Nova, Part Four
by ted2112, HSM team writer
The massive tree stood proudly in the middle of the field. Its branches rose far up as if to hold up the night sky. Green-silver leaves dripped heavy drops of dew as it moved in the gentle breeze, and the stars arced over Sam and the tree. Sam could feel the wet night air fill his lungs and felt a peace like he had never felt before. Sam found himself in the middle of an open field, a flat nighttime glade empty, save the mighty tree. Sam knew he was dreaming again, and also knew the lady would be here. Sam remembered their last meeting and had been hoping to see her again. He scanned the heavens for the comet. It always seemed so close in his dreams. The light tempest dominated the night sky just above the tree. It’s cold light the same hue as the lady, and long tail pointing out to deep space from where it came.
“Welcome Sam,” said the soft voice from under the tree. I am glad you are here. Sam turned to see the small figure kneeling under the tree. The night was dark under the tree, yet the star light seemed to glimmer in her eyes. Her hair and naked skin was wet with the faintest glow.
“You,” said Sam, “who are you?”
She didn’t answer for a moment, just looking at Sam, and then said, “You haven’t given me a name yet,” and motioned with an open hand for Sam to sit with her.
“Nova,” he said as if the word had its own life, and raced out of his mouth.
“Yes,” she said with a small, yet warm smile. “I am Nova.”
Sam walked slowly to her and sat down on the damp ground, close but not too close. “I saw you at the docks.”
“Yes,” The lady said looking away, “I shouldn’t have come, I am sorry. I just wanted to see you… I have come a long way,” she said after a moment. “It is better like this.”
Sam had many questions, but sitting with her seems to put his fears away somehow. He could feel his energy returning and felt comfortable with her, almost like she was with an old friend, and wanted that feeling to last.
“I have dreamed about you for a long time,” said Sam softly, “I haven’t been sleeping well.”
“You are tired, I know. I am sorry if this has scared you. Please don’t be afraid, Sam. I would never hurt you.”
Sam looked at the lady. Nova, he thought, and knew that she wouldn’t hurt him. He was not afraid of her, but he was afraid, he was afraid of the why she was here. And that was something he wasn’t sure he wanted to know, at least not yet. He just wanted to sit here, under the tree, palaver and feel calm next to her for a few moments longer. He wanted to ask her the question. The question that would answer the why, but instead he asked her, “What is this tree?”
“This is the Tree of Life, Sam; It is one of the two great trees.” With that the tree seemed to vibrate with a quiet pride, and the dew fell faster around them.
“Is this where you live?” Sam asked looking around the glade feeling suddenly foolish.
“No Sam.” Nova answered.
Sam looked beyond her, at the large twisting light hanging in the sky. “The comet,” he said, understanding now.
“Sam, I will be there soon.”
∞
Sam woke up to Tac shaking him.
“Man, we were worried sick, we thought the law got you,” said Tac, “I could just hug you.”
“Not only that,” added Pence proudly, “You got the tub.”
Sam felt his strength returning, and as his eyes recovered their focus. Around him was Tac, Pence and Seiphie. The tub was set up in the corner, filled with ice chilling the keg.
“We did it,” Sam said as much as a question as a statement.
“Yes, but maybe we should think twice about doing that again,” said Tac, but then paused, smiled and added, “At least for now.”
Pence proudly handed Sam his cell phone. On the screen was a picture of The End is Near on the wall in front of the stadium.
“Nice,” said Sam.
“We thought the rain would have smudged it, but it didn’t.” said Seiphie, and it’s still there, in fact some news crew did a story on the comet today, with that as a background – you know, comet hysteria. We’re freaking famous!”
“And you got the tub!” Pence repeated. “So, what the hell happened?”
Sam thought a moment about the dock, the rain and Nova. She had a name now. “Ever wonder if you’re losing your mind?”
“Only everyday,” said Tac laughing.
Sam wondered how much he should tell them, if anything. For some reason he felt that he needed to keep it quiet. They already thought he had some issues and to tell them about a naked wet lady that followed him around might change their feelings about him. Things were getting unpredictable for him; the Misfits were the one constant in his life, and he wanted to keep it that way.
“I went back for the tub on that boat.” Sam continued. “This heavy rain came out of nowhere and the boat, I think it was rocking. I slipped and hit my head. I came to a few hours later and came here.” Then he added, “It might have been the best few hours of sleep I’ve had in months,” trying to make light of the whole thing.
“Let me look at your head,” said Seiphie showing motherly instincts. “Your brain damaged enough as it is.”
“I’m fine,” said Sam waving her off, “I could use some water though.”
The Misfits spent the morning talking about their adventure at the Sports Walk. Each of them took turns recounting what happened to them personally. Sam listened as Tac reenacting his dash from the police, complete with acting out the chase that included knocking over a popcorn cart and tripping over a dog in the crowd. Pence’s route through the Sports Walk’s bar was funny because he ran into an old classmate inside and told him that he would love to catch up, but he was running from the police right now. Seiphie of course was with Sam until he peeled off to the docks. She waited at the Ferris wheel until Tac and Pence showed up, all of them soaking wet from the downpour by then. Seiphie actually went quickly back to the dock, but didn’t see him so they assumed he went back to the Spot, or the police got him. The three of them returned to the Spot, and when they didn’t find Sam there, that’s when they got really worried. They made plans to go home, scrape together some money and meet early the next day to find a way to bail him out.
They were all laughing at each other’s stories and watched the news story on Pence’s phone with The End is Near in the background several times. Although they were worried sick last night, today they were feeling like heroes, or maybe they were just relieved.
The next day was the big Sodium races. They planned on getting an early start, and took the first train out to the track. It was going to be a nice safe day, no stealing and no tagging. The only scamming they planned on was trying to get into the sponsor’s hospitality tents, so The Misfits wouldn’t be hanging out late tonight. Sam had to work the night shift at Threads anyway, so they knocked off early.
Sam worked his shift, but instead of going home, he went back to the Spot. In many ways, it felt more like a home to him that his parent’s house. Plus, he was very tired, and he didn’t want to fall asleep on the train and wake up screaming, or wake up twelve hours later, so he decided to sleep there for the night.
∞
The sun burned and pulsed a bright red. Its size has doubled since the time it first started burning yellow millions of years ago. Solar flares ripped through the thin skin of the star and traversed the distance between it and the water planet. The lonely comet passed close enough to witness the collapse. The sun, the water planet and the comet shared a tiny stage in an epic tragedy.
The water planet’s oceans boiled and evaporated into gas that burned and swept away the atmosphere, replacing the once blue sky with a blinding roof of fire. Sam was there. He was watching through alien eyes – her eyes.
The great walls and towers of the water world cracked and fell. The once proud society that stood for peace and order was being ripped 
apart by the physical reality of death and anarchy. Sam could feel the heartbreak, the cries and fear that all at once rose to crescendo and fell like a musical score. The red sun grew even bigger and the closer planets in the alien solar system simply disappeared into it. The red turned deep crimson to black by the time the sun exploded.
Her eyes burned as she rose high in the column of water. She was the lifeboat, the only survivor of the shattered planet below her. The water gave way to the pale light of the comet as it bent around the once great sun that reached out to take its planets in its death throes. Her body was gone, her home was gone, and she was just light now – a hitchhiker on a cold dim streak hurtling it way across the void.
Sam, still dreaming, fell off the couch in the Spot. His body landed in the water that sucked him down and scalded him. Below the liquid screaming with a silent voice, he cried out for those people, and the loss and unbearable loneliness of her.
He awoke on the floor of the Spot covered in sweat, his chest heaving. My god, he thought.
July 7th, 2012 by ted2112 | 2 comments
ted2112 is a writer and a Bass player that has been both inspired and takes to heart Kurt Vonnegut words...."we are here on planet Earth to fart around, and don't let anyone tell you different."
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Very nice Ted, it really leaves you hanging and makes you want to know what is next!
Great chapter, hope the next one publishes quick because I want answers! Loving this so far!