Something going on in the desert.

The boy slipped out to get a better look.

A bush on fire. Oh, okay. That happened sometimes; an errant lightning strike, probably.

He settled a few feet away to keep an eye on it, then became distracted by the immense swath of stars above him.

 

So. Many. Stars.

So. Far. Away.

 

They almost looked like a cup of milk someone had spilled across the sky.

He wondered if there was a name for what he was looking at.

 

He plucked his iPad from his satchel and fired it up. TikTok needed a picture of this.

That done, he looked back at the bush, still burning. In fact, it wasn’t anymore burned than it had been when he first saw it. Well, that was weird. He began videoing that, too, and provided narration about how strange it was.

 

Faintly, he heard his mother’s voice calling him in for the night. But wait – that wasn’t his mom. This voice was coming from the bush that was on fire, and it was saying his name.

 

Again and again.

 

Holy crapola.

 

Mouth suddenly dry, he almost answered the bush when he heard his mother’s unmistakable shout:

“Moses! Are you out there with your iPad again! You know it’s supposed to be turned off by nine o’clock! You better get your scrawny butt back here right now!”

 

He knew that tone.

 

He left that bush talking to itself.