Short Stories (Multifandom)

Deep Impact

Deep, dark. Stars, distant planets, silence. The universe spreading out before us in all of it's terrifying mystery. Inviting, seductive. The dark edge of an infinite lethal precipice daring us to jump.

At a State Park in Virginia, nighttime. With a pretty boy, Tyler, no more than fourteen, taking photos of the night sky through his small telescope. He's surrounded by a dozen other telescopes, three or four feet long, reflectors and refractors.

Teenagers, a few adults, all take pictures of the night sky using cameras attached to their telescopes. The shutters open, close. The camera motors advance.

The teacher, Mr. Lewn, supervises.

Joshua Dun, whose interest in the sky is almost equal to his interest in Tyler.

"Brendon Urie?" Joshua asks but Tyler doesn't look up from his telescope.

"He asked me. It's just a party. He's nice."

"To you maybe..."

"What the brightest one?" Lewn asks. He steps behind Joshua as the boy returns to his telescope.

"Mizar, it's a double star."

"And the one next to it?"

"Alcor."

"And the one next to that?"

Joshua stares through his telescope. He hesitates as he stares at what he sees. "Uhh, I don't know."

"It's Megrez." Tyler speaks up, pulling away from his telescope.

"No it's not." Joshua says.

"You said you didn't know." Tyler replies with a roll of his eyes.

"I know where Megrez is. I'm talking about the other thing."

He stands up for Lewn to take a look. So does Tyler, through his telescope.

"It's South, about ten degrees." Joshua continues.

Joshua can't help but glance down as Tyler's jeans part from his lower back when he leans over the telescope.

"Probably a satellite." Lewn says as he's still looking through the viewer.

"Huh?" Joshua was still distracted as he blinks his eyes several times before looking over to Lewn.

Lewn then walks away from Joshua's telescope. "Take a picture and send it to Dr. Wolf."

"It's Megrez." Tyler says once again.

"It's not Megrez, Ty." Joshua looks through his telescope at this distant light that the three have been staring at.

"You wanna bet?"

"There will be no betting Tyler Joseph. I may be the cool teacher but I'm not that cool."

Joshua laughs as he snaps a photo of the red-orange light in the sky, immediately faxing it to Dr. Wolf. "What do we do if it's not a satellite or a star?"

"We wait and see what Dr. Wolf concludes. In the meantime," Lewn raises his voice to get the rest of the teenagers' attention. "It's time to pack up, it's getting late and you all have me first period tomorrow. I don't want any of you getting a tardy, so chop-chop." He claps his hands as all of his students sigh and groan, packing up their telescopes and things.

"Are you coming over tonight?" Joshua swings his backpack over his shoulder, holding the handle of his telescope in his hands.

"Yeah, but my mom might keep me a couple minutes after dinner. But keep your window unlocked, pretty please." Tyler smiles, crooked teeth and all.

"Here, let me carry that." Joshua bends down to pick up Tyler's telescope.

"You're lucky we only live several minutes away from the State Park. If we didn't, I'd argue with you about carrying my heavy things."

"Hush, that's my job as your boyfriend." Joshua smiles, leaning over to kiss Tyler upon his rosace cheek.