Night.

  Twinkling stars filled the endless space and silence reigned over all. A green-blue ring of light illuminated the distant Earth. In the dark center of the world, pockets of light shown like so many stars set on the Earth’s face, forming constellations all their own. They sparkled, clear and white, with a steady constancy unrivaled by the real stars that surrounded them. In contrast, occasional flashes of red and orange flared on the Earth and, though no sounds could be heard, the Moon could see the quaver on the Earth from the shock.

  Countless revolutions of the stars and planets had elapsed since the last time the Earth and the Moon had conversed. The Moon didn’t know why. No anger raged within, no spite or malice, but still there must have been a reason. Perhaps, once long ago, the Moon had been angry, or the Earth. Perhaps they’d argued, perhaps not. The Moon couldn’t remember. Not now, anyways, not after so long a time.

  Another batch of the red and orange lights flared into life near the Earth’s horizon and the green-blue edge disappeared, out shown by the flare and then held dim by a resultant haze and smoke.

  Earth, The Moon thought, Would you answer if I asked, would you tell me why you’re suffering? Could I help you?

  Once, long before any of the freckled lights danced on the Earth’s benighted surface, back when they had spoken often and openly, the Moon loved the Earth, loved watching the Earth as she moved through her revolutions. The Moon couldn’t remember if the Earth knew, or reciprocated. The Moon didn’t feel so now anyway and so found it hard to feel regret over the loss. But still, back in those days, when they were not so old, they had spoken and shared in the joys of watching life grow and spread.

  Did I become jealous? The Moon thought as another powerful red light blossomed in another region of the Earth. Was that what pushed us apart? That the Earth had life, and I was barren?

  Perhaps the Moon still had feelings for the Earth, it was hard to tell what was real and what was imagined fantasy when it came to such things anymore.

  Sunrise wasn’t far away. Just a few brief moment, really, and the Moon would have to wait another revolution for the Earth’s stars to be visible again. But the Moon could not complain. The Earth was beautiful in the daylight as well, though in more recent revolutions, the Earth in the daylight had lost much of its former beauty. The green had faded to brown. The blue had turned gray. And all had become hard to see clearly, as though masked by a thin yet constant cloud.

  So long ago, they two had watched with excitement as life began; first in the water and then on land. It became more and more complex until something entirely different appeared: humans. It was also around that time that the Earth and Moon had stopped talking to one another. That was not so long ago, for the Earth and Moon, and yet the Moon could not recall why exactly they had drifted apart then. Something about humans?

  Perhaps I’ll ask what’s happening, The Moon thought, And the Earth may just answer like in times past. The Moon mused over this while the Sun rose above the Earth’s horizon and the Moon continued on in its own prescribed path.

  The Earth was harder to make out than usual this day. The surface was impossible to see in some places through the thick smoke that had replaced the clouds. A few flashes of red and orange still shown in the sunlight but not so much as the night before.

  The Moon looked away into the blackness of space and surveyed the other planets and stars. It was frustrating, not knowing what was happening on the Earth when it was so close to the Moon. The other planets and stars were much too far away to speak with, and yet the Moon now knew just as much about what was going on with them as it did about the Earth.

  Night came again on the Earth and the Moon stared eagerly at her, looking for the little lights she wore like stars. But they weren’t there. A few places glowed with the red and orange of fires, something the Earth had first experienced and explained to the Moon long before humans. The Moon continued to search, looking over the surface of the Earth as she revolved and still no sign of the little stars.

  Earth, The Moon finally called out, surprised at how easy it was even after all this time, What’s happened?

  The Moon waited, hoping the Earth would respond. She continued to turn, to pass on as the Moon watched, but she said nothing.

  Earth? The Moon ventured again, Please…

   Hello Moon, The Earth said at last in a feeble voice, old, and full of sorrow.

  Earth! The Moon exclaimed as fresh emotions flooded in at hearing the Earths voice once more. What’s happened?

  How have you been, Moon? The Earth asked, ignoring the Moon’s question.

  Lonely, The Moon admitted without meaning to. But how are you? The lights—

  It’s nothing, The Earth cut the Moon off.  I liked your little stars, The Moon said, hopeful, Will they be back?

  The Earth was quiet for a time. Night came and went many times before Earth gave a response.

  No, The Earth said, No, I don’t think they will, and then gave out a mournful sigh that made the Moon feel as though weeping were the only suitable response to such a sound.

  Pity, The Moon said instead.

  The Earth said no more and the Moon followed suit. Just as the Earth had guessed, the lights did not return. After a time, the haze surrounding the Earth cleared and the Moon was able to see the surface with sharpness once more. And though they never spoke, it seemed to the Moon that the Earth was trying a little harder than before to show off the new forms of life growing on the surface.

  They continued on this way even as the Sun grew red and began to swell. The Moon secretly hoped the entire time that the little lights would return some day, but they did not return. At last, the day came when the last life on Earth ended. The oceans boiled away and the green-blue haze around the Earth finally puffed away under the blaze of the Sun.

  The Sun kept growing in size and temperature and it was only a matter of a few more revolutions before the Earth and Moon would be absorbed into the Sun. The Moon hoped that the Earth would say something, anything, just one last time. As the heat began to consume them, the Moon thought it heard the Earth give a sigh much like how it had done that day so long ago when the Earth-stars had gone out, so full of weeping.

  Earth! The Moon cried out, not wanting its only companion through the ages to meet their end in so piteous a state.

  Oh Moon, Earth said, I thought you’d forgotten about me.

  How could I? The Moon asked, pieces of its surface melting away. You are always right in front of me.

  I am sorry my friend, The Earth said while magma pools formed and churned beneath the approaching Sun. It happened once before.

  The Moon lacked the strength to say any more as the Sun enveloped them both. But before the very end of it all, the Earth spoke one last time.

    My children!

  They wept together in that moment and were no more.