reflections.

Cool air enveloped the dunes as the sun took its decent below the horizon. The moon crawled its way into a laden sky, bit by bit until it hung full and bright. Stars winked into existence and slowly spread a nebulous scattering across the inky blackness. Beneath the wide, arching dome sat Wyndham, insignificant, a minor player in this massive expanse of world. His head was arched back, eyes surveying the stars stretched above him. He'd never really been taught the constellations, but somehow these seemed alien even to his untrained eye. His innate sense of direction was good enough, but in a foreign land -- and in some of the harsh, featureless environments he'd already encountered -- knowing as much as possible could prove life-saving in the future. Still, it was hardly helpful for him to stare absently at the sky, and yet he couldn't seem to stop. Memories of home shoved at the edges of his consciousness, pressing away the concentration he was trying to keep. Viet, even at her age, had known far more about the night sky than he. She'd been fascinated by it, able to rattle off every constellation and major star he could point to. He found himself wishing he'd payed more attention to her.