The Asteroid Boys

Chapter One

Guests of the Sea Plaza Hotel are forced to experience a restless night once the Nill Family Reunion  begins in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Music rages, empty beer glasses cling, and whoops fill the humid air. But not all of the Nills are up for an all-nighter bash that will be remembered for the rest of their lives.

Nick wants nothing more to do with his drunken family. Not only is he 19, but his mother practically begged him to watch his little cousins and brothers, who are now perfectly old enough to make their own decisions. While the adults have a wonderful time drinking away, Nick is trapped with five younger children ("Teens!" Danny replies.)

James, Nick's older and more "mature" cousin, barges into the hotel room with a Bud Light can crushed in his fist. James smiles at his not-so old cousin.

"Two years to go, Nick," he says in a taunting voice. Nick tries his best not to grit his teeth. "And when you're 21, you can have one of these in your hands!" James waves the container as though he's waving an American flag. James stalks away towards the opposite direction of the party.

Nick stands up. "Where do you think you're going?" asks AJ, his littlest brother. All five heads crane from the television and rest on Nick, whose hand is clutching the doorknob. "You're supposed to be watching us, you responsible young adult!" Jesse, his other brother, mocks in his mother's thick New York accent.

"I won't be long," Nick says, and slams the door behind him before one of his relatives decided to make another comment.

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The sound of the waves can nearly drown out the loud shouts vibrating from the Sea Plaza Hotel. Though the reunion is two blocks away, Nick can select every distinct voice in his large family. From his grandmother, to his aunt who lives thousands of miles away in California.

The humid air hugs his damp skin. The waves tumble and lick his toes. Moonlight dances off the black Atlantic Ocean. A beam of light flicker and darts away; the lighthouse revolves in the far horizon to his left. No one can be seen in miles of the strip. A tranquil spot for him to just think.

"You really thought we weren't gonna follow you?" says a familiar voice. Nick whirls around, and sees five figures. "I mean seriously," says Danny, emerging from the shadows. Danny is his cousin from California. "We're teenagers. What do you expect?"

Why must they always follow him? Nick thought. "Go back to the hotel, I want to be alone," Nick says, trying his best not to seem emotional, which he is far from. His brothers and cousins seem to not listen, since they spread out along the cool sand. Jesse sits on a wooden log closest to Nick, AJ and Danny wrestle over who was going to sit on the stacked-up lounge chairs, and the twins Tommy and Lucas climb the parasail pole. If they behaved this way during the day, they would be kicked out immediately. But under Nick's authority and the fact that it is close to midnight, the Nill cousins could do whatever they want. Nick sprawls on the sand. Animals.

"Missing you're girlfriend, Nick?" asks Jesse. "What's her name? Let's see...you've been with two 'Ashleys' so far. I'm gonna go on a limb here, but... Ashley." Jesse satisfyingly crosses his arms.

"Okay, I'm done," Nick says. He stands. Jesse will not stop unless Nick leaves infuriated or he is unconscious. "Goodbye."

"Oh, come on, he was just joking," Danny says afar, attempting to pry his leg from a lounge chair.

"Yeah, listen to Dan, bro. He can teach you a lesson," sniggers Jesse.

"What's that supposed to mean, Jessica?" Danny says, but he quickly shuts his mouth. Calling his cousin Jesseca was like setting off a nuclear bomb.

Jesse's eyes spring onto Danny. There is silence for a split second until Jesse breaks into a full sprint. Danny, much shorter and scrawnier than his well-built cousin, has no option. "Jesse, you know I was kidding!"

Nick grabs Jesse by the collar and yanks him downward. A cloud of dust disperses around Jesse. But just as quickly, Jesse plucks Nick and slams him with more force. Jesse sputters in agonizing anger. Danny sighs. Another fight.

Jesse and Nick clash, their arms on either shoulder. Equal strength, equal chance of winning. The four audience members declare a side. A flash of light beams on the struggling brothers, illuminating the entire beach. Nick assumes it's the lighthouse. However, the ray does not circles around again; it unwillingly stays on the beach.

"Stop!" Danny runs to the two of them.

Neither side is giving up.

"Look!" Danny shouts. He shakes both of them into reality. He turns their heads to the now sudden light show.

The light show's source originates from a growing orb increasing at a rapid rate. White and blue lights explodes in the night, sending waves of brilliant bright lights. The orb claws its way to the six figures. The only thing the Nills can do is gawk at the alien sphere reaching earth alarmingly. "Get back!" Nick manages to scream. the others don't hesitate to follow and snap into action. They first back pedal, and then grovel as far away from it as possible.

CRASH!

A shower of saltwater impales the cousins like piercing daggers. They cover their eyes as winds pick up sand and stab any bare skin available. The illuminated sky sinks to a faint glow. Once the winds have stopped, six pairs of eyes fly open.

The asteroid is halfway submerged in the bubbling ocean just yards from the shore. Nick is first to stand. He sees the asteroid. The craters ooze shades of icy blue and snow white, casting loomy shadows to all earthly materials. One foot, and then another, Nick walks to the luring object.

"Nick stop. You don't know what you're doing!" says AJ behind him.

Nick continues his path. The closer he gets to the asteroid, the stranger the environment gets. Grains of sand are frozen in mid-air, dissolving in the warm air. Wait, warm? How did it suddenly get from nice and cool, to exceedingly warm every time he takes a breath? Nick swears he sees cracked seashells defying gravity. The pleas and whines behind him are soon muffled. He is finally able to focus on one thing: now, it's the wicked-looking asteroid sinking into the ocean. Nick glides down the slope to the waterbreak.

His entire body is numb, yet it is as though an electric field is pulsing in his veins. He pushes on, so he steps in the ocean fully dressed. But he does not feel his toes soaked. On the contrairy, they are dry. Allowing himself to only peak for a moment, Nick looks down at his feet.

The ocean is corrupted in blue-white hue. Thousands of glittering substances float in the ripples. Not only that, but the water parts before him, making him proceed without getting wet. The idea of Moses appears in his mind. He quickly bats the thought away. Nick would rather return his attention to the asteroid, so he shoots his head back to the satellite.

He didn't know if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he could've sworn the asteroid was breathing.

Just a few more steps, and Nick will be able to touch it. Warnings about not touching an unknown object is oblivious in his mind. He moves as slow as possible, taking in every energy radiating from it.

He is only an arm's length from the glowing sphere. It's the size of a truck, although it is not intimidating. Nick extends his hand. The asteroid is pounding rhythmitically, as though a turqoise heart beats inside it.

He lays only one finger on its exterior. All goes black.