No matter how many times I saw it, I felt my spirits soar whenever I crested a tall hill, giving me a view for miles. It always seemed to me like the deep forests of Maine were stretching themselves out just for me. The verdant majesty of spring and summer had given way to glowing oranges and burning reds, enhanced by the brilliant sunset. As my truck rumbled over one of the taller hills, it looked as if the entire forest was aflame.
Taking a deep breath, I savored the rich smell of the land I’d lived and worked on. It didn’t matter that the temperature outside had been steadily dropping with the setting of the sun. The heater in my truck was more than enough to ward off the chill, allowing me to enjoy the fresh air. Soon, winter would come, burying everything in a sleepy blanket of snow and ice, and I would have more time than I knew what to do with.
The radio burst to life once more, piercing through my peaceful reverie with a screech. Swearing softly, I fiddled with the dials, bringing the volume down to a tolerable level. The radio had been touchy from the moment I started to make my way back. It had shut down completely halfway home, without the customary white noise.
The screeching halted, bringing back the familiar sound of the local DJ. “And as I’m sure you folks know, we’ve got Sebastian Mercouri in here tonight. Former native of our fine town, and now an astronomer all the way from New York. Sebastian Mercouri has come all the way up to Hilsbury to see the Northern Lights, isn’t that right?”
“Absolutely, it’s not often one can view a spectacular display of Mother Nature, and also doing it from the familiar sights of your own home town.”
I raised a brow as I listened to the two men converse. I didn’t recognize the second voice, but I thought it sounded intelligent and reasonably confident. I knew the last name however, having been familiar with the Mercouri family for years. They were kind, hardworking people, and I wasn’t surprised to learn their son had gone on to do, what I considered, a demanding vocation.
Sebastian continued. “The clear skies around the area will give everyone in the county a clear view of the lights. Geomagnetic storms of this intensity, this one is being rated as what we refer to as a G3 storm, will extend possibly as far south in the country as Illinois. However, it does mean some of your listeners might be experiencing some issues with their radios, as radio frequencies will be thrown into chaos by the storm.”
A loud screech pierced through the transmission, and I reached for the dial again. Before my fingers could turn it, however, I realized the screeching wasn’t mechanical. It was in fact a series of screams and squeals in a pitch I automatically associated with excited teenage girls.
“Lex is showing up! He just tweeted it!”
The DJ chuckled, forced to raise his voice to be heard clearly over the fuss. “And as I’m sure you all just heard for yourselves, celebrity actor Lex will be making an appearance as well. The question on everyone’s mind is whether he’s coming to get a bit of inspiration from the Lights, or from the town.”
“Maybe it’s on your mind,” I said, turning off the radio.
I would have found the talk about the Northern Lights more interesting. That at least had a grounding in something I could appreciate, though not necessarily understand. Sometimes I thought I might have made a fine scientist, if it wasn’t for my tendency to dislike anything which required me to sit still and study a piece of paper or a board for more than ten minutes at a time. Still, I understood the rigorous pursuit of science, finding it practical and sensible. It might not have been for me, but I respected anyone whose mind and personality pushed them to pursue the mysteries of the world.
Not that I couldn’t enjoy a good mystery myself, I just preferred them from the comfort of my own home. I might idly wonder how the Northern Lights appeared, but I wouldn’t delve too deep. I would stand outside and appreciate their beauty, just as I appreciated the natural beauty of the land around me. However, that was enough for me, particularly when I had a large harvest waiting for me. I would happily leave the mysteries of the universe to someone else, while I made sure I would survive through the winter.
YOU ARE READING
Northern Lights
Storie d'amore[COMPLETED] Dominic Stone has a reputation as a respectable, hardworking business owner and he'd like to keep it that way. He considers himself to be a rather private individual, thus he brushes off questions and gossip about his love life, particul...
