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#8- Midnight's Gift
It was night. The sky had already darkened and the moon was like gleaming flashlight in the dark. There were a few stars shimmering but they were nothing compared to the giant moon. The few houses with lights turned on created a warm glow in the sky. A few cars zoomed past the street but that didn't bother the calming silence of night. I listened to every sound that I could make out.
I was still sitting at my desk, rejecting the homework lying on top of it. I tapped my feet on the ground in boredom and frustration. It was just about 11:40pm. Ichiro and Mom had already gone to bed and here I am, sitting with a bunch of paper with nothing but scratch marks written on top. Maybe I was too lazy but I just couldn't get it done. I was always able to finish homework quickly and efficiently but today was different. Perhaps all those visions are making me lose my mind. I closed my eyes.
So much for sleeping earlier too, I thought to myself. I didn't feel sleepy either so I decided to stay up and complain to myself. Opening my eyes, I looked back at my homework paper.
"Write in English: どこでそのワイシャツを購入したか。 私はそれを非常に好む。" I said out loud. Not too loud to wake Ichiro or Mom. It was from my work book. I pondered about it for a minute or more. Nothing came into my head but blankness.
"Ugh." I groaned. I couldn't concentrate. I yawned and closed my work book. I crossed my arms, laying them on top of my desk. I dropped my head on top of my arms, exhaling deeply. I began to stare at the sky again. I noticed a bird fly across the roof of a house. It landed on a tree nearby.
"Tori (bird), tori, tori..." I muttered to myself to break the silence, "...at least you're awake too."
It was three minutes to twelve. I kept staring at the night sky, searching for something interesting to look at; houses, trees, small buildings and apartments. It was all the same boring life things. I finally found an interesting tree to study when I suddenly saw something in the corner of my eye which caught my full attention. I blinked and looked directly at it. I squinted to see it clearer. It was a tiny shimmering light, no bigger than a faraway star in my eye. But this thing was close, much closer than a star. My eyes widened. It seemed alive too, not just an airplane. It also looked to be falling. Yes, it was falling from the sky. A falling star? It couldn't be. It was much too small.
I stood up from my chair so abruptly that it almost toppled over. I caught it just in time and placed it back into its upright position. I leaped from my room, quietly gliding down the stairs not to wake Mom or Ichiro. A clock on the living room wall said it was exactly 12:00am. I grabbed a small flashlight, hanging on a coat rack near the front door, checking to see if it worked. It did. I grabbed a thin jacket and wore it even though it wasn't the least bit cold. I sliped the small flashlight into my jacket's pocket. I grabbed a key, unlocked the front door, and headed out into the warm summer night air, pursuing the falling light.
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