Star Crossed Under a Crafted Sky
Raj adjusted his kurta as the sea breeze blew past his legs. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of salt and ripe mangoes. Tyrone lay nearby, squeezing his hand softly. He couldn’t help but feel excited. They had both worked hard over the last year and now they could finally relax and celebrate their anniversary.
“Think you can handle palm trees instead of skyscrapers for a few days babe?” Tyrone asked with a large grin on his face.
“I’ll survive,” Raj joked with false stoicism.
The resort was a marvel of modern design, blending the natural and latest material science. Lush vegetation dangled down from the roof tops, which were adorned in solar panels and turbines which converted the salty winds into clean water for residents. The beach itself seemed to glow faintly at night thanks to bioluminescent algae, a natural nightlight.
Yet the true marvel was happening in a few short minutes, long before the sun made its descent into the ocean to conclude the night. This event, “The Twilight Experience”, was a weekly spectacle that started at the resort’s offshore launch platform.
There was a screen onshore which showed the countdown. Once it hit zero, the ground around Raj shook as a rocket fired into the sky as a light so bright it rivaled the sun.
“Get your glasses ready,” the resort manager called out to the crowd.
Raj reached down and didn’t find it. Where did he put it? He turned around several times frantically.
“Here, you left yours in the room,” Tyrone handed over the paper-thin souvenir.
The rocket and its light suddenly went out. It had reached the desired altitude. The top suddenly popped off and expanded. A satellite continued to rise into the air as it grew larger in size.
The crowd fell silent. Raj grabbed Tyrone’s hand and squeezed tightly as it deployed.
The darkness grew slowly, nibbling at the sun in a perfect crescent. The stars, normally invisible in the midday, shimmered into view like shepherds quietly watching over their flock. Raj nearly felt the Earth holding its breath.
“Remember our first date?” Tyrone whispered in his partner’s ear. “The office buildings, the streetlights, trying to pretend they were stars?”
Raj chuckled silently, trying not to disturb the majesty of the moment. "Yeah, we were hardly even amateur astronomers.”
The eclipse hits its zenith. The entire resort became covered in a rare moment of midday darkness. Raj leaned on Tyrone, feeling warm even without the sun. He felt a profound connection to this moment — the shared silence among the crowd.
The satellite ran out of energy and gravity’s relentless pull began to win. The sun peeked out and light began hitting the solar panels once again.
While the other resort guests stood up and went back to their rooms, Raj and Tyrone lay there side-by-side for a few more minutes.
This eclipse was much more than a testament to technology and human achievement. It was a symbol for the two of them of the value of connection and an endless wonder.
This short story was published today in anticipation of the total solar eclipse. I was inspired by an idea on Twitter to create artificial solar eclipses as a tourist attraction. I think it could be an interesting concept that wouldn’t necessarily be difficult to achieve. As long as you have a small area, you can cover the sun with a relatively small object at a distance.