He was watching television when he heard the thud.
It came from the back. He nearly dropped his glass. He got up and staggered to the window. It was probably those horrible kids again. The little buggers should be tucked up in bed this time of night. He couldn’t see anything but decided to check anyway. He grabbed his torch on the way out. It was a black night and getting cold. He panned his torch around. There was something in the middle of his back lawn; it looked like a ball. These little sods where forever throwing things into his garden.
He had gone round to have a word with the woman just once. Very polite he was. Asked if she could have a word with her children about throwing stuff over. She was belligerent. Said kids would be kids and there was nothing she could do about it. She all but told him to get lost. Miserable cow!
He went forward and shone his torch on it. It was a rock! He couldn’t believe it. They were chucking rocks over the fence now. He shook his head. “I wish these bloody neighbours would pack up and leave” he said, in a voice loud enough for anyone about to hear. He stood and listened; all about him was complete silence. He shivered. No one would be outside in this cold weather, he thought.
He stooped down to get a closer look. For a rock, it was very round. It seemed to be covered with a greyish mist. He blew on it. The surface was clearer now; it was a strange colour. He put his torch down and went to pick it up, but it wouldn’t budge, it was half buried in the lawn. He kicked it a few times and it loosened up; enough for him to get his hands under it and lift it out. He struggled to his feet with it. It was very heavy. He tried wiping the soil off with one hand when something started sparkling just above his head. It startled him and he dropped the rock.
“Hello” said a tiny voice. “Don’t be afraid, no harm will come to you, on the contrary.” There was a tiny giggle.
“What…?” He was dumbfounded and could only repeat, “What?”
“It’s all right. You are very lucky; you have found a star.”
“A star?” He blurted.
“Yes. Well, sort of. It is extremely rare that they fall to Earth.”
“A star?” He repeated, staring blindly into the twinkling mass that now hovered in front of him. He thought he could make out a shape of some sort; like a tiny girl-like creature with fluttering wings. “This is a star?”
“Yes. I can explain if you like. It’s the mass of a white dwarf, the remnants of a dead star. It’s very dense, but cooled off in the night air now, as I’m sure you know.”
“This is a dead star?”
The shimmering began to fade. “Remember, you only have one wish.” With that, the image turned to black.
He stood dazed and thoroughly shaken. Crikey! How much had he drunk, two beers, three maybe? He would have to watch himself in future. He gave the rock another kick, then picked it up and carried it over to the rockery. He went back for his torch and swung the light over it. Hey! It didn’t look bad, not bad at all.
Inside, he saw five empty bottles and shook his head. Yes, he would have to cut down. He switched the telly off, locked up and went to bed.
In the morning, he stood staring at the sphere of rock nestled among the others and smiled at the thought of what his drunken stupor had conjured up.
As he turned to go in, he heard the big removal van pull up next door.
