Does The Moon Also Fall?

Chapter 1 : The Enigmatic Arrival

The completion of his last semester exam left Aiden physically and mentally exhausted. The months had passed in a blur of lectures, late-night study sessions, and the relentless pressure of academia. As he walked out of the college building, the cityscape greeted him with its towering skyscrapers, a constant reminder of the urban hustle and bustle.

Aiden yearned for an escape, a place where he could find solace and reconnect with the universe. The evening sky held the promise of that solace. It was a crisp and tranquil night, with the sun having dipped below the horizon, leaving behind a canvas of twilight. Aiden knew exactly where he needed to be - the forest on the city's edge. It was a place where the city's cacophony was replaced by the gentle rustle of leaves and the promise of an unobstructed night sky.

With a backpack slung over his shoulder, he made his way to the outskirts of the city to his house which he conveniently chose for its unobstructed view of the sky. After quickly setting up everything and not forgetting his car keys he left for the place he yearned for , his childhood hideout , remembering the memories of awe-inspiring views of the night sky which inspired him to pursue space technology and aerospace engineering in the first place.

The transition from the bustling streets to the forest was marked by the fading sounds of car horns and sirens, replaced by the soothing whispers of nature. The familiar path led him to a clearing, bathed in the soft light of the moon, a perfect spot to set up his telescope and lose himself in the cosmos.

He spent hours observing the celestial bodies, galaxies, and nebulae. Each flicker of light told a story, and it was a story he was determined to uncover. The forest around him was a silent observer, the night enigmatic and filled with possibilities.

Just as he was about to lose himself in the wonders of the night sky, a flash of light streaked across the heavens. It wasn't an ordinary shooting star; it was a small spacecraft, unlike any he had ever seen. It blazed a trail of light and seemed to descend toward the forest.

Aiden's heart raced. He adjusted his telescope to focus on the incoming vessel. The descent was no longer graceful; it was erratic and uncontrolled. The spacecraft was headed for a crash landing, and it was apparent that it would be right in the heart of the forest.

Without a second thought, Aiden abandoned his telescope, grabbed his backpack, and raced toward the impending crash site. He arrived just in time to witness the spacecraft's impact, a muffled thud that shook the ground beneath him.

Approaching the crash site cautiously, his heart pounding with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, Aiden saw the spacecraft partially buried in the earth, but its hatch was accessible.

He pried open the hatch, and a soft glow spilled out from inside. His gasp escaped his lips as he saw what lay within - an unconscious figure, clearly not of this world. The being had silver hair that shimmered like liquid moonlight, an ethereal aura, and attire that seemed like a fusion of technology and elegance, it had feminine features.

The sight left Aiden in awe, but it also filled him with questions. What was this being doing on Earth? Was she a threat? The battle between fear and compassion raged within him.

Despite his doubts, Aiden reached out and gently touched the being's hand. She was surprisingly cool to the touch, and her pulse was weak. He knew he couldn't leave her here, injured and alone in the forest.

With great care, he lifted her from the spacecraft and onto his back. She was surprisingly light, as if defying the laws of gravity. He began the journey back to his house on the edge of the city, her life in his hands.

The forest at night was a quiet witness to their surreal encounter. Aiden's thoughts were a whirlwind of questions and uncertainties, but he couldn't ignore the sight of her injuries. They were otherworldly, just like her, but she needed help.

Finally, they reached his house, a place he had chosen for its proximity to the forest and an unobstructed view of the night sky. He laid her on a makeshift bed, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight. Her injuries were even more apparent now.

The rest of the night passed in a blur as Aiden tended to her wounds , Aiden spent hours carefully tending to the otherworldly being's injuries. The soft moonlight streaming through the window bathed the room in a gentle glow.

As he applied the makeshift bandages and cleaned her skin, he couldn't help but feel a growing sense of curiosity and wonder about the mysterious being who lay before him.

With her injuries tended to, Aiden stepped back, studying the being's face with a mixture of relief and curiosity. The moment seemed suspended in time, the air charged with an unspoken connection.

And then, unexpectedly, her eyes fluttered open and the being began to speak in a language Aiden didn't understand. Her words flowed like a melodic tune, filled with a strange beauty, but they were unintelligible to him.

Confusion washed over Aiden as he tried to comprehend what she was saying. He leaned closer, his curiosity piqued, trying to understand her. As he moved nearer, the being's gaze held his, her eyes glowing with a mesmerizing hue that seemed to draw him in.

Intrigued and captivated, Aiden found himself leaning even closer to the her, their faces just inches apart. It felt like an inevitable pull, a magnetic force that brought their lips closer in what seemed like an impending kiss.

Their breaths mingled, and their lips were about to meet when, suddenly, the being's eyes radiated with an even more intense, beautiful light, and their foreheads met in a gentle, ethereal connection.

The moment was transcendent, and it left Aiden in a state of awe and wonder. It was a connection that went beyond words, transcending the barriers of language and understanding.

When they pulled away, the being looked at Aiden, her gaze filled with warmth and curiosity, as if she was seeing him for the first time.

Aiden's heart raced as he realized that the being was no longer speaking in an unfamiliar language. She smiled, her eyes locking onto his, and she introduced herself.

"I am Zara,"

she said, her voice now intelligible to Aiden.

Aiden introduced himself in return, and from that moment on, they referred to each other by name.

"Your language,"

Zara spoke, her voice now intelligible to Aiden.

"I can understand it now. It's as if a veil has been lifted. You saved me ..."

Aiden was taken aback, his curiosity and wonder deepening.

"What happened? Can you remember anything ?"

Zara's expression shifted, and she shook her head.

"No, it's all a haze. I can't recall much of anything before the crash. My memories are fragmented."

Zara felt exhausted and passed out again.

The revelation left Aiden with even more questions, but he couldn't deny the connection that had formed between them. It was as if they had shared something profound, something that transcended language and understanding.

As she slept, Aiden couldn't help but see Zara not just as an otherworldly visitor but as a woman with her own mysteries and vulnerabilities.

The journey that lay ahead was becoming even more enigmatic, and Aiden couldn't help but be drawn into the orbit of the extraordinary being who had crash-landed in his life.