Meeting Astro: Years Later

Chapter 1: A New Adventure

The night was cold and dark. Three frightened people rowed down the ice-cold river. One of them was Peyton. Her heart beated fast inside her chest like a drum and she was shaking violently. Tears came down her cheeks as sweat drifted down her face. She was getting chased. Her life was in grave danger.

The sound of a baby crying was heard.

"Make it be quiet, will you? We'll be spotted!" A man whispered in an angry voice.

Peyton was holding the crying baby in her arms. She did her best to comfort it. "Hush, little one! It'll be okay!" Peyton said, her voice filling with fear.

Suddenly, a group of shadowy figures appeared in the dark.

The man stopped rowing the boat. He helped Peyton and the crying baby out of the boat and onto land. "Find a place where you'll be safe! Hurry before they catch you!" he instructed.

That's exactly what Peyton did. She knew someone who could help. Peyton, holding on to the baby tightly, ran down the dark streets.

Peyton found a nearby house. She knew who lived there. Peyton banged her tiny fists against the door, almost breaking it.

"JACK! JACK! OPEN UP! PLEASE!" Peyton screamed at the top of her lungs.

The door opened wide and revealed a man a few years younger than her standing in the doorway. He had brown hair and brown eyes and wore glasses.

He stared at Peyton. "Peyton? What's wrong?" the man, who was Jack, said.

Tears came down Peyton's cheeks. "I need your help! Please! Someone's looking for me and I can't run from this any longer!" Peyton cried.

Jack let Peyton inside. The two of them talked about what's happening. Tension filled the air.

Peyton burst into tears. "We knew this would happen!" she murmured.

Jack took hold of her hands. "What should I do?" he asked.

Peyton whipped the tears away. Her expression turned serious. "It's too late for you to help me, Jack. But there is someone you can still save!" Peyton told him.

She gently put the baby in Jack's arms. Jack looked at the baby in surprise.

"His name is Toby. I know I trust you with a lot of things, but . . . what I'm asking of you now . .  ." Peyton began. Her voice grew quiet.

Jack let out a gasp. "Y-You want me to raise him?! Peyton! I don't know how to take care of a child!" he panicked.

Peyton's eyes were filled with fear, sadness, despair, and hopelessness. "Jack, please! I'm begging you! You have to take care of my son! At least if they find me, they won't go looking for him!" Peyton pleaded.

Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. He thought all of this through. A sad smile grew on his face.

"Okay. I'll do it," Jack finally said.

Peyton pulled her old friend into a big hug. "Thank you," Peyton whispered, tears filling her eyes again.

She grabbed her coat and put it on. Peyton looked at her son for a long moment. She kissed his forehead.

Peyton sighed. "Goodbye, Toby. Stay safe," she told him.

With that, Peyton pulled her hood over her head and went out into the dark, cold night. Jack watched her as she disappeared into the darkness. He suddenly saw a sight that would haunt him for the rest of his life. There was the shadow of a frightened woman on a brick house. The shadow backed up in horror, shaking her hands. Suddenly, a larger shadow came and hit the shadow of the scared woman with a sword, killing her. The shadow of the woman fell to the ground. 

Jack gasped in shock and terror. He cried into his own hands for a while.

Years passed by, and Toby became witty, kind, brave, and very intelligent.

"TOBY!" Jack called.

He could hear some giggling coming from above him. Jack looked up and saw Toby hanging from a tree like a monkey. "There you are!" Jack said.

Toby smiled at him. "Ooh! Oooh! Ah! Ah!" he said, mimicking a monkey.

Jack burst out laughing. "Alright, kiddo. Get down from there before you break a leg!" he told him.

Toby swinged back and forth. He jumped and landed on his feet. He smiled at him. "Hiya, Jack," said Toby.

Jack smiled back and raised an eyebrow at him. "Hiya," he said.

That night, Jack and Toby ate dinner.

"Jack, can I ask you something?" Toby asked.

Jack looked at him. He nodded his head. "Of course. What's on your mind?" Jack said.

Toby sighed a little. "What was my mother like?" he asked him.

That made Jack smile. "Your mother was a real pain in my butt!" Jack joked.

Toby rolled his eyes. "Hmhm," he replied.

Suddenly, the wind outside began to howl. The lights suddenly flickered. Finally, they turned off. The room was pitch black.

"What's happening?" Toby asked, fear filling his voice.

Jack lit a few candles. "It's probably just a power outage," he told him.

The candles blew out. The room became dark again.

The two of them went outside, but what they say was unexpected.  Metro City.