As I sat in front of the flickering television screen, the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on my mind. The image of the colossal asteroid hurtling towards Earth, its sheer magnitude casting a shadow over everything I had ever known, filled me with a sense of impending doom. The sudden blackout followed by the swift return of power only added to the surreal nature of the moment.

The decision to utilize the world's entire nuclear arsenal to alter the course of the asteroid was a monumental one, a desperate attempt to avert cataclysm. The global community stood united in this effort, their collective breath held as the fate of humanity hung in the balance. The tension was palpable, the air heavy with anticipation.

As the news coverage resumed, a wave of relief swept through the world like a tidal wave. The cheers and celebrations echoed across nations, a testament to mankind's resilience and unity in the face of disaster averted. The television was switched off, signaling the end of this chapter in human history.

"Alex, that's enough. Go and take a walk," my mother's voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to reality. I nodded in understanding, sensing the weariness etched on her face. She had shouldered the weight of the world's uncertainty, the burden of what could have been.

Making my way to the nearby park, I sought solace in the familiar surroundings. The sky was a canvas of impending darkness, a stark reminder of the turmoil that had threatened to consume us all. The stillness of the trees, the tranquility of the lake where debris gently descended from the heavens, offered a sense of peace amidst the chaos.

Sinking down beside a sturdy tree trunk, I gazed up at the star-studded sky above, each twinkling light a reminder of the vast unknown that lay beyond our reach. The surreal beauty of the moment, the quiet whispers of the universe, enveloped me in a sense of wonder and awe.

It was in that moment, as I sat beneath the canopy of leaves and watched the remnants of the asteroid paint the sky with their fiery descent, that a realization dawned upon me. This fragile existence, this delicate balance between life and oblivion, was a reminder of our place in the grand tapestry of the cosmos.

As much as I wanted to deny it, to cling to the belief that we were alone in the universe, a spark of curiosity ignited within me. Perhaps, amidst the chaos and destruction, there lay a glimmer of hope. A hope that somewhere out there, beyond the confines of our world, life bloomed in all its infinite diversity. And in that moment of quiet contemplation, I dared to dream of a future where our existence was not defined by the threat of annihilation, but by the boundless possibilities that awaited us in the vast expanse of space. suddenly I felt an overwhelming pressure from above. As if a massive boulder pressed against my chest. My eyes stung. I blinked rapidly, attempting to clear my vision. Something was wrong… something wasn't right. There was no rock pressing down on me, nothing blocking my vision except the stars. The planet Earth loomed large in front of me. I tried to stand up.

"Oh, God," I heard myself whisper. There was no rock crushing me now. "No…" I reached up and placed both palms flat against my forehead as if trying to hold back some great unseen force. It was impossible… how could this be happening!?

My hand slid down my neck. There, beneath the fabric of my collarbone, rested the stone. The same, smooth, grey stone that had become so common during the past few months. The same rock that had been the source of my discomfort for as long as I could remember.

A chill raced along my spine and my heart sank as the realization hit me. The stone didn't belong here, I realized. Where did it come from? as I touched it suddenly pricked my finger and It shone a bright light. and got absorbed into my body as if it belonged there. I pulled away from the stone quickly, almost dropping it to the ground. It felt foreign, as if my skin were contaminated, contaminated with something I couldn't place. My head began to feel dizzy, my vision beginning to blur before I fell forward, unconscious..