Chapter 9: Public Anomaly
**Carter** stood transfixed by the impossible, green-and-red light show painting the sky. The initial, euphoric marijuana buzz faded quickly, replaced by a cold, sober dread.
*"Enter the room and sit down,"* **Earth** commanded, the System's voice regaining its clinical edge. *"We need to figure some things out. Now."*
Carter finally wrenched his gaze from the celestial anomaly and walked into the cheap motel room. He tossed the sunglasses onto the dresser and immediately rubbed his hands through his dreads. He glanced at his reflection in the mirror, and a gasp caught in his throat.
"Earth, am I still buzzed?" he asked, walking toward the glass, his eyes wide with fascination. "Because this is new."
His dual-colored eyes, usually an intense mix of black and white, were now swirling faster than usual, a visible, vibrating storm of energy.
Without waiting for a response, the **Earth System** took control of the small television in the room, switching it immediately to a national news feed. As Earth expected, a breaking story was running about the strange phenomena at the local movie theater.
The screen showed a news anchor with a concerned expression, and then cut to an interview with a young, nervous woman standing outside the cinema.
"So, tell us about the strange happenings tonight at the theater?" the news anchor prompted.
The nervous, ebony-skinned young lady, who introduced herself as **Asia**, leaned into the microphone. "It was *weird*. It was like Craig and Day-Day came alive and was passing **weed** to everybody in the movie theater. We all got high as hell! And I ain't never smoked before, but who is going to pass up a **smoke** session with Ice Cube and Smokey? Be for real?" she said, staring wide-eyed at the camera.
Carter watched the screen, his mouth slightly open. He rubbed his head, staring at the visible magic being described on the screen, and whispered, "Did I fuck up again