Falling Stars: The Arrival

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Padma placed down the basket containing their lunch in the grass.
She sat down and looked out at the lake. Padma enjoyed the cold
weather and as she waited for Victor got sidetracked by the idea of
Christmas. She always ended up spending it alone since the death
of her grandmother, but perhaps this year was different. Suddenly
there was a meow and turned in time to see Salty peeking his head
out of the basket. "Now how did you get in there, mister?" she
chuckled and patted the cat's head.
 
Victor felt around some more until he felt something slick and cold. Grabbing it with his toes, he got a feel for its shape. Slender and long. He dove down to find it with his hands. As he wrapped his fingers around it, a vein of light ran up its side. He braced his feet against the lamented and pulled the object free of the sediment surrounding it.
The thin bar of black metal glimmered under the pale light of the aquatic environment he found himself in. Kicking off the ground, he swam back to the surface, rod in hand. As he broke the water, he raised it above his head. "Found something!" He exclaimed.
 
Salty hissed at the sudden splash of water and jumped back into the basket.
Padma was more startled at Salty's sudden reaction than anything else. Padma
looked out at the lake. I wonder what it is. She stood up and waved at Victor,
excited to see what he had found. As he swam to shore Padma leaned over
and reached under Salty in the basket and pulled out a towel she had prepared.
 
Victor slogged back to shore, steam rising from his clothes and body. He took the towel and rubbed it on his dry hair. "Thank you." He said, appearently not realizing it was dry.
He held up the rod, which seemed to vibrate in his hand, the light strip glowing softly down the side.
"Looks cool." He remarked. He ran his finger along the seam. Suddenly, the seam split open and the rod bifricated, snapping into the shape of two dagger in his hands.
Victor stared at them is disbelief. "Holy... Shit!" He exclaimed. He pointed the tips together and it snapped back into the rod shape.
 
Padma stared curiously at him and the last bit of steam that emitted off of him.
She had seen the same thing happen when she had first met him, was it some
time of body enhancement? She had heard of them from the girls in the dorms
but never actually seen someone with them. Victors voice brought her back and
she looked at the object in which he held. "That's amazing!" she looked closer
at the object with awe. "Could it be debris? But that s[;ash was too big to just
have been that." she thought quietly.
 
Victor held the rod At his side. "Who knows? I'm keeping this one." He said. He sat down and stretched out, leaning on his elbow. "What'd you bring for lunch?" He asked.
 
Padma smiled and sat down. Pulling the basket onto her lap she
opened the top and first pulled out Salty who was still hiding inside
then a couple of neatly wrapped sandwiches fruit cups and crackers.
And layed them out on a length of cloth she pulled from the bottom.
 
Victor waited for Padma to portion out the food that she had brought before bowing his head.
"Your generosity is exceptional." He said to her while staring into her eyes.
In those eyes that sparkled he saw past his own reflection. He gazed deeply and saw what her intentions were. Beyond that, he glimpsed at what he could be as well. Her eyes reflected him. His mind reflected her. And with that, Victor understood a little bit more.

"You have beautiful eyes."
 
Padma was startled by his sudden complement. Her face turned red and
her gaze went to the ground in embarrassment. She began to fiddle around
with the packaged food organizing them unnecessarily. "O-oh no... Y-your eyes
are m-much more n-nice." She stuttered, but meant what she said she couldn't
forget those azure eyes ever since she had seen them. They shimmered and
carried a sad and lonely, but beautiful feeling. "Uh-um... I-i didn't kn-know what
you liked so... I made different kinds of s-sandwiches.." Padma stumbled over
her words a still a little embarrassed. She pointed out a finger to each wrapped
good and told him which kind of sandwiches they were: PB&J,
Ham and cheese, Turkey, and grilled cheese kept warm in some foil.
 
Victor took the foil-wrapped sandwich and felt it. "This will do." He told her. He unwrapped it and began eating.

* * * * *

The frozen night air cracked the branches of the trees as winter crept into the city. Victor stood under a street light in a dry patch, like an island of warmth in a sea of glimmering snow. He looked up at Padma's window, waiting for her signal to come up.
 
Padma had went shopping for the requested items after meeting up with Victor by
the lake. She was able to get the correct items and the girls she had met earlier that
day took the items and said they would get the money to pay her back later, Padma
nodded and smiled happy to be of service. Up until this moment she sat on her bed
petting Salty. Suddenly the cat hissed and jumped, no one was at the door so it must
have been Victor she opened the window and looked about until she spotted him
and waved.
 
Victor took a few running steps and slid under the fence, regaining his footing quickly. He jumped up onto the first floor window ledge, bounding from there into the tree that grew up the side of the building. He climbed up quickly and sprang into Padma's window, landing deftly on the floor of her dorm.
"Hello there." He said with a smile, hugging her tightly.
 
Padma watched in disbelief at the sight. Victor was like some sort
of super human. As Victor came inside she was still in astonishment when
suddenly there came a hiss from Salty and the next she knew she was
being embraced. Padma's face became bright red and her pulse
increased. "Uh.. u-um... hello" The words were choked out
under her breath. Her eyes cast down nervously. Suddenly
their was a loud meow and another hiss and Salty had
unsheathed his claws and was clinging to Victor's
leg where he began to chew.
 
Victor grunted as he felt a little set of teeth on his ankle. He shook Salty free of his leg. "Dammit, cat..." he reached down and picked up the feline by the nape and dropped him on the bed.
"He hates me." He said with a glare at Salty.
With new resolve, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Ready to go tonight?" He asked. Victor had a surprise planned for her.
 
Salty continued to hiss at Victor. Padma was surprised and
looked at where the cat had attacked him. "I'm so sorry! Salty isn't
usually like that! Are you alright?!" Then in sudden realization she
looked back at up him. "Go? Go where?" Padma tilted her head
confused had they made plans? She couldn't remember.
 
"Meet me back downstairs." Was his only instruction. He ducked out of the window again and fell out backwards, his usual mode of exiting her room. He landed on the grounds below and went around to the normal entrance where he could meet her. He was excited to show her what he had in store.
 
Padma was still not used to the boy's strange way of entering and exiting
her room. She had to look out the window to reassure herself he was alright.
Giving a sigh of relief she proceeded quickly out of the room and carefully
down the halls and stairs, while wondering where it was they were going.
She was so preoccupied she had hardly stopped to notice Salty had followed
her until she reached the back door. "Salty, What are you doing?! You know
someone could have seen you!" She leaned over and stroked the cat that was
nuzzling her leg. "Silly kitty, it is too late to take you back." she scooped up
the black kitten and carefully proceeded outside after making sure no one
saw her. Approaching Victor she looked down. "I'm sorry Salty followed me
and it was too late to take him back when I noticed."
 
Victor looked down at the cat in Padma's arms. "Little devil." He mumbled.
"Its alright. Come on." He said, taking her hand.
He lead her off campus and into the city. "I've been doing a lot of reading lately." He told her as they walked. "A lot of stuff about the anchient Greeks. There's so much to their civilization, I could read a book about it every day and never run out." He talked as he lead her deeper into the urban jungle, holding her hand.
 
Padma found herself suddenly being pulled along behind him. Startled
at the sudden jerk Salty hissed at Victor and jumped down. Salty strode along
behind them, and Padma found herself glancing up at the sky, to see the brightly
lit stars and the moon peering timidly behind a bush of dark clouds that blended in
with the night sky. Padma listened to Victor as he spoke curiously. "Ancient Greeks?"
she asked confused, she was happy to hear about what he has been up to when she
did not see him but wondered why he was telling her about this. Salty continued to
trot along behind them as they entered into the brush. I wonder where we are going she
wondered looking fascinated at their surroundings.
 
Victor led her to a dilapidated Skyscraper. The structure gleamed in the moonlight, reflecting stark white rays from the uncovered glass. The rest of the high reaching glass walls were covered in tearing contractor's tarp and paper. The top of the building was bare steel bars and plywood paneling. He pointed at it and looked at her. "I found this last night. In the middle of the city. Someone said that the company lost funding and can't finish the project." He put his fingers around the links of the chain fence.
"I want to go in there."
 
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