fire in the sky

by James Rayvin

The cool wind ruffled my windbreaker. I squinted my eyes in the dark as I strained to see in front of me. My shoes made a scuffling sound in the grass. I was almost to the clearing now. It was going to happen tonight.

I had gone for a walk in the woods these past three Friday nights. The breakup left me reeling. I think I was searching for myself. What I found was something different altogether.

I came upon something strange three Fridays ago. I was minding my own business while walking in the woods. When I stepped into a clearing, I saw something large and dark in the moonlight. It was a metallic gray. And big! So big it seemed that it filled the whole clearing.

It was round in shape. Almost like an inverted saucer. Suddenly, blazing lights came on. The object lifted into the air. The wind kicked up. I saw a strange logo on the saucer. Then it flew straight up and out of sight. It was the fastest thing I had ever seen. It chilled me to the bone.

The next Friday the same thing happened. Today I was ready. I was going to run as fast as I could and try to knock on it. See if anyone or anything would come out. Talk to me. They had to be friendly because I couldn’t stand the world otherwise.

Was this a weather balloon? A top-secret military aircraft? Visitors from another galaxy? Perhaps it was just a figment of my imagination. A coping mechanism.

I walked into the clearing. This time I saw that the craft was levitating. As I approached, a bright beam split the air and trained on my head. The next world has to be better. I carve the moniker into my arm. Raise my hands to the beam. And forget about you. 

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BIO: James Rayvin haunts the alleyways of Ybor City. He ponders justice, the macabre and the words that are just beyond reach.  He has been previously published in Skyway Journal and Dream Journal. Find him on Twitter @jamesrayvin