His brown eyes glanced outside and past the rain stained patio doors and over the balcony. The sun began to set while darkness swallowed the world whole as oranges and blues painted the sky. He dug into his left pants pocket, pulled out his phone and checked the time.
"How long is she gonna take?" Jerome uttered with a sigh.
Flipping through the TV channels with the remote Jerome waited for his girlfriend Melissa. She decided to take a shower after getting off work, and required a little more time to dry her naturally reddish orange hair.
"Are you done yet?" Jerome bellowed.
"Hey! You take just as long in the morning. I don't wanna smell like the kids from the day-care when we're out." Melissa replied somewhat angrily.
Rustling through his left pocket once more Jerome took his phone out to look at saved pictures. Glancing at the top right corner he saw the time. After pressing the button a few times; the scanner connected with the signal. The nightly evening news was just beginning.
"Good evening everyone. I'm Peter Jennings. Tonight's headline is the upcoming arrival of a strange and until a few days ago undiscovered and still completely unknown magnetic field. Let's go to Dan Rather who is on location for a more in depth report."
The screen changed over to the in the field reporter who stood in front of the national observatory. "Hello, I'm here reporting from the observation lab with the top level scientists who discovered the magnetic field. Even in a short amount of time their studies report that the magnetic field is as large as the one our very own planet Earth emits. It's just as strong, as stable, and just as far reaching. The only differences they can tell is that it is a polar opposite of ours. It's magnetic south is our magnetic north. It's even in the same rotation and orbit as ours around the sun, thought it is a bit slower."
Peter Jennings queried, "Do they know or have an idea what could be causing this magnetic field?"
Dan Rather listened for his colleague and replied in prompt fashion, "Currently they do not know what's causing this bizarre field. However they are confident in saying it will not pose any sort of even minor threat to electronics, any materials that use magnetic current to save data, animals, or humans, or even anything at all. When it does catch up to Earth the magnetic field will cause the famous 'Northern Lights' effect during the day and night world wide for an estimated period of at least twenty-four hours. After that they expect the field to simply pass on and everything simply get back to normal as if nothing ever happened."
The camera turned back to Peter Jennings, "Thanks for the report Dan. Looks like it's going to be a strange and beautiful night for us all."
As anchor reporter Peter Jennings continued presenting the other headlines of the day. Melissa finally completed drying and styling her hair. The couple left the apartment and walked down the second floor concrete stairs of their shared apartment unit to Jerome's blue Subaru Legacy parked under the car park cover. As they drove off Jerome re-iterated what the news report was about. The night got darker and lights around them illuminated to bore through the blackness.
"That should be pretty interesting." Melissa said.
"Yeah, I'd love to get a picture of my car underneath a colorful night sky, post it on DeviantArt and see what happens." Jerome said happily picturing the outcome.
Driving on the highway for a quick jump from Sparks into Reno they were going to meet their friend and one third owner of the apartment. Matt was working in the Peppermill arcade that evening. Upon arriving inside the casino parking garage Jerome promptly found a spot that suited the standard he wanted for his car that he affectionately named 'Subie'. After shifting the transmission into park Melissa glanced over and waited patiently while Jerome checked his phone. He just received a new text message. The two got out and while walking to glass partitioned elevator lobby Jerome smiled as he took her hand. Melissa and Jerome entered the elevator and she pressed the button for the third floor that would ultimately lower them two floors to the sky-bridge where the arcade was located.
"What are you so smiley about?" Melissa asked.
"We get to see more people today." Jerome happily replied.
Upon entering the brightly lit arcade the two looked around and the only person standing behind the redemption counter was Jessica; Matt's slightly younger sister. There weren't that many customers that night, but that was to be expected for a Thursday evening.
Jessica took a few steps to the front edge of the counter that faced the entrance and leaned her right side on the elevated register, "What are you two doing here?"
"We're here to..." Melissa started.
"...harass Matt." Jerome finished.
Melissa smacked Jerome's shoulder as he contently smirked, "We don't harass him... We kindly visit."
"So... If it's not Matt... You're here to harass me, right?" Jessica said with a hint of sarcasm.
"Only a little." Jerome said.
Jessica smiled knowing that Jerome was only kidding. Before anyone could react someone wrapped their arms around Jerome's neck and glomped him.
"Gotcha mister kitty!" Kami-ko blurted out.
Though it was not her given name; Kami-ko suited her energetic and untamed personality perfectly. Not far behind was her elementary school age sister, Alysa. The little sister wasn't there to greet friends, but to redeem her personal record beating jackpot. Jessica left and kindly greeted Alyssa who pointed out what she desired from behind the glass counter.
"What are you doing here? Isn't it a school night?" Melissa queried while giving Kami-ko a hug.
Kami-ko adjusted her hooded sweater and grabbed her resealable Monster Assault from a nearby table. "Yeah it is, but my grandma is downstairs to see what she got in the players club drawing. I'm here babysitting Alysa. But it's not so bad, I get to draw in my sketchbook. It has a canvas cover and I've been adding stuff ever since I got it."
The three mingled for just a bit and caught up. Talking about school, work, and what was going on and what each was up to. Time passed and every once and a while Kami-ko got text messages and then finally got the one she wanted. The confirmation text from her near twin sister.
Jessica and Alyssa completed their transaction and the little one jerked on her big sister's black sweater. Jessica re-assumed her lackadaisical post by the register.
"Hey, short stuff what'd you get?" Kami-ko asked with a smile.
Alyssa promptly showed off her small fortune in prizes, "I got all of this, but I'm gonna keep most of the tickets for something later."
Not too much after that the door to the arcade office creaked opened. Matt slowly walked out and joined the rest of the group. It had been a rough few months for everybody, but eventually things smoothed out for the majority. Kami-ko and Melissa were once again on fair and friendly terms. Things between Kami-ko and Matt were better than before.
"Hi Matt." Kami-ko waved.
Matt looked over and casually smiled, "Hello Danielle."
A sure sign that things were getting better as time moved on. Breaking the ice Jerome regurgitated the news of the day and told everyone everything he knew about the magnetic field. Everyone's attention apexed when he mentioned the day long 'Northern Lights' side effect.
"Oh, awesome! My house is kinda far so it should be easy to see things without the lights from the city." Kami-ko said.
"We should go the marina and watch the sky from there." Jerome suggested.
"I like that idea, just as long as we can get enough sleep and go to work the next day." Melissa added.
"Just drink a Monster and you'll be fine. I have three favors in the fridge." Jerome commented.
"I'm gonna have to come over and steal some." Kami-ko said.
Good fortune was also in store for Matthew and Jessica. Their shifts ended during the magnetic field's combination with Earth's. They would have a perfect view for the night lights. After some time talking and when no one noticed Kami-ko's grandma came up to the arcade for her granddaughters.
"How was the drawing?" Alysa asked as Nancee stopped.
"I didn't win big like last time, but I did get more than enough to get all of us some gelato from Biscotti's cafe' downstairs." Nancee happily replied.
Kami-ko gave everyone within reach quick goodbye hugs and swiftly joined her grandma and her little sister as they stood by the wide open glass doors. The three went down the escalator to the main casino lobby floor, from there they would walk for a bit and reach the cafe'. After the sisters left with their grandma Jerome glanced over to one of the arcade aisles.
"I'll be back." Jerome said as he reached for his wallet and slid his arcade card out.
Melissa tugged on his arm, "No! You said we'd get something to eat after saying hi to Matt and Jessica. I really like talking to everybody, but I got even more hungry."
"Just let me do a few races and then we'll go and eat. Besides if I lose the first race I'll quit." Jerome growled.
"But what if you keep on winning?" Melissa questioned as she tried to pull him back.
Jessica and Matt continued to 'look busy' while talking to each other and leaning against the back counter while waiting for customers. Melissa gave in and waited for her boyfriend to finish racing in Wangan Midnight against a prospective opponent. The night ticked onward and after finally getting dinner Melissa and Jerome said their goodbyes to their friends who were still on shift. The couple quickly drove home for Melissa to retrieve her digital camera.
Then another quick jaunt in Jerome's Subaru to the Sparks marina. The magnetic field was about halfway into perfect unison with Earth's own magnetic field. People gazed at wide, sweeping ribbons of brightly colored light above them and stared in appreciation and astonishment. Purples, reds, blues, greens. yellows, oranges, every color in the spectrum was present. Usually only people above the artic circle were granted this naturally occurring sweet treat. But for the first time ever it was something for all to share. Something that made everyone forget their differences, for this would be a moment when everyone was in unison. For Jerome and Melissa they shared the moment with friends that couldn't be there with them through countless text messages. Night gazers came and left and it was time for some to get sleep for the next day; thankfully the next day was a Friday.
During the brilliantly colorful darkness Kami-ko, Kiana, and Alyssa slept while getting ready for the final day of the school week. Melissa and Jerome cuddled and tried to not let the other steal the blankets before the final end of their work week. Matt and Jessica got off work and each other looked up before heading to the employee parking garage. Bother and sister took in the moment before separating to each other's homes. The 'Northern Lights' or Aurora Borealis proved to be more than strong enough to be seen in the city; even with the light pollution from casino and hotel neon.