“Take a couple steps back.”

“Uhh,” I looked behind me at the sheer drop. The ground had to be a hundreds of feet below. “What?”

Lowell crossed his arms, unfazed at how close he was to the edge. His amber eyes stared through mine, he was not someone who liked repeating himself.

“Oh wait, you mean metaphorically!” I breathed a laugh. “You know, maybe you’re right. I am putting a bit too-“

“No,” ...

Open skies beckon in something broader.

I always loved space. I’m so lucky to be alive in the time of its exploration. The moon landing! Could you believe it? I knew it was only the beginning.

Of course, I also love history, I teach it, in fact. But now I’m about to make it.

Everything’s in a blur. I’m excited, nervous, everything you would expect to be. Oh this is amazing.

I look back as I b...

I didn’t mean to.

I really didn’t I swear.

My hands, I look at my hands. How could my hands have done all this. They’re black with burns, but I don’t feel them. I should feel them, I deserve to feel them.

Slowly, I sit down and lean against a brick wall. People are screaming and running around me, but I can’t hear them. Someone stops and makes eye contact with me before dashing away. The fear ...

“Are you sure?” My sister asked me, her voice trembling.

No. “Yes.”

“I- I don’t know if-“ she started. Her eyes were flickering left and right, she was so scared.

“Em.” I said. “Emyra, I promise you’ll be okay.”

Her warm brown eyes looked at me, I had to fight the urge to look away, but she did first. Her gaze drifting behind us, the smoke of the burning city we fled from.

“Okay.”

I nodded a...

“When did you say this happened?”

“About 5:20-ish. It happened so fast, detective, I just- I-“

Blah blah blah. I watched the police interview witnesses, getting basically to same information from each one, only slightly altered. What a waste of time. People never know anything, these detectives included.

I turned and walked into the house. It was plenty nice, the exterior seemingly inspired by ...