Otherworldly Sights: A Short Story Collection

Moonfall

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She was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen, and she looked radiant under the stars. Celene - the name alone. Her pale white gossamer dress shimmered in the moonlight, and her bright clear skin glowed like the moon above. She glowed, and I was transfixed.

'Will you watch the moonfall with me, Edra?' she asked.

'I- the moonfall?' I stuttered.

'You haven't heard of it?' she asked, giggling lightly. 'The phenomenon only happens once every few hundred years. Radiation particles in the atmosphere align with the moon over a waterfall, creating the effect of the moon seeming to become part of the waterfall.'

'I- I'd love to,' I say, brushing a lock of my chestnut curls away from my face.

'It'll take quite a hike, though,' she admitted. 'But it'll be worth it. We should go now.'

So we went.

As we hiked, the moon peeked gently over the horizon, then steadily climbed for a while. Soon it would reach its peak. But I wasn't looking at the moon. I was looking at her, the way she glowed, the moonlight reflecting off her silvery hair, her concentration of climbing - well, it was more like floating - up the mountain. Every so often she'd turn back to smile at me, and with my heart fluttering I'd smile back.

Eventually, we reached the peak of the cliff, and were greeted by an amazing view: miles and miles of forest below us, sharp steep cliffs rising ahead, and the enormous moon looming over us, with the tip touching down onto a rushing waterfall.

Celene sat down on the peak of the cliff. I joined her and she spoke: 'It's what I was named for, you know. Selene, I mean, the moon goddess. I guess my parents named me in the hopes that I'd see this someday.'

'I can see why people worshipped the moon as a goddess,' I remarked.

The moon touched down onto the waterfall and began to disintegrate like sand. Pieces broke off and flowed down the riverbed. It was truly majestic.

Celene's eyes were shining and wide. 'I'm glad I got to see this with you,' she murmured.

Then, much more loudly, she shouted to the moon. 'I love Edra Wilkes!' Her cheer echoed across the canyon.

Her blush was a twin of my own as she turned to me and said, softly again, 'And... and I think she loves me too.'

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A/N:

Hello! You probably don't know me. My name's Tori and I'll be your host this evening (or morning, or whatever time it is where you live).

If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider giving it a vote. Your feedback means a lot to me! Also, please comment what you think.

See you in paradise,

Tori 🌕