Celestial Fatality

I sat on a gentle hillside, waiting in silence. As time ticked by, I could not help but take another look through the brand-new telescope propped up beside me. There, scintillating the solitary Vesper, this was fading in through the opalescent wedding grown of sylphs.

However, nothing occurred except the twilight was dipping the sky into the dark Acheron. I could feel my nerves quivering. Although the metropolis stretching down the slope was gradually lit by a myriad of dazzling beads, it was unable dissipate the pervasion of dreariness in the ambience around.

Three years, more than one thousand days had elapsed since my last visit here. My hometown, even the Christ might find its transformation inscrutable. In addition, my valued childhood had been deeply interred under a concrete gravestone. Altered, the whole lot had been altered. At this moment, I was compelled to confess that nothing could be immutable.

The lanky shadow pestering me withdrew unwillingly as Artemis presented herself, casting a tract of silvery gossamer. I squinted up, abruptly realising that the skeleton steel tower springing high upon the mount appeared so stifling. A scarlet spot, definitely not so staunch as Mars, was flickering atop its spire, which was shuddering in the cold but detached exhalation of Boreas.

Insofar as I knew, our family had been living in this city ever since my grandparents bought a crude thatched cottage on this pristine hillock. It was not purely a nice experience, for six people had to share one tiny dank home. Yet, I would indubitably refer to it as the most memorable period of my life. The reason was simple: I was able to play with my cousin all day long. Being the single child of our parents respectively, we became dependent on the joy of staying together. The wish was to thaw out the frozen hearts of ours together.

My cousin was a boisterous but conscientious big brother of mine, who had been a happy-go-lucky little boy. He showed me the basic virtuous deeds, and took every care of me when necessary. There was a sense of brotherhood between us, displaying its cordiality despite a little innocence as well as childishness.

Shuddering, I tried hard to compress my lips to smile.

This time I had to shake my head, perplexity etched on my face.

There was no breeze stroking our ruddy faces, no brook babbling round our bodies, no owls hooting or crickets chirping, because it was chilly outside. However, I felt as though a meadow was stretching out right in front of us. With verdant cedars towering above, fragrant petals drifted about and iridescent Aurora cast her light down. Once again, I could feel the snugness inside our hearts, as my ego melted into a sweep of pellucid but red-hot affections and ardour.

It should be the quadrennial of that very night today, but I still could not forget the brevity of my past dream. I took out the glass lens in my pocket, endeavouring to reflect as much light as I could in order to confirm the minuscule letters engraved on it. Yes, it had to be the appointed time. I was still able to recall that special day, on which we met for the last time before moving apart. Our Eden was to be replaced by a cold, stiff communication tower.

After residing with my parents far afield for a triennium, I perceived myself alienated from this city. Meanwhile, my former propositions had been gradually modified. Having impaired cousin¡¯s valedictory gift fortuitously, I had not only kept its lens, but also brought a new one here. That was the promise, and I had fulfilled it. All I had to do now was to wait, wait and wait, awaiting the other half of my Gemini to come.

Notwithstanding, nothing was happening. Only my eyesight was blurring and the spirits inside me became languishing and turned somnolent. Oreads had vanished, satyrs had left, and nymphs had dissolved. That might be identical to the stars hanging on the firmament: they were being driven away from each other non-stop, never being able to meet again.

Was that to be our destiny as well?