Zodiacal light

Chapter 4

At nightfall, Vicky took her rented car, which finally had arrived at her hotel, and drove the long way up to the observatory on Teide. She could still see the contours of the moonlike landscape that had formed after numerous volcanic eruptions.

She took a mattress and a blanket out from her car, as she knew it would be colder later, and placed a little picnic basket, the hotel had been so kind to offer her for her trip, next to her.

As it got darker and darker, and her eyes had been accustomed to the darkness, the most beautiful sky emerged. Thousands and thousands of stars emerged in front of her eyes. She almost felt like she could touch them.

Suddenly she heard a sound like someone was walking towards her. It came closer and closer, and before she knew it, someone kicked her on the side of her leg.

"Holy s..." a man's voice yelled startled, as he trembled over Vicky's legs, and fell as long as he was, with all his equipment.

"Are you ok Sir?" Vicky asked concerned. "I am so sorry for this. Did you hurt yourself?" Vicky continued.

After the man had recovered himself, he answered: "No, no I am perfectly fine. I could have told myself that I was not the only one out here stargazing." The man said with such a fragile and lovely voice.

"Where have I heard this voice before? I am sure I have heard it before, but where" Vicky thought to herself still wondering.

"I'll better find my own spot, and look where I walk. Sorry for interrupting you Mam" The man reluctantly said.

"Oh please don't be sorry. Nothing bad happened. Would you do me the honour to keep me company? Stargazing is much better when you have someone to share your experiences with." Vicky said. She had no idea where this confidence came from, as she usually was a very shy person.

"Are you sure? I really don't want to intrude" the man replied with a soft voice.

"You are not! Please do sit down. The hotel packed a picnic basket as large as a house, so please sit down and help me eating the content." Vicky said laughing.

Vicky could only see his silhouette. When he tried to sit down, his hands brushed hers, as he could not see a thing yet. Vicky was happy it was dark, as she was blushing heavily, and had goose pimples all over her body.

"Oh dear, I am so clumsy today. Please do accept my apologies." He said, as he still fumbled to take a seat next to her.

"Why am I so clumsy all the time?" he thought to himself. He could smell the sweet perfume of the woman. She sounded very nice, and he was thankful that it was dark, so she could not see his face.

"So what are you doing down here on this beautiful island?" he asked Vicky.

"Well, I am working as a teacher, and my employer sent me down here on a course about astronomy" Vicky started to explain him. "So today I am just relaxing, and decided to go on a trip up here, to see the amazing starry sky far away from light pollution." Vicky continued.

"It is beautiful isn't it?" he said with a dreaming voice. "It sure is" Vicky replied.

They sat a long time like this, starring at the stars.

"You know about zodiacal light?" he asked her after a while. Vicky looked at him, still just seeing his silhouette. "Yes, but unfortunately I have never had the opportunity to see it." Vicky answered with a sadness to her voice.

"I tell you what. Tomorrow I have to attend a meeting, but as soon as it is over, let me pick you up and we will drive up here again to see it." The man said excited.

"Wait a minute Vicky. You have just met him, and you know nothing about him. He seems honest though. Just do it Vicky. You have nothing to lose." Vicky conversed with herself inside her head.

"Well, ok let's do that. I have a meeting too tomorrow, so let's meet after our meetings." Vicky said with a kind voice.

"Great. I will come over to your hotel at 19:00 and pick you up. Do not worry about food. I will take care of that." The man replied eagerly.

"I better get home to get some sleep before it gets too late." Vicky told the man.

"See you tomorrow my friend." The man said with his soft voice. "Oh, how rude of me! I have not asked your name." He continued.

"Oh. My name is Victoria, but please call me Vicky," Vicky said blushing again. Why was she blushing so much this evening?

"Pleasure to meet you Vicky. My name is Brian." He said with a warm voice. "I have really enjoyed your company. Drive carefully, and I look forward to see you again. Maybe we will be able to see each other's faces instead of silhouettes." Brian said giggling while Vicky nodded.

"What a wonderful laugh he has" Vicky thought to herself.

As they reached out for their hands to greet farewell, she could feel his slender hands touching hers. Slowly they intertwined, and they stood like that, in what seemed like a lifetime.

His thumb was caressing her hand, and her heart started to beat faster.

"See you tomorrow Brian and I will drive very carefully." Vicky said with a tiny voice.

"Sleep tight" Brian said, while she turned around and headed for the car.

While driving, she could not help but thinking about this mysterious man, she had just met. How odd to meet a man on top of a volcano far away from home.

As she arrived at the hotel, she thanked the receptionist again for thepicnic basket, and headed straight for bed. She fell asleep as soon as her headtouched the pillow.