Moonlight Magic
Chapter 14

“Good evening ladies.” Said Sarah with a smile as she approached the nurse’s station.

“I know it’s late but I just wanted to drop a couple of these off with you if it’s alright.” She said handing some glossy sheets of paper to one of the nurses.

“No it’s fine.” Said the nurse taking them and flicking through.

“It’s just our monthly newsletter from The Homeless Charity, and this month they’ve even managed to get me to write a small piece…look.” Said Sarah pointing proudly to her piece on the back page. “It’s just a small something about the moon.”

“Oh…I’ve seen something about that on the TV.” Replied the nurse. “It’s a super duper massive moon or something this month isn’t it?”

“A super blue blood moon…yes.”

“My husband loves everything about space…do you mind if I take one home to show him.”

“No…of course. There’s plenty there.” Replied Sarah with a beaming smile across her face. “Brilliant…Ok…well. I’ll get off home now. Thank you ladies and I’ll see you again soon.

“Bye.” They all called in unison as Sarah disappeared off down the corridor.

The remainder of the newsletters were put on top of the counter for the late nurses and anyone else who wanted to have a look.

Later that night.

“Why do we do the night Shift Julie? It really messes with my metabolism.” Said Sandra leaning back on her chair by the computer and stretching her arms up into the air.

“The money Sandra.” Replied Julie in a very mater-of-fact way. “We only do it for the money.”

“Yep…I suppose you’re right.” Said Sandra grabbing hold of the counter to stop herself nearly falling back. “Whoa…” She exclaimed. “Nearly went then.”

“Careful Sandra.” Said Julie in a school mistress sort of way.

“Ooh err…Sorry.”

“Well Sandra stop messing about will you.”

“Blimey you’re in a mood…what’s got up your skirt?”

“Nothing…” Said Julie turning away and picking up the newsletter from The Homeless charity which was on the top counter. She began flicking through it without really reading it…just looking at the pictures, and was about to throw it back down when Sarah’s piece about the moon on the back page caught her eye. There was a picture of a full moon but it was a deep red. As she began to read, her eyes got wider and wider. It was as if a switch had been flicked inside her head because there in front of her eyes was a list of numbers and times, along with other things, that exactly matched the piece of paper Eric had.

The more she read the more she realized that the reason for Eric being in here was something to do with the moon…a full moon.

She was completely engrossed in Sarah’s article completely oblivious to what Sandra was saying.

“Julie…Julie.”

“What…yes.” Said Julie looking up from the newsletter with a look of complete shock on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Wrong?....Oh nothing.”

“I’ve been asking you for the last two minutes if you’d like a cup of coffee before we do our rounds but your head was somewhere else.”

“Oh…I’m sorry. I’m just really interested in this article.” Said Julie snapping shut the newsletter not wanting to tell Sandra about Eric and the moon.

“Why, what is it? Something about how to replace a man in ten seconds…because that’s exactly what I need right now.” Said Sandra walking off into the kitchen area in the back, wiggling her bottom from side to side as she went.

Julie re-opened the newsletter and carried on reading.

For the first time in 152 years, three lunar events will coincide with each other at the end of this month: a super moon, a blue Moon and blood moon, making it one of the most rare and beautiful lunar displays in recent years.

A super moon occurs when the Moon is unusually close to the Earth which makes it appear larger and brighter in the sky. Out of the 12 or 13 full Moons that occur each year, only three or four achieve super moon status.

On top of this, a blood Moon is a particularly rare event in which the Moon turns red during an eclipse, although this may not be visible to everyone. This happens when the light from the Sun reflects directly on to the eclipsing Moon.

The third event is a blue moon, which is the second full Moon of the month. Most months only have one full moon.

Julie finished reading and dropped the newsletter to her side.

I need to show this to Eric.

Sandra was still making the coffee in the back so Julie poked her head round the door and told her someone, not telling her who, had just pressed a call button and she was just going to see what they wanted. Then Julie made her way down the corridor trying as hard as she could not to sprint all the way to Eric’s room.

Eric was laid half in and half out on his bed, with just a single sheet covering him, and completely silent apart from the slight sound of him breathing in and out. His face was smooth…she had never seen him like that before, he must have had a shave. She stood over him for no longer than a few seconds before he spoke very gently.

“I know you’re there Julie.”

She smiled.

“Don’t tell me…you know my footsteps.”

He smiled and opened his baby blue eyes turning his head to look at her.

“Nope…I’m psychic.” He said as a cheeky grin appeared across his face.

She sat on the edge of his bed and without any more small talk showed him the newsletter.

“I was reading this and I think there’s something in it you should see.” She said handing it to him. He pushed himself further up his pillows and began to read. Amazingly for a man of his advancing years he didn’t seem to need glasses…ever.

“I’m not homeless.” He said looking at her with a confused look on his face.

“No not that.” She said taking the newsletter from him and turning it over. “This…this here.” She said pointing at Sarah’s article. Eric began to read…and read. After a couple of minutes he dropped the newsletter onto his lap.

“And?” Said Julie almost fit to burst.

“And what Julie?” He replied quietly not showing any signs of emotion.

“Aww…come on Eric. Look. It has an article about the full moon…and the times…look the times…like on your piece of paper. It says when it is…exactly. This Saturday. Day after tomorrow…Aren’t you excited?”

He closed his eyes and laid his head back into his pillows. He took a deep breath and let out a sigh…a sigh that seemed to last forever.

“Julie.” He said without opening his eyes. “There are feelings going on inside my body you wouldn’t believe. I can’t tell you…I told you this before. If I tell you…” and he stopped.

“What…if you told me…what?” She begged.

He opened his eyes and took hold of her hand.

“Julie. I have seen things in my life that no person should see…terrible things…but…this world is full of strange and wonderful things…some things are so astonishing they make us question who we are…and what’s next…after we go. If I told you…it would ruin it…and I don’t…can’t do that Julie. I don’t want to lose it.”

“Eric…lose what. You know I’m with you. I’m on your side. I would never tell anyone.”

“You would want it Julie…everyone would want it…I can’t.”

“JULIE.” Cried Sandra from the doorway into the wardroom. “Do you want this bloody coffee or not? Anyway,” she said in a much softer voice turning as she did to walk back, “it’s probably cold by now…I finished mine ages ago.”

Reluctantly Julie stood up from the bed and gently let Eric’s hand drop back down.

“I don’t know what it is you’re holding back Eric…but I hope it’s worth it.”

Eric nodded and muttered under his breath.

“More than you can imagine Julie…more than you can ever imagine.”