A More Glorious Dawn

Chapter Three

"Nine-one-one, what's your emergency?"

"Something just crashed down from space in the empty lot off of exit twenty-eight," Violet said into the phone, her voice shaking. "I really think you'll want to send someone out here."

"Yes, ma'am," the dispatcher said. "We've received multiple reports of such a crash. Are you on site now?"

"Yes," Violet replied. "Me and a friend."

"Is anyone hurt? Are you and your friend safe?"

"We're both fine, but I really think you need to hurry up and get someone out here."

"Emergency responders are en route now. Hang tight, okay?"
Violet hung up the phone silently before turning to see Marcus lowering himself into the enormous hole in the earth.

"Marcus!" Violet shouted. "You can't just go up to that spacecraft!"

"And why can't I just go up to that spacecraft, Violet?" Marcus fired back, his words like daggers.

Violet flinched. She knew he was hurting, that he was afraid of learning the truth. His brother's fate was unknown until he opened that door and found a living, breathing Andre in the seat or a rotting corpse. She knew he didn't really want to open the door to the craft, because so long as it remained closed, Andre could still be alive, despite how violently the craft landed. Still, it was the first time Marcus had used her full name. Up until that point, he'd only ever called her Vi, ever since they first met.

"Other than the obvious reason? The metal on the door to that thing could melt your skin, Marcus." Violet tried using reason rather than emotion to make her point which, she realized, was a lot harder than she thought. "Just wait a little bit longer."

Marcus knew she was right, but he was still upset. He hoisted himself and his defeated ego back onto the ledge and allowed his legs to dangle off the edge of the crater, his clean denim jeans now dusted with red dirt. Violet sat down next to him and placed a hand on top of his, the air silent save for the sound of creaking metal cooling in the crisp autumn air.

When the police arrived what felt like hours later, they escorted Marcus and Violet back to the patrol cars a hundred yards back. A tall, lanky officer began to ask questions, seeking details about the crash while they were inspected by the EMTs. Violet told the officer everything they'd seen: that they were looking at the stars when they saw the object fall from the sky. She told them about Marcus' brother, and she told them that he needed to know what was inside the spacecraft once they opened it. The officer nodded reluctantly and escorted the two of them back to the rim of the crater, maintaining a safe distance from the ledge. Police tape lined the crater's perimeter and detectives examined the exterior of the craft. The officer who questioned them before asked Marcus and Violet to sit tight while he spoke with his commanding officer, the two of them agreeing to stay put with a quick nod.

"Are you feeling okay?" Violet asked when the officer walked away. She realized immediately what a ridiculous question that was.

"He can't be in there," Marcus said after a brief silence.

Violet grabbed his hand in an attempt to comfort them both. Marcus continued to stare blankly into the crater. It was only a few moments later when the officer returned and nodded to a firefighter, who then motioned for her fellow firefighters to begin a possible extraction. It only took a few moments for them to get the door to the craft open after they received instructions from an IBGR representative. Several paramedics stood at the edge of the crater on standby with gurneys and first aid equipment.