It was a last minute decision. Actually no, it was more of a mathematically enhanced and genetically engineered decision. I went to the terrace.
This was... 7:45 PM. Occultation was to start at 1957 hours. {My planetarium software, as I saw later, placed the time of the disappearance of Mars at about 2003.}
I lugged Asterope all the way up without the chair, since I wasn't too hopeful. However, all hope returned as I saw him shining, almost winking at me, as the veil of the Star-Queen suddenly lifted from the moon. He smirked at me as the lone eye in that part of Calcutta focused on him.
And there. Beside him, a red dot wavered floated. It was quite hard to believe that the God of War was reduced to a red dot beside the Queen of the Stars and her adored servant. Madness set in at 2001.
The wind picked up speed and the scope's stand was unbalanced. Waving, waving and wavering. It was hard to keep track, and yet I whispered to that Queen of the Stars. To her and no one else. She cleared the skies. She cleared the clouds. And in a moment she will rein the wind and offer me everything. Just a few more minutes.
I panted.
Just some more minutes.
Mars almost seemed to wait. Minute went by. Another.
He did not want to be engulfed by the dark side of the moon. Yet, he was bound by the firmament, and the Queen's words.
A sudden stillness, before plunging into the void in three discreet, heart-stopping seconds.
And my conversation with the Star-Queen stopped then.
Tick.
And everything collapsed.
Thank you, Grandma for telling me. Thank you, Star-Queen for helping me. And thank you, Selena and Ares, for showing me.
