I pick up my small green trashcan. Setting it on a clear space on the floor, I grab the handles of the plastic bag inside. I knot them as I trot down our cramped hallway and shout to my brother, "Going to put the trash out!"

It is dusk. I open the back door and head towards the plastic trash bins. I stub my toe on a box that sticks out from the mess in our open-air garage. I glimpse the large hulking shape that must be the trash can.

Drat that light, I think to myself. Father really needs to fix it.

After throwing the bag into the empty plastic bin, I step forward onto the driveway instead of going back inside. I don't want to do homework, not yet.

My little black cat, Shadow, pads up to me. She meows in a tiny voice and rubs around my legs. I pick her up and walk down the oil-spotted driveway.
Shadow protests and her body is stiff as she struggles.

"Shadow, what're you doing?" I whisper into the old cat's ear.
She still fidgets, but soon she calms down and stares into the neighbors bushes.

I stand still and look around. The houses on our block look sleepy, though I can hear the slight strains of Mariachi music coming from the backyard across the street.

I look up. Between the branches of the trees in our yard and the roof of our house, I can see the dark blue-black sky. It looks more real tonight, for some reason. Deeper... as if you could just fall into the universe.
Some stars twinkle, but there are only a few clustered around each other. There are never many stars in the city.

Shadow takes advantage of my loosened arms, and she jumps down and disappears into the dark garage.
I go back inside and sleep. I dream of falling into the galaxy and drinking the stars and moon of that lonely, empty space.