x
Springing from bed, they rushed to the window, hearts thudding in unison.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQFnj7thll
The backyard was unrecognizable.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCA1jLTt512
A massive crater split the earth, glowing with a pulsing, unnatural light—like it was alive, like it was calling.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAopBiP9de
“Was that a meteor?” Kyra whispered, eyes wide, face bathed in the surreal glow.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtTy4odmE9
Evan stared, pulse hammering. “I… I think so.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6nJ3sCmJS
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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevWpkyqvah
“First an earthquake, now this?” Evan muttered, flinging the back door open. “What the hell is going on?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKVkkQDZuD
The air outside was electric—charged with something they couldn’t name. Something bigger than either of them.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFG4be6Tpp
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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9DE0LHN6y
Then—
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEIrZLM7Oq
“Howdy, neighbor!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhi2j7mMzk
The cheery voice cut through the moment like a jagged knife.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWdDQ35d04
“¡Ay, carajo!” Kyra jumped, spinning around with her hand clutched to her chest. “Dios mío, you scared the hell outta me!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXlGpIvwB0
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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwqs2DCXn6g
“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?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh27QOnzo0D
Evan took a step forward, half-shielding Kyra with his body. “Yeah, I’m Evan. And you are...?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7j8KxkoW1
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenfpXDi3tz
Kyra narrowed her eyes. “How do you even know his name?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8Zrn9zpkN
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVLqqkOdF3
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjijzsBBfru
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23vKPxaRjE
Evan’s fists clenched, every instinct firing red. “You spying on her?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWyYCxRZbW
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtzdSdPkZG
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?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksWdiDh8cv
The man just tipped an invisible hat. “Just neighborly advice, Miss Kyra. Wouldn’t want either of you to... get lost.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsieeiWUamh
And with that, he turned and walked into the dark—his silhouette vanishing long before his footsteps stopped echoing.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnisn0333Xi
Evan and Kyra stared after him in silence, the glow of the crater suddenly feeling more like a warning than a wonder.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpq9nVd8fIg
Kyra, unshaken, lifted her phone toward the glowing crater. “I’m getting a picture of this. Ain’t no way I’m not.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8guJ3Atqj
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice murmured—right behind them.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvDScZdfiW
Kyra spun around. “¡Pero qué carajo, bruh?!” she snapped, stepping back. “You trying to get decked?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xRLXmSRZ8
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfbNOTu84z
His voice was a low growl, simmering just beneath the surface.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NuTJLYQ1m
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfOFegCckR
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7WoKQ6R68
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4hLOjtbCh
Evan’s fist balled tighter. “I don’t give a damn about the crater right now. You’re the problem.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JRB9srQDg
“Evan…” Kyra’s voice softened. She stepped up beside him, her hand brushing his tense arm. “Let’s just go inside. Por favor.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbjpE5a7hf
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgByOdzy4c
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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFFTZcN4tF
It wasn’t just light anymore.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI88wMOnjah
It was calling him.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKV1HI9GPNe
The neighbor’s smile vanished completely, replaced by a tight, dangerous expression. “Inside. Now,” he snapped.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2nPAMVV82
Kyra grabbed Evan’s wrist. “Babe… let’s go. Something’s wrong. Like really wrong.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9p9OxKZOnF
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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJORJ9UxcQU
Behind them, the neighbor pulled out a sleek black phone and raised it to his ear.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4O5jV0r3iE
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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKDtDnmiyc
Like the night had wrapped invisible strings around his chest and whispered:
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzNlhtHMoz9
You’re not ready.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnUEkzOrP9
“Babe, vámonos!” Kyra shouted from the doorway, panic sharp in her voice. “Now!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfCprE8B8s
Evan turned, chest heaving. “Kyra… I can’t!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzDC8boZLV
“What?” she cried, eyes wide, already halfway to him.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeHVrnq9Bs
“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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2RhTJtKeA
Kyra froze, fear crackling in the air between them.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdW4w9FS9A
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!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlJn6Bi70C
He turned toward Evan. “Don’t move! And Kyra, stay back!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4W1ofS0t0g
But Kyra didn’t hesitate. “¡No me jodas!” she hissed, running to Evan’s side, her love outweighing fear.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05TPWRTQKm
The neighbor lunged for her—too late.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FMbB0zfbk
As soon as her hand touched Evan’s arm, she gasped. Her legs locked. Her body seized.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTikaySfP3
“Ay, Dios...! I—I can’t move either!” she cried, her eyes wild.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4F0opZUJ4
“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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzw5LPBClr
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?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqazYtITpHx
Evan’s breath quickened, panic rising. “Who the hell are you?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAolH0SRG1
The neighbor’s eyes glinted with something unreadable. “You should’ve stayed in Florida. If you had, this could’ve ended quietly.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcPxOEjZEeP
He took a step forward, his silhouette flickering unnaturally in the pulsing glow of the crater.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORZ4ZyluIT
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpS8GN8hXqS
Evan, trapped in confusion and fear, shouted, "What... That was you who called me? ... Who the hell are you?"
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNCX5oGuEZ
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..."
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ez8mTy7FE
Evan, trapped in invisible binds and spiraling fear, shouted, “What… that was you who called me? Who the hell are you?!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrZQViteLS
The neighbor—no, the man—smirked, the glow of the crater flickering against his face like firelight dancing over something rotten.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6dzfFAmgO
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWovd0gCvEE
He turned fully toward them, voice smooth, practiced, and smug.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Yd6Jp1FLU
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYMv4ZiCNA
Kyra’s brow furrowed, breath short. “What the fuck is Unit M63?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1yzNin9ml
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLAjnOAXM7
Evan’s voice cracked as he pushed through the rising panic. “Wait—wait. What is M63?!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWXgY7GG5D
Clark’s eyes lit up. Not kindled with excitement, but ego. Power. He was enjoying this.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YvHpqp3eK
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGiIW6Iqn5
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVslpQYDEu
"Who are 'we'? The government?" Evan presses, the tremor in his voice betraying the sense of impending doom curling in his gut.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsGJAw0FmS
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaxmOq9MEM
Kyra whispered, “Not Earth based… like aliens?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSoBTtpuW7
Clark’s smile widened "Something like that."
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQApCKumxew
Evan’s mouth was dry. “So what... you’re with the government?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGlqJDk6rz
Clark barked a laugh—harsh and humorless.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSoNDdDBpH
“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.’”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFPfPFGQGK
He paused, letting the silence stretch until it ached.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyEEuYFyM3
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1K13CvZMS
Evan’s stomach churned. “And… this was all planned?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzUilzH0Gl
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ81TEnR3M4
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?
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTQZjH4Cks
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNjGcsq2zYf
Kyra blinked—and snapped.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z9czF5YdL
“¿¡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?!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfaTxBAkgzs
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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWB8BpuMikH
Her voice rang out like fire cracking in a silent room.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYYHvznVsO
Clark’s smile dropped. His tone turned venomous.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQsslmubXC
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTbUyYok4t
Kyra’s eyes widened with pure rage. Her neck twitched as she tried to lunge at him—but her body wouldn't budge.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIu08epI4no
“¿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!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RzPncHIbL
Clark let out a slow, mocking laugh. “Maybe if you’d been a little more polite. I even brought you cookies, didn’t I?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGMorlDtoG
“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?!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfX4mrAY5GF
“Good,” he snapped. “You didn’t need any more empty calories anyway. I should’ve brought you a salad instead.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqEVPkK5KxQ
Kyra’s entire face twisted. Her fingers wanted to curl into fists, her arms wanted to swing—but her body wouldn’t move.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkK05j7DJsU
“FUCK YOU! ¡Vete pa'l carajo, malnacido!” she screamed, her voice trembling with fury.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStdOhhYb81
Clark stared her down, unmoved. His voice dipped lower, more chilling.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFxcN64HEL
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUIPElbeQu
“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!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYepZ9oZDd
It wasn’t a threat. It was a sentence.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQf10E3p6r5
His entire body shook—fists white-knuckled, jaw locked, veins standing out across his neck.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5bKOLWPNO
Even the meteor pulsed louder. Harder. The energy in the air warped with fury—like it too was listening.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErr8pdaPd8
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uqVGD9JkA
Evan clenched his jaw, seething. “I swear I’ll—”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4zrgFJSxG
A sharp ringtone sliced through the tension.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVwSviXOpJ
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Dlq3OBBau
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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MZoLSxsVO
Clark hung up.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOA0rG9gGq
He turned back to them slowly, eyes gleaming like blades, like he could already see the flames swallowing their home. “Now… where were we?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfWuzHHmfN
“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!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUe1JXWKVR
Clark sneered. “Do you really think I’d believe a single word from your mouth? After you threw away my cookies?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFfEdLfkBCM
He took a step closer, voice rising with manic fury.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdciW6XXan
“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?!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7lKHfMp0N
“¡PUÑETA, VETE PA'L CARAJO!” Kyra spat, trembling in rage. “FUCK YOU! You psycho motherfucker!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK7OIixgkq
Her voice hit him like a slap, and for a moment, he paused—just long enough for the fury to pulse through the air.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAGTR3C4zY
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡejkmhHE4tc
He turned, arms spread toward the glowing crater behind him, like a preacher delivering a sermon to hell.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5lN9DkhYX
“Now. As I mentioned—this thing is older than the universe itself.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKaH2HpYZc
Evan’s voice shook, his mouth dry. “How is that even possible…?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGceoJpIeFV
Clark’s eyes glittered with something close to reverence.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbAE2OXjrN
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVL4PaHNqPL
He smiled wide, practically glowing in the crater’s pulsing light. “And now—it’s here.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8qWgDO14Q
Evan’s breath caught. “So… it just randomly landed in Kyra’s backyard?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmomnmE2B0Q
Clark chuckled darkly. “Not random, Mr. Pettway. Deliberate. Carefully guided. With a little… assistance.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyobqI3BIcK
Evan’s brow furrowed. “From who? Foreign governments? Intelligence agencies?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWi7mJbhCu
Clark shook his head slowly, savoring the moment like fine wine. “No, no… Simple-minded Evan. Not humans. Not countries. Something older. Something else.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxO0HPqT23t
His voice dropped.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbfjm7ZLzQ
“A different civilization. A different species.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjoBsVcpBv
Evan’s skin prickled. His lips parted.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAI7Ea3o5D
“…So… aliens?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrj4Ws7Wnv
Clark’s smile stretched, wide and awful.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoAL6qvckF
“Now you’re catching on.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpcb0b4CJRq
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ybDu4A2Bn
Evan’s voice was raw. “Wait… so aliens helped you find it?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzvK8tstQ8
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXoIFdNUbI
Evan swallowed hard. “You’re saying something… out there… told you when M63 would arrive?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmc47keCTK
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvw1WhZWoKi
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmanWpxt8r
Evan’s mind reeled. “So… you redirected it?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlp3LGIg3U
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jPOyjNlwu
“And it just so happened to land in Kyra’s backyard?” Evan’s voice cracked, incredulous.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pAbRZS7Ln
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMIhVaAcbB
Evan's stomach dropped. “If the energy was that massive… then the earthquake in Florida...”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55iLyAu06f
Clark didn’t even blink. “Yes. The shift in trajectory released enough force to displace tectonic plates.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGcvqV4nFc
Evan’s eyes widened, horror creeping in like a flood. “You… you caused that?!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lCk9VlgtD
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTz83VkpQH3
Evan’s mouth opened. His fists clenched. His voice trembled with disbelief. “My brother… he’s—”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewcyTSzeS7
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyvGdddWWK
The words landed like a punch to Evan’s gut.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzT6TXKEBy3
“You son of a bitch,” he growled, voice cracking under the weight of rage. “You... monster.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPA7Ui6k51j
Clark stepped closer, voice calm. “Hate me all you want. I genuinely don’t care. What we stand to gain… is worth the casualties.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuoQrYLdxpA
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—
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpyN5LD9CG
—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.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5WHDGqayx
“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?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9F5khHryFU
Clark paused mid-step, glancing back at her with a smirk like he’d been waiting for that.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwV2EObGV66
“Bitch says what?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvW7HVtmI4L
Kyra blinked. “What—?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FhPt7FMew
“Gotcha!” he barked out a laugh.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHzsFUo35j
“¡Chinga tu puta madre! FUCK YOU!” Kyra shot back, eyes blazing, frozen feet be damned.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1d9jEKkIU
Clark chuckled, loving every second. “You see, other dimensions? Far more chaotic and unstable than that smooth Latina brain of yours can fathom.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cuarcerlF
Kyra’s lip curled in disgust.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAHguzX99s
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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhluJW9dWA
“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?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1K3fgVrvTj
Clark grinned wider. “Cunt says what?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyjP5wZSwL
“ANSWER ME, CABRÓN!” Kyra screamed.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5mu7P8mf0
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78MiaOurvk
He gestured toward the crater like he was introducing a guest speaker.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQBO0E3PPn
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNYm8DcJG2U
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?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0hRrTpWUV
Clark sighed, mock patience bleeding from his voice. “Still don’t care if you believe me. But that was our first question too.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCIE3BY2Nq
He stepped closer.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPw5yKQ4AiN
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYEAKT7lYJ
He tapped his temple.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBJkG9Ey3s
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfEWKV6XKm
Kyra’s jaw tightened.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrxIo1vOvB
“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.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu9wNNqjKr9
He raised a finger with smug finality.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaMgUhh7FG
“Backs scratched. Bags secured. Humanity’s ego intact.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiVaN0OR1g
Evan’s jaw tightened, fists clenched so hard his knuckles turned white. Rage simmered beneath the surface, threatening to boil over.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolXf2WKTQW
“All this destruction... all this death. What the hell could be worth it?! What kind of knowledge justifies this?!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jvOjd1kje
Clark grinned like the devil in a suit. “Ah... that, Mr. Pettway,” he said, dragging out the words, “is none of your concern.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7f1zts9SLl
His smile twisted crueler.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxoDP7yEwK
“Besides—who cares? You’re about to die. Haha!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUS2MDlYtaL
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?!”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObvPIf7MiE
Clark’s face twitched with irritation. “God, your voice is so grating.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN0UcOJT8YM
He opened his mouth to answer—
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYJhEtjaPK
SLAM. SLAM. SLAM.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoitHq4z9CJ
The sound of car doors slamming ripped through the night.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHdtTw5Lji
It was sharp. Violent. Like thunder cracking open a storm.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutf18gycTW
Evan’s head jerked toward the noise.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIawqJXLXS
Kyra stiffened beside him. “¿Qué carajo fue eso...?”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfXDsZxXis
Clark’s expression lit up with something sick and giddy. “Ah... finally.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1axsPrnxH
He glanced over his shoulder toward the driveway, then back at them.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9cLi6jzC7
“They’ve arrived. Just in time.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5R9AoEVFO
He cracked his neck, slow and deliberate.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyblwuRbG73
“I was starting to get bored with you two.”
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyP1562h5Ow
Evan felt it then—the low murmur of voices approaching. Heavy boots on gravel. Engines still humming somewhere nearby.
37Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPM8HG78Pwl
The air thickened, panic climbing into his chest like smoke through a broken window.
ns18.227.107.69da2
