Nova had had just about enough of Harold's antics. She loved playing with him, but damn, he could be annoying. For the tenth time in the last hour, she wondered why she agreed to babysit-something she'd wondered more frequently as the nighttime hours approached. It wasn't like she was missing anything, though. She poured the second cup of coffee. While reaching for the sugar, she knocked over the salt. She sighed and dunked an extra spoonful into the liquid.
Harold bounced into the kitchen, dancing around the island. He grabbed a spoon, placed it in his mouth, and began to flap it up and down with his headbanging. Nova sighed and splashed some heavy cream into the coffee. Mom and Dad must be having a damn good time at the musical. She heard the tinkle of glass a few seconds after he danced back out to the living room. "Harold!" She shouted, setting her much-needed drink down and stomping towards him. She was never buying Harold candy again.
"Can I have some coffee?" Harold asked Nova. "NO," Nova said. It came out louder than she intended. She looked down at the thing Harold had knocked down. It was a picture of her high school graduation. Sighing, she walked to the closet to grab a paper bag. It was a wonder Mom and Dad had anything they valued.
Harold had finally fallen asleep on the couch cushions-which had collapsed from the fort he'd tried to make-and allowed Nova a period of relaxation longer than 2 seconds. She smiled and sipped her coffee and turned the page of her book.
Her phone rang. She picked it up and looked at the caller id. It was Kent. She answered it. "Nova, sweetums, I'm in dire need of some companionship. Would you care for a night of fun?" He started in his usual smooth voice.
She glanced down at her brother, chest rising and falling. "Can't," She replied with a hint of regret in her voice. "I'm on baby duty tonight." She pictured Kent in one of his button-up shirts. Of course, he'd have the top two unbuttoned. "A shame to hear," was his reply. "We on for tomorrow?"
Nova smiled. "You bet."
He hung up. Nova placed her phone beside her and, taking the TV remote in hand, with a hesitant glance at her brother, she flicked on the display. Sports. News. News. A story about a charity for lost dogs.
She left it on the channel that was covering STAR Labs. Nova looked down to her book and realized how tired she was from babysitting the little devil. Her eyelids pulled down until she slouched down against the arm of the chair and closed her eyes.
She jolted awake. It was dark outside the window and the lamp was on, the TV murmuring softly. She could hear the pitter-patter of rain. Nova knew she should've turned off the light. Now she'd be half-asleep at work. As she was reaching over to turn the switch on the ornate flower lamp, a few words from the background caught her attention. "Wait, we are now being told to evacuate the facility."
Nova turned towards the TV. An asian reporter stood in the rain in front of STAR Labs, microphone held close to her face. She clutched an umbrella in her other hand. "The storm may have caused a malfunction to the primary cooling system."
Nova stood up and waited for the lint to clear from her eyes before stepping over Harold and standing in front of the screen, staring intently at it. "Officials are now trying to shut down the particle accelerator, but so far have been unable to regain control of the system-"
The screen flickered and died. The room was cast into darkness as Nova heard the lamp's bulb shatter. She whipped her head around. "Flashlight," she muttered, walking into the kitchen. Holding her hand out, she navigated her way to the basement door. She opened the door, breathing in the smell of must and old cardboard, and grabbed the big flashlight at the top of the stairs, flicking it on.
She turned and saw a wave of light coming towards her. It blasted her back and she tumbled down the stairs, hitting her head at least twice. She came to rest at the bottom in a heap, unconscious.
Harold walked into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. "Nova!" He yelled out in his slightly high voice. He saw the basement door open and horror scenarios of some mystic creature waiting to drag him down there flickered through his mind. He fell silent and began to creep forward, stopping to grab the pepper shaker after a moment of consideration.
He peeked around the corner and saw the heap at the bottom of the stairs. Heart racing, he tiptoed down, ready to turn tail and slam the door at the slightest hint of movement. "Novaaaaaa?" He yelled, drawing it out. The scent of the basement filled his nostrils. He got close enough to see her face.
"Nova?" He said, brandishing the pepper shaker like a weapon. He pattered down the stairs and sat down next to her. He could see that she was asleep. "Nova," He said, shaking her. "Nova!" He cried. He ran to get the phone.
"911, what is your emergency?"
"I-I think m-my sister fell down the st-stairs," He blubbered.
"Stay calm. What is your address?"