Page 17 of Written In Flesh

Skully

“THE METEOR SHOWER tonight is expected to be seen between the hours of 10 p.m. and 12 a.m. Many are already set up camping in various places outside of the metropolitan area in hopes of witnessing the event.”

“Thanks for the reminder, Becky. I hope everyone gets that chance to see the meteor shower. Now in other news…”

Clicking the news off, I grip my bag in my hand, looking around the room one more time to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Since the meteors are far in the distance and happen quickly, I have packed my Sony A7R IV, a mirrorless camera, to capture the phenomenon. I have snacks, a blanket, and my single camping tent packed as well in order to be comfortable. The drive to the spot that I had previously scouted for months takes about two hours. The drive will be worth it, though, to see the meteor shower away from the city lights. Just me surrounded by nature with a dark, vast sky filled with sparkling stars and maybe my surly angel best friend. Quickly, I send a text to Loreli letting her know I was leaving. I promised to let her know when I get there before I start my hike and lose service. She replies instantly with a thumbs-up emoji. Satisfied, I head out, locking the door behind me.

The drive up the coast is peaceful, the ocean on one side with the sun sinking down, and my favorite road trip playlist playing softly. Previously, the weather reports had been devoid of rain, and there was still none forecasted. It is going to be the perfect night for stargazing. A few hours later, I park my car and hike my way along the forest trail until I find the clearing. The area itself isn’t huge, but what I love about it is that it is surrounded by trees and filled with wildflowers and soft grass. The sky above me is deep blue, and the stars shine so brightly that they look closer to earth than they are.

I set up my tent and roll out my sleeping bag before grabbing my chair and camera. I set the bag of snacks nearby and use my phone to play music while I wait, keeping my eyes on the sky. The time ticks on, and as it does, I snap picture after picture of nature’s beauty around me. Some of the sky, some of the shadows and trees, and some of the quiet forest animals that dare to peek out. When the air shifts, they scamper away quickly and suddenly, Azriel is next to me.

“You’re almost late,” I tell him with a playful smile on my lips. “Lucky for you, I brought the spicy dill chips that you like and haven’t opened them yet.”

“Skully, we need to talk.” His eyes are on me, but it’s almost as if it’s painful for him to look at me. I can read the concern and confusion in his eyes, and the rigid way he’s holding himself instantly has me on edge. Slowly, I get up from the chair and drop my blanket on it.

“What’s going on?” I reach out my hand to touch him, and he flinches. It’s small, barely noticeable, but enough to make my heart lurch painfully. “Az.”

“I don’t know how to tell you this.”

I shake my head, feeling tears prick my eyes, my nose burning. “How about we wait until after. Let’s just enjoy tonight, this, the meteor shower, and then you can unload on me tomorrow.”

Azriel’s head tilts back, and his gaze moves to the stars. “It’s already starting.”

“What?” I glance up, scanning the sky, looking for the shooting stars trailing across the sky. “I don’t see them.”

“You will soon.” I feel his focus shift to me, but I keep staring at the sky.

I’ve never been scared around Azriel since we met, but something about the way he’s acting is terrifying me. Somehow, I know that whatever he’s going to say will wreck me.

“Skully, there’s been talk for a long time about the Nexa.”

I hold up my hand to stop him, trying to smile through the tears that are clouding my vision. “I don’t want to talk about it right now, Az. Can’t we just enjoy the show?”

This time, when I glance up, the meteors are falling in tandem, looking like flashes of light, shooting stars. I reach for my camera and start snapping pictures before I can’t see them anymore.

“S.” Azriel follows me, and I feel his chest against my shoulder. “We need to talk about this.”

“Tomorrow, Az. Please don’t ruin this for me,” I plead, tears spilling over my cheeks even though I’m trying to smile and make light of the situation. On the inside, my heart is painfully thudding against my rib cage, and my stomach twists.

“I know. But this can’t wait. It’s already been too long.” He shakes his head.

My eyes slide closed, and the camera in my hand suddenly feels heavy and drops to my side. “Az, I don’t—”

My words trail off when I see it. Amongst the falling meteors is a subtle flash of white that starts to glisten purple. “Wait. Do you see that?” Raising my camera, I try to take a picture.

Azriel’s head tilts back, his eyes scanning the sky where I can’t stop staring. “See what?”

My blood rushes frantically in my veins. “Seriously. Don’t you see that? I think it’s getting closer.” I snap more pictures, watching the moving, gliding sphere get closer and closer. The purple is slowly fading to a deep violet, then plum, and finally black.

“We should leave, Skully.” Azriel’s voice has a hard edge, and he’s glancing around the clearing like we’re going to be attacked.

“What is that?” I murmur mostly to myself now. Azriel is frantically holding my hand, trying to get my attention.

My body refuses to move. Refuses to let anything in my consciousness besides the black, sparkling star that is heading right toward me. Time slows. The air turns thick, and everything quiets. There’s no breeze rustling the trees, no crickets singing, no leaves and sticks crunching on the ground under the weight of the forest animals. Even Azriel seems to pause, freeze, suspended away from me. My eyes widen, right as the black and purple swirls flash in front of my eyes. There’s a blinding white light, and I feel my body suspended in the air before crashing back down to the ground.

“Skully!” Azriel’s voice is loud, panicked. My ears are ringing. I can taste blood in the back of my throat, and my body feels like an inferno.

“Help me,” I plead, feeling his hands roam over my shoulders, my neck, my arms.