU97P
Clark sighed, mock patience bleeding from his voice. “Still don’t care if you believe me. But that was our first question too.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdi35utvMv
He stepped closer.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlEDcoL5uc
“It’s not that simple. Transporting objects between dimensions? Easy. Instant. But living beings? That’s another game entirely. Organic transfer requires stabilization. Even for them, that takes weeks. Sometimes months. For most species, years.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClrZgJi0DJ
He tapped his temple.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtNzj09HdM
“They had one week before M63 jumped again. And even if they made it here in time to capture it, they knew we’d notice. And humans?” He smiled coldly. “We don't like being outmaneuvered. We panic. We sabotage. We kill first and ask questions never. They said it outright—if we saw them taking something this powerful without including us? We’d launch every nuke we had at the sky and then call it patriotism.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSgMLQ3gxky
Kyra’s jaw tightened.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpRt6PJs6o
“So instead,” Clark continued, “they made a deal. They brought it here. We redirected it. They get access, we get intel, technology, guidance. Everybody walks away happy.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwLHqZYl2i
He raised a finger with smug finality.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHilV5FKFir
“Backs scratched. Bags secured. Humanity’s ego intact.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXttEXgHKd8
Evan’s jaw tightened, fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. Rage simmered beneath the surface, threatening to boil over.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDB3wIHIpV
“All this destruction... all this death. What the hell could be worth it?! What kind of knowledge justifies this?!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKmVEWTHLW
Clark grinned like the devil in a suit. “Ah... that, Mr. Pettway,” he said, dragging out the words, “is none of your concern.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6FdPwJDCb
His smile twisted crueler.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsfnzLzIP4
“Besides—who cares? You’re about to die. Haha!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDKXXmgKCW
Kyra’s voice cracked through the air like a whip. “¿Y cuándo llegan estos bichos del infierno, huh? These interdimensional freaks—when are they showing up?!”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1C96zqAC4k
Clark’s face twitched with irritation. “God, your voice is so grating.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VCBxybq9r
He opened his mouth to answer—
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkPgy8w8w7
SLAM. SLAM. SLAM.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUESdQ1ai8o
The sound of car doors slamming ripped through the night.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjItcL2ifq
It was sharp. Violent. Like thunder cracking open a storm.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZ8Q9V2TPb
Evan’s head jerked toward the noise.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXtPIxca8s
Kyra stiffened beside him. “¿Qué carajo fue eso...?”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpVeCqrWFM
Clark’s expression lit up with something sick and giddy. “Ah... finally.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84nFmiJrkt
He glanced over his shoulder toward the driveway, then back at them.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteKLazJvks
“They’ve arrived. Just in time.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzzRHU1FVm
He cracked his neck, slow and deliberate.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcarws1scW
“I was starting to get bored with you two.”
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8YOQPqmKQG
Evan felt it then—the low murmur of voices approaching. Heavy boots on gravel. Engines still humming somewhere nearby.
20Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNg0oacqLi
The air thickened, panic climbing into his chest like smoke through a broken window.
ns3.145.60.120da2
