Summer was at its end, and after the big crimson sun sunk in the sea, the weather became autumn-like chilly. The darkened sky was abundantly dotted with glimmering stars. There were two of them, a boy and a girl between two big rocks, by the campfire lit on the seaside. They were talking, almost whispering, as if they were afraid of being heard, or shatter the loveliness of surrounding night.
– Just look at the stars, Nastya! It seems that they are dancing flamenco, – said the boy pointing at the sky, – they are just like you!
– And I think they are like pearls in a necklace, – said the girl, being silent for a while,– in the most beautiful of all necklaces that one can imagine.
– Each one of those in the necklace has its name, – the boy pointed at one of the stars. – Here’s Proxima Centaura! The closest star to the Earth, it is situated four hundred light years beyond. For you to imagine – this is two hundred seventy thousand times more than the distance between the Earth and the Sun. – He draw an invisible line with his finger. – And this is Arcturus from Boötes constellation. If you fly a spaceship at full-bore speed of light, you will reach it in thirty-four standard years.
– Now that’s really far away! – The girl shivered, as if she got cold, – and long enough!
– But Deneb from Cygnus constellation is one thousand five hundred light years far away, – the boy returned with a bit tolerant smile.
– Is there any star that is closer than those you mentioned, Dima? – Asked the girl, as if it was only up to her vis-a-vis to decide, – this, the brightest of them all, what is its name?
– Sirius, – the boy replied, followed her gaze, – It is from Canis Major constellation. The name of this star is translated as “scorching”.
Answering the girl’s tacit question, he said without hesitation:
– It is just under nine light years far away from our planet.
The girl sighed sadly. She was afraid of the distances the boy talked about in a laid-back manner, as if the stars were situated in a suburbs of their home city, being easy to reach.
He noticed her became sullen, but he had no clue why, so he took her hand and said anxiously as if he was about to unfold a secret kept hidden just for that moment:
– You know what? One day I am going to visit this star. I mean, one of the planets of the Solar System. I will fish out some pearls, and, when I come back, I will craft a necklace for you, more beautiful that the stellar one. But more importantly, you will be able to handle and wear it.
Alas, the girl wasn’t as cheerful as he expected, and objected:
