The flashing red and blue lights of the police car sliced through the darkness, turning their peaceful mountain lookout into a crime scene. The five of them were frozen, caught in the harsh, strobing glare like startled deer.
'Crap. Crap, crap, crap.' Kofi's mind was racing. 'Curfew. We broke curfew. And Nina is driving her sister's car without a real license. We are so screwed.'
The two officers approached them, their footsteps a heavy, ominous crunch on the gravel. One was older, with a tired, seen-it-all expression. The other was younger, his face set in a hard, eager mask of authority.
"Well, well," the younger officer said, his voice dripping with a condescending sarcasm. "What do we have here? A little late-night party?"
"We weren't doing anything, officer," Nina said, her voice surprisingly steady, though Kofi could feel her hand trembling in his. "We were just watching the meteor shower."
