It was summer, and the weather was hotter than even Los Angeles was used to. The nights had offered little respite to the days, making it a struggle to sleep. All reports suggested that the heatwave would continue for at least another week, much to the dismay of the city.
That was why, at almost two in the morning, Jack and Nina were outside on her balcony. They were both lying on loungers, glad for even the slightest of breezes. Nina was reading a book with the aid of a table lamp, whilst Jack was trying his best to get a little sleep.
Those efforts of his were proving fruitless, and eventually he gave up and gazed up at the sky. It was a mostly clear night, although few stars could make it past the glare of the vast city below. Then, just above one such cluster, he noticed something crossing the heavens. At first, he thought it was a plane or helicopter, but the way it moved ruled those out. "Huh, I wonder what that is?"
Nina glanced at him. "What what is?"
He gestured at the object, and she looked up. Unfortunately for Jack, the object decided that it was the perfect time to hide behind one of the few clouds in the sky.
"You're seeing things, Jack."
Seconds after she returned to her book, the object flew back into sight. Jack sat up and pointed. "It's there, in the sky!"
She grinned and continued reading her book. They had both barely slept for days, so it was hardly surprising that one of them was hallucinating. She expected she, too, would be joining him soon.
He looked over at her. "Tony didn't finish all that paperwork we left him on Friday," he began, which prompted Nina to look at him. "Would be a shame for it to appear on your desk."
Nina sighed. "Okay, fine…," she began before looking up. Her eyes widened. "What is that?!"
Both of them stared at the object, which seemed to be moving closer at a slow speed. It looked like a silver ball with neon lights flashing in what appeared to be a random pattern. Both of them described what they were seeing, which convinced Nina that it couldn't be a hallucination. "Maybe it's a secret government project?"
Jack shook his head. "I don't think it is, but then what could it be?"
Then, as if it had noticed the couple watching it, the object came to a sudden halt. It hovered in the sky for a few seconds, before shooting into space.
Jack stared at the sky. "Nobody would believe us, would they?"
Nina looked at him and smiled. "Not in the slightest."