The Night the Sky Fell by Stephen Levy Read Free Book Online Page B

dropped to the ground. They lay on the pavement with their eyes shut.  
    Chief Dan Blackhorse looked up to the sky in horror, “It begins.”  

PART II, THE WRATH
    Brunch Postponed

    In the Abrams’ kitchen, Dassi and Ann wrapped the last of the Brunch food trays. It was easier to have Sunday brunch at the Powers’ house since Peyton knew the territory. As Dassi and Ann carried the trays to the Abrams’ door they waved to Murray and Stan who wanted to finish there football game. Julie greeted Dassi and Ann at the Powers’ door and the trays were placed in the fridge. The threesome exchanged niceties. Peyton swayed to the music while sitting on the living room sofa wearing a headset totally immersed in his mind’s eye creation.  
    Ann brushed against Peyton and he lifted the headset. “How was church, Peyton?”  
    Peyton answered, “A guy could get nightmares.”  
    “That bad! Is Tricia—”
    Peyton pointed upstairs and Ann scampered to the second floor.  
    As Peyton reinserted his headset, Julie came over with eye drops. “Open wide, sweetheart.” As she inserted drops into each eye Peyton whined, “This is gooey and different, Mom. I don’t like it.” Julie continued with the drops despite Peyton’s complaint.
    Upstairs, Ann knocked on Tricia’s ajar door. Tricia, who was on the phone, gestured to Ann to sit. Tricia continued by ending her phone conversation with, “…so come over for Thanksgiving, Johnny.” Ann smiled as she locked eyes with Tricia.
    Ann truly hoped that Tricia and Johnny would be a thing. This of course should end any meddling from Tricia when Ann would make future plans with Banks. Ann thought Johnny was a good fit for Tricia. They were so egotistical. “Friends of Narcissus,” Ann thought.  
    Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Julie confided to Dassi, “I graduated law school but I’m not a lawyer, never took the bar. Peyton was born and I well…you know.” A swig of gin punctuated the ending of the story as Julie asked, “Don’t you and Murray want another child?” Dassi teared. Julie wanted to ask Dassi this question for a long time. Dassi was totally speechless as Julie put down her glass.
    Upstairs, Ann sat next to Tricia to hopefully soothe the antagonism of last night’s arguments. “It must be wonderful…you and Johnny.”  
    Tricia responded after a moment, “He enhances my popularity standings. The Indian likes you…he’s coming over, you know. He crept into church today.”  
    “Really! That’s interesting. Ann, was I really slutty last night?”  
    Tricia responded, “More like tartish, oh wait, the French say coquette. Yes that’s it–coquettish.” The girls were quiet. Quite rare for these two. Simultaneously, they raised their eyes to the ceiling. Tricia’s gum rolled out of her mouth and fell to the floor. Their pupils rolled upwards. And together eerily they said, “It’s time to sleep.” They fell back on Tricia’s bed.
    And downstairs, Julie removed a boiling tea kettle and placed it down safely. “I’m thinking of having Banks move in…it would be so great. It would free me up. Dassi, it’s time to sleep.” Julie dropped safely to the floor. Dassi bent down in state of shock, “Julie! Julie! She glanced at Peyton’ obliviousness to the situation and flung the front door open.  
    Pandemonium erupted on Skyline Boulevard. Dassi screamed all the way to her house.

      As Banks’ truck approached Skyline Boulevard, he slowed and watched a woman pull over. She gave her baby a bottle of milk, reclined her driver’s seat and turned off the ignition then began to sleep. Another car pulled over as the woman’s husband began to scream. He yanked out his cell and dialed 911. A recording began and he slammed the cell on the pavement. An oncoming car pulled to the right. A middle-aged mother flagged Banks down. The woman claimed that she could not get her daughter to wake up. She asked Banks to get an ambulance or a doctor since no one