An Astronomer's Guide to Falling Angels

Chapter 25

As the first rays of morning light peeked through the tent, Arty lay quietly beside Astor, careful not to disturb him as he slept soundly against her. His soft breathing was soothing, and Arty felt a brief moment of calm. But the memory of what she'd seen in the woods the night before lingered, tugging at her thoughts.

Gently, she reached for her phone, careful not to rustle the blanket too much, and dialled Oda's number. She stepped outside the tent, holding the phone close to her ear, her voice hushed to avoid waking anyone.

Oda answered after the first ring, sounding far too awake for someone who had stayed up so late. "Yo! What's up, Arty? Don't tell me you're calling about something spooky." Her tone was teasing, but there was an edge of excitement in it.

Arty rolled her eyes but kept her voice low. "Listen, Oda, it's not paranormal, okay? But something happened last night. I saw someone—well, some people—in the woods. I couldn't make them out, but they were definitely there."

There was a brief pause, then Oda's voice dropped a little, though her eagerness was impossible to miss. "Wait, what? Tell me everything."

"I told you, it's not a ghost," Arty said, a little sharper this time. "But there were figures, people. I don't know who, but they were watching us, I'm sure of it. It didn't feel safe."

Oda's glee was almost palpable through the phone. "So, there was something out there! This is getting interesting. We have to check it out."

Arty sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Oda, no. We're not going ghost hunting again. This wasn't paranormal—it was real, and it felt... dangerous. We need to be smart about this."

"You say that, but I know you're tempted," Oda teased. "Come on, admit it. You love a good mystery."

Arty shook her head, though there was a flicker of truth in Oda's words. She was tempted. But her concern for the group's safety overpowered any sense of adventure. "We'll talk about it at breakfast. Just don't go running into the woods by yourself."

Oda grumbled something in response but eventually agreed, and Arty ended the call. She slipped back into the tent, Astor still asleep, and quietly lay back down beside him. He stirred a little, but instead of waking, he nestled closer to her, his body seeking her warmth.

For a few minutes, she let herself relax again, the steady rhythm of Astor's breathing calming her nerves. But as much as she didn't want to worry him, she knew she couldn't keep it from him forever.

***

At breakfast, the five friends gathered around their usual table in the camp canteen. The chatter of other campers filled the room, but their small group sat a little apart from the others, a bubble of familiarity in the busy morning rush.

Arty had been quiet for most of the meal, pushing her food around her plate as she debated how to bring up what had happened the night before. Astor, always attuned to her moods, noticed her hesitation.

He leaned in closer, his voice soft with concern. "Arty, what's on your mind? You've been quiet all morning."

Arty bit her lip, her gaze flickering briefly to the others before settling on Astor. She took a deep breath and finally spoke. "Last night... after I went back to get my phone, I saw something. There were people in the woods. I don't know who, but it didn't feel right."

Astor's brow furrowed, concern evident in his brown eyes. "Why didn't you tell me then?"

She winced slightly, feeling a pang of guilt. "I didn't want to worry you, especially if it turned out to be nothing. But it wasn't just my imagination, Astor. There were definitely people out there."