Last Light

Chapter 2

Bio Notes for the 80th Day of Visible Petra, Year 12- Benden Marlis

Last Light UV rays are only at 17 mW/cm2 today. - Low for this time of Visible Petra year. Regular high for this time of Visible Petra is 21 mW/cm2. Will need to take more measurements. Still a decrease in microbial biomass and nitrogen in soil despite the decrease in UV rays today- Still have not seen any increase in microbial biomass since starting research. (10 years ago)

~

I've always hated being out in this stupid forest. Even before Petra shattered I hated it. Granted I hated it then because mother forced me to stay out in the dark all night collecting nishus, which is ironic, because nishus no longer exist (at least I still haven't come across any since they started dying… since everything started dying). Something else that is ironic, I suppose, is that Petra shattering actually saved me from my parents, and furthermore, this forest and my knowledge of the forest's plants saved me from dying the same death they did. The Palace wanted me because I had enough skills and knowledge about plants and the forest that they took me on as a biologist’s apprentice. Which leads to the last irony of my life: once more, I must spend my nights out in this forest, studying plant life, taking soil samples and searching for a way to save the world.

That's a little extreme, I suppose.

But true, nonetheless.

Zelma is dying. No one can deny that, not even those lucky Palace citizens that have lived there for their entire life. What I wouldn't do to have been given that privilege.

I suppose from the looks of it within this Cenella forest it doesn't look like the world is dying. But microbial biomass in the soil is way down from what it was before Petra shattered. I'd hate to think what would have happened if we had two or even three moons like some other planets do. But thankfully, Zelma was only blessed with one.

It's a wonder that this Cenella forest is still alive, honestly. Just between the first day of Visible Petra and the first day of Hidden Petra the dirt has changed so much. Though the forest does seem to have, by far, the healthiest-

~

A chittering sound suddenly erupts behind me mid-sentence. A muglo mother launches herself at my back, brown fur raised in attack mode. I dodge her attack, an embarrassing shriek escaping my lips as I drop the notebook in my panic. The mother muglo seems to think this is enough warning and disappears back into a crevice in the Cenella bark to tend to her babies. I sigh in relief, remembering how sharp a muglo's claws can be. 

I turn around to meet curious brown eyes that lock with mine. His head tilts in an oddly cute fashion, much like a baby muglos does when they first emerge from their nests. 

We stare at each other, our eyes unblinking as I try to comprehend the fact that another Zantonian being is making eye contact with me for the first time in 6 years. 

And then he smiles. 

 My feet slip on the moss as I struggle to take off away from the boy. This isn't happening. I can't let this happen. The Palace can't find me. This was a stupid idea. My feet finally gain traction and I take off at a sprint away from the clearing. 

I avoid looking back at him as his voice chases after me through the trees, "Wait! I'm sorry! Don't go!" I don't stop, even after I realize he isn't following me. His voice echoes in my head, actual words from actual Zantonian lips that I haven't heard in so many years. 

My breath comes in short spurts as I race down an unmarked path, my bare feet silent on the moss-covered ground. I don't pay attention to where I'm headed in my panic and soon I am in a part of the forest I don't often go to. A branch stretches itself out to support me as I stop and lean against a nearby Cenella.