Inside, they watched as he sat on their back porch among the smoke of his cigarette with the oak branches between him and the stars. They were caught off guard by the way his eyes strained to break the separation through the branches and reach the stars.

They, too, stared.

Nate Brock attends the University of Indianapolis for Creative Writing. Most of his works are created with the help of his friend, Mr. Daniels of Tennessee. He blogs at natebrock.wordpress.com.