Eddie on the Edge of Everything

3: A Star Dies

A scientist with glasses bigger than a softball rushed down a blue and gold hallway; his lab coat flapping behind him. In his arms he held a tablet. Its screen flashed red, and a high pitched siren rang from within.

"Oh dear, oh dear," he chanted, anxiously. "It's about to happen."

The scientist pushed others out of his way as he scurried from room to room.

"Out of my way!" he cried, stopping at the front desk. "Where is the Djinn? I must speak with him immediately!"

"He is in a meeting," said a young lady pointing down the hall to the conference room. "But you can't go in there."

"Watch me!" With a dash of mad feet, the scientist arrived at the conference room door and instead of knocking barged right in.

"Lord Djinn! Lord Djinn!" he cried out of breath.

A man with teal skin and bright green eyes rose calmly from his chair.

"Dr. Benison, how dare you interrupt an important business meeting." Lord Djinn motioned to a host of strange characters seated around the table. "Whatever you have to tell me can wait."

"It can't, sir." The scientist swallowed nervously. "It's Galaxion, sir. The star is about to go supernova. It is about to die."

"Galaxion? Impossible." The Djinn pressed the call button on his wrist. "Sorah, cancel all remaining appointments."

"Yes, Lord Djinn," said a woman's voice. The Djinn turned to the scientist.

"Are you sure Galaxion is about to die, because if not, you will be fired on the spot."

The room became unnervingly quiet. No one breathed.

"I am positive, sir," said the scientist, clutching his tablet tighter to his chest. "We all know it is the oldest and grandest star in our universe. For a while now we have observed it changing, expanding. We thought its life would be immortal, that no creature has a desire most profound to bring it to die. But it seems at long last it has accepted a wish."

"Not possible," whispered the creatures in the room. "Galaxion is superior to all stars."

"Quiet!" yelled the Djinn. The room fell silent once more. "Dr. Benison, can you pull it up on the holoscreen?"

"Certainly." Dr. Benison tapped a few buttons on his tablet. The room grew dark and a hologram of the universe and all the known stars burst across the table. Dr. Benison moved his finger along the tablet's screen causing the stars to shift and zoom until one bright red glowing orb remained.

"Galaxion," whispered the Djinn. He leaned over the table. "So it's true. You have finally chosen a worthy soul to inherit your power."

"It reached critical levels a few minutes ago," said Dr. Benison. "This red supergiant star is about to explode. We are witnessing history, sir."

"This is more than history," said the Djinn. "This is everything. Whomever gains this wish will have the power to change anything their heart desires."

"Levels are off the charts now!" yelled Dr. Benison. "Any moment now."

The group watched with attentive eyes. The star's surface swirled and pulsed with different colors. It bubbled with light and fire then finally like a firework bursting in the sky, it went supernova.

Outward it expanded, a blinding light and a sea of dust clouds raced through the room. And before the center collapsed into a black hole, one small beam of light shot from its depths and surged into the unknown.

"Dr. Benison," said the Djinn, his eyes following the beam of light. "Find out where that wish is headed and send our best hunter immediately. Notify all personnel. Our focus is now on that wish. Nothing else in this universe matters."

"Right away, sir," Dr. Benison quickly left.

"My lord," said a green scaly man at the table. "If I may suggest--"

"Enough!" snapped the Djinn. "This meeting is over. Leave all of you!" Everyone hastily left leaving the Djinn all alone. He rubbed his blue bearded chin; his eyes watching eagerly at the glowing object flying through space. "Of all the wishes made on this star since the beginning of time, I wonder what wish you finally chose. Whomever is destined for this gift must have no idea the danger they have brought upon themselves. Everyone in the galaxy will be hunting, and whomever gets you first will be on the edge of everything."