Asteroid

All he wanted was for her to be happy. That’s why, as he sat in the yard waiting to see a shooting star, he knew exactly what his wish would be. He couldn’t remember her ever being happy. From the very first day there had been a distance to her, a sad separation. To bring her out of her shell he’d taken her out all the time, even the times she wanted to be left alone. He just wanted to get through to her, wanted her to understand what kind of a life he could offer if only she would listen and do what he said.

The stars were brilliant. Earth was passing through the tail of an ancient comet – the weather reporters said it would be spectacular.

She’d gone to bed early with a migraine, as usual. He thought of all the times she’d tried to leave him and how it was only at the last second he’d made her see sense. His anger towards her came from the will to improve her life. She needed saving from herself – why couldn’t she see that?

The shooting star blazed across the sky. He closed his eyes and made his wish: I wish she could be happy.

As the rock entered the atmosphere it flared and bloomed and blazed a line against the night. But it did not burn up completely. The size of a marble it scorched for Earth and put a hole between his eyes, and another, at the back of his skull. And his wish came true.

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