Student Publishing Program ::

Eric Wong

Investigation

The sky was devoid of clouds as the stars populated the sky, their light revealing a lone beige humvee rolling across the rough, sandpaper ground, devoid of vegetation. The low drone of the engine filled the air.

Lieutenant Draco scanned the report from the Central Intelligence Agency: We have reason to believe that the following warehouse is hosting terrorist activities.

“Psh,” he thought. The third compound to search in a week, and the other two were just red herrings. He folded the report into his breast pocket and gazed up at the constellations, bright pinpoints of diamond-like stars in the sky.

“At least we’ll be home on Tuesday,” he thought. “Then this will all be over.”

The humvee rolled to a shaky stop. Leo, a fellow soldier, coughed nervously. A flat, brick building loomed ominously before them. All the lights were out, and the few cars left in the parking lot were rusting.

They broke into the building, scanning the area with mounted flashlights, kicking aside a backpack as they came. The air, full of tension, smelled of burnt coffee. Papers littered the floor, chairs were toppled, and desks were overturned. The crunching of office materials under boots broke the overwhelming silence.

Snap! Draco whirled around to confront the noise, finger on the trigger of his pistol.

“Sorry Lieutenant”, Leo whispered, gesturing towards a broken pencil on the ground.

“Move out,” the lieutenant ordered after some time spent rummaging. With nothing to be found, there was no point in staying. The soldiers were walking out the door, when that fatal sound filled the air.

Brp bp bp. Brp bp bp.

Time momentarily froze as each soldiers’ grim expressions transformed into one of panic. Lieutenant Draco stared in horror at the source of the noise, the backpack they had so carelessly kicked aside.

“TAKE COVER!”

A brilliant flash of light burst from the backpack as it disintegrated into tiny strips of leather, creating a beautiful star shaped explosion as particles ricocheted against the walls.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS, LHS CLASS OF 2011 EDITION]