He lay shirtless, sprawled out on the wood of his deck, looking upwards at the night sky. The air smelled of the freshly mowed grass of his yard below and the portable stereo beside him belted out the chorus to Rush's “Working Man". He supposed he should be feeling sleepy as late it was. He glanced at his watch, its bright green display showing the numbers 1:58. The witching hour was long gone but he didn't feel tired at all. In fact, he felt pumped up and wide awake. He leaned over and hit the skip button on the stereo. “Fly by Night” replaced “Working Man” and he smiled. His heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't explain it but for some reason he felt on edge, eager. He lay back down and listened to the music. Astronomy was not normally one of his interests but tonight the sky seemed different. The stars pulsed hotter burning in the blackness above. It wasn't something he could explain, it was just a feeling that he couldn't shake. His hand reached out into the darkness beside the stereo and lifted his mug of sweet tea to his lips as he arched his back up a bit to sip it.
