Chapter 1

Star varsity quarterback Ethan Noble is alone in his car with cheerleading captain Mandy Ellis. It's Prom Night, the night he has been waiting for with great anticipation. She has agreed to be his girl, mind, body, and soul. A blinding light cuts through the shadows in the back seat of the car. A moment later, the ground shakes with a mild tremor that causes Ethan and Mandy to look up from their business. Beyond the windshield, the reason for the light and the quake is obvious: a massive mushroom-shaped explosion blossoms upward into the night sky.