Chapter 3: Harvest New Moon

Everything about that night was wrong. It hadn’t rained since the sudden storm late last month dropped snow into the surrounding hills. Weather forecasters stared at their millibar charts in stunned disbelief. “I’ve never seen this so late in the year. Shit, is it September or April?”

“Ninety-one degrees today—ninety-fucking-one, can you believe it?” a tall man in a neatly pressed suit then looked toward the camera. “Three, two, one, you’re on.”

“A ridge of high pressure will dominate the weather this weekend.” The tall man smiled then waved his arm in a long sweeping motion back toward a map like a game-show host revealing a prize. “Winds kicking up across the canyons.” the smile now running away from his face, “very unusual for this time of year.”

The switchboard blinked in solid red lights. “Got another one—two more being sent to Canyon, another arriving at Placentia-Linda.” Pushing his hair back under his cap, he sipped his coffee and slid back in his chair. “Bad accident on Carbon Canyon, both drivers killed on impact. There’s another being lifted to Western, this one’s bad, really bad. Doesn’t look like she’s going to make it.” A young voice crackled in through the headset. “Roger that, headed to Western right now. Geez Kyle what the fuck’s going on out there tonight?”

A sickle of stars marched up in the sky—the head of the lion joined by the bright orange beating heart of Arcturus. The sky was dark without any moon, warm winds blowing on a midnight-blue canvas, a ribbon of lights wound through the hills in broken, yellow, serrated bands.

“Medical emergency, north Orange Freeway. Marine stationed over at Pendleton.” A crackle of static then a moment of silence. “Dead at the scene, 10-9, driver is dead at the scene.” Tearing his receiver off of his head, the young man wrung his hands through his hair then exhaled a prolonged coffee-soaked sigh. “My God, will this night ever end?”