Meteorite
Undeserved Ascendance
chapter 4
by
copier
· original author:
an188
Lu slid back into the driver’s seat, the paper bag from the convenience store crinkling as he dropped it onto Charlie’s lap. The faint smell of gasoline clung to him, mixing with the sweet artificial scent of the snacks he’d chosen—mostly for her, he’d say, though he never resisted a sugar rush himself.
“Here, Princess. Your royal feast.” He flashed that trademark grin, all teeth and mischief, then twisted the key. The Aston Martin woke with a throaty purr.
Charlie peeked inside the bag: two frosty bottles of cola, a six-pack of mini chocolate bars, sour gummies shaped like little sharks, and a bag of those fancy sea-salt caramels Lu pretended weren’t his favorite. She smiled—small, secret, pleased.
Lu pulled back onto the empty highway. The road began its slow climb, switching back and forth through darkening pines. Twilight had bled the sky violet; the first stars were already pricking through.
“Pass me something cold, Sweetheart?” he asked, eyes on the twisting road.
Charlie rummaged, pulled out one of the colas, twisted off the cap with practiced ease, and handed it over. As he took it, she plucked a chocolate bar from the bag and unwrapped it with deliberate slowness, taking a tiny, victorious bite. Payment for services rendered.
Lu took a long swallow, throat working, a bead of condensation sliding down the bottle and onto his bare chest. He sighed in exaggerated bliss.
“You know what’s waiting for us up there, Kiddo? An entire resort with zero other guests. No queues at the ice-cream counter, no screaming children in the hot tub, no—” he paused for effect, voice dropping into mock horror “—no predatory socialites trying to corner me at the bar. Just you, me, room service that never sleeps, and that ridiculous infinity pool that looks like it drops straight into the stars.”
Charlie’s heart gave a happy little flip—not for the sweets or the pool, but for the most important part: *no other women*. No long-legged blondes in designer bikinis, no married heiresses batting lashes at her father, no one else to laugh at his jokes or touch his arm or pretend they understood him better than she did.
She leaned her head against the seat, watching the way the dashboard lights painted soft blue across his sharp cheekbones.
“That sounds perfect,” she murmured.
Lu chuckled. “Thought you’d like it, Char-char.”
The road climbed higher. The air through the cracked windows grew cooler, scented with pine and distant snowmelt even though it was midsummer. Charlie nibbled another square of chocolate, gathering courage.
“Dad?” she began, voice softer than usual.
“Hm?”
“I’m… I’m not a little girl anymore.”
He glanced over, smile indulgent. “Of course you’re not. You’re my big, brilliant sixteen-year-old genius.”
She frowned. “No, I mean… really. I’m growing up. I have feelings. Strong ones. Special ones. About—” She hesitated, cheeks warming under the rosy flush. “About you.”
Lu’s brow lifted behind the aviators. He took another sip of cola, casual, almost amused.
“Sweetheart, you’ve always had big feelings for me. That’s what makes you my favorite person on the planet.” He reached over and ruffled her ponytail the way he used to when she was small enough to sit on his hip. “And I love you right back. More than anything. You know that.”
Charlie’s shoulders slumped a fraction. He hadn’t heard her—not the way she meant it. Not yet.
But she wasn’t discouraged. Not really. They had days, maybe weeks, alone in that hotel. Time was on her side. She’d make him see. She always did.
She forced a smile and leaned against his shoulder again. “Yeah. I know.”
The radio crackled, cutting through the quiet jazz. A bright, urgent voice broke in:
“—special bulletin for tonight. The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak earlier than forecast due to unusually clear atmospheric conditions. Viewers in elevated areas, especially along the western mountain ranges, may witness an exceptionally close and brilliant display. Some reports suggest fragments could appear to skim unusually low over the horizon—”
Lu’s hand shot out and cranked the volume.
“Shooting stars,” he said, delighted. “And we’re going to have front-row seats.”
Charlie’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Absolutely. Look—” He nodded toward a small pull-off ahead: a gravel turnout marked by a faded wooden sign that read CRESTLINE OVERLOOK – OBSERVATORY 0.2 MI.
He swung the wheel, tires crunching over loose stones, and eased the car to a stop at the edge of a wide scenic viewpoint. Below them, the dark bulk of Havenridge glittered like spilled jewelry against the sea. The sun had just slipped below the horizon, leaving the sky a deep indigo bleeding into black.
They stepped out. The evening air was crisp, carrying the faint salt of the ocean far below. Charlie’s yellow dress fluttered against her thighs; she hugged her arms, suddenly aware of how exposed her shoulders felt.
Lu came around the car, hands in the pockets of his shorts, head tilted back to the sky.
“Look at that,” he murmured. “Not a cloud in sight. Perfect.”
The first meteor streaked across the west—a bright white slash that left a ghostly tail. Charlie gasped, pointing.
“There!”
Another followed, then two at once, green and gold. Then a whole flurry—dozens in the space of a minute, some so low they seemed to skim the distant rooftops of the city.
Lu laughed, pure delight. “See? Told you. The universe is putting on a private show just for us.”
Charlie bounced on her toes, clapping. “It’s beautiful!”
He stepped closer, resting one hand lightly on her shoulder. His palm was warm through the thin strap of her dress.
“Almost as beautiful as my little princess,” he teased.
She beamed up at him, heart racing.
And then—
A blinding streak, brighter than all the rest. Not a graceful arc—a plummeting spear of fire. It roared, impossibly close, trailing sparks and thunder. The ground shuddered a split-second before impact.
BOOM.
The meteorite struck fifty yards away, just beyond the gravel lot. Dirt and rock exploded upward; a shockwave knocked them both off their feet. Charlie yelped, tumbling onto her backside; Lu caught himself on one knee, eyes wide behind the aviators.
A crater smoked in the darkness, roughly circular, maybe twenty feet across. From its center rose a steady, pulsing golden light—warm, liquid, almost alive.
Charlie’s breath hitched. Her skin prickled; every hair on her arms stood up. A strange heat bloomed in her chest, spreading downward. Her nipples tightened painfully against the soft fabric of her dress.
“Dad…?” Her voice was small.
Lu didn’t answer. He rose slowly, staring at the crater. The same odd energy coursed through him—he could feel it in his fingertips, in the sudden throb behind his ribs.
He took one step forward.
Then another.
Charlie scrambled up and hurried after him, flip-flops slapping against the dirt.
They stopped at the lip of the crater.
At the bottom, half-buried in scorched earth, lay a rough block of stone—no bigger than a large suitcase—glowing with intense golden radiance. The light pulsed in slow, hypnotic rhythm, like a heartbeat.
Neither of them spoke.
The night around them felt suddenly vast and quiet, as though the rest of the world had paused to watch.
Who touch the meteorite?
“Here, Princess. Your royal feast.” He flashed that trademark grin, all teeth and mischief, then twisted the key. The Aston Martin woke with a throaty purr.
Charlie peeked inside the bag: two frosty bottles of cola, a six-pack of mini chocolate bars, sour gummies shaped like little sharks, and a bag of those fancy sea-salt caramels Lu pretended weren’t his favorite. She smiled—small, secret, pleased.
Lu pulled back onto the empty highway. The road began its slow climb, switching back and forth through darkening pines. Twilight had bled the sky violet; the first stars were already pricking through.
“Pass me something cold, Sweetheart?” he asked, eyes on the twisting road.
Charlie rummaged, pulled out one of the colas, twisted off the cap with practiced ease, and handed it over. As he took it, she plucked a chocolate bar from the bag and unwrapped it with deliberate slowness, taking a tiny, victorious bite. Payment for services rendered.
Lu took a long swallow, throat working, a bead of condensation sliding down the bottle and onto his bare chest. He sighed in exaggerated bliss.
“You know what’s waiting for us up there, Kiddo? An entire resort with zero other guests. No queues at the ice-cream counter, no screaming children in the hot tub, no—” he paused for effect, voice dropping into mock horror “—no predatory socialites trying to corner me at the bar. Just you, me, room service that never sleeps, and that ridiculous infinity pool that looks like it drops straight into the stars.”
Charlie’s heart gave a happy little flip—not for the sweets or the pool, but for the most important part: *no other women*. No long-legged blondes in designer bikinis, no married heiresses batting lashes at her father, no one else to laugh at his jokes or touch his arm or pretend they understood him better than she did.
She leaned her head against the seat, watching the way the dashboard lights painted soft blue across his sharp cheekbones.
“That sounds perfect,” she murmured.
Lu chuckled. “Thought you’d like it, Char-char.”
The road climbed higher. The air through the cracked windows grew cooler, scented with pine and distant snowmelt even though it was midsummer. Charlie nibbled another square of chocolate, gathering courage.
“Dad?” she began, voice softer than usual.
“Hm?”
“I’m… I’m not a little girl anymore.”
He glanced over, smile indulgent. “Of course you’re not. You’re my big, brilliant sixteen-year-old genius.”
She frowned. “No, I mean… really. I’m growing up. I have feelings. Strong ones. Special ones. About—” She hesitated, cheeks warming under the rosy flush. “About you.”
Lu’s brow lifted behind the aviators. He took another sip of cola, casual, almost amused.
“Sweetheart, you’ve always had big feelings for me. That’s what makes you my favorite person on the planet.” He reached over and ruffled her ponytail the way he used to when she was small enough to sit on his hip. “And I love you right back. More than anything. You know that.”
Charlie’s shoulders slumped a fraction. He hadn’t heard her—not the way she meant it. Not yet.
But she wasn’t discouraged. Not really. They had days, maybe weeks, alone in that hotel. Time was on her side. She’d make him see. She always did.
She forced a smile and leaned against his shoulder again. “Yeah. I know.”
The radio crackled, cutting through the quiet jazz. A bright, urgent voice broke in:
“—special bulletin for tonight. The Perseid meteor shower is expected to peak earlier than forecast due to unusually clear atmospheric conditions. Viewers in elevated areas, especially along the western mountain ranges, may witness an exceptionally close and brilliant display. Some reports suggest fragments could appear to skim unusually low over the horizon—”
Lu’s hand shot out and cranked the volume.
“Shooting stars,” he said, delighted. “And we’re going to have front-row seats.”
Charlie’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Absolutely. Look—” He nodded toward a small pull-off ahead: a gravel turnout marked by a faded wooden sign that read CRESTLINE OVERLOOK – OBSERVATORY 0.2 MI.
He swung the wheel, tires crunching over loose stones, and eased the car to a stop at the edge of a wide scenic viewpoint. Below them, the dark bulk of Havenridge glittered like spilled jewelry against the sea. The sun had just slipped below the horizon, leaving the sky a deep indigo bleeding into black.
They stepped out. The evening air was crisp, carrying the faint salt of the ocean far below. Charlie’s yellow dress fluttered against her thighs; she hugged her arms, suddenly aware of how exposed her shoulders felt.
Lu came around the car, hands in the pockets of his shorts, head tilted back to the sky.
“Look at that,” he murmured. “Not a cloud in sight. Perfect.”
The first meteor streaked across the west—a bright white slash that left a ghostly tail. Charlie gasped, pointing.
“There!”
Another followed, then two at once, green and gold. Then a whole flurry—dozens in the space of a minute, some so low they seemed to skim the distant rooftops of the city.
Lu laughed, pure delight. “See? Told you. The universe is putting on a private show just for us.”
Charlie bounced on her toes, clapping. “It’s beautiful!”
He stepped closer, resting one hand lightly on her shoulder. His palm was warm through the thin strap of her dress.
“Almost as beautiful as my little princess,” he teased.
She beamed up at him, heart racing.
And then—
A blinding streak, brighter than all the rest. Not a graceful arc—a plummeting spear of fire. It roared, impossibly close, trailing sparks and thunder. The ground shuddered a split-second before impact.
BOOM.
The meteorite struck fifty yards away, just beyond the gravel lot. Dirt and rock exploded upward; a shockwave knocked them both off their feet. Charlie yelped, tumbling onto her backside; Lu caught himself on one knee, eyes wide behind the aviators.
A crater smoked in the darkness, roughly circular, maybe twenty feet across. From its center rose a steady, pulsing golden light—warm, liquid, almost alive.
Charlie’s breath hitched. Her skin prickled; every hair on her arms stood up. A strange heat bloomed in her chest, spreading downward. Her nipples tightened painfully against the soft fabric of her dress.
“Dad…?” Her voice was small.
Lu didn’t answer. He rose slowly, staring at the crater. The same odd energy coursed through him—he could feel it in his fingertips, in the sudden throb behind his ribs.
He took one step forward.
Then another.
Charlie scrambled up and hurried after him, flip-flops slapping against the dirt.
They stopped at the lip of the crater.
At the bottom, half-buried in scorched earth, lay a rough block of stone—no bigger than a large suitcase—glowing with intense golden radiance. The light pulsed in slow, hypnotic rhythm, like a heartbeat.
Neither of them spoke.
The night around them felt suddenly vast and quiet, as though the rest of the world had paused to watch.
Who touch the meteorite?
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June 13
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