Solitary Stars

First autumn after the war. You received the letter two weeks ago. Hartmann...

"... sensational discovery... couldn't tell you earlier... not a word to the papers or anyone else... I've contacted all the old-timers in the group... scientific and spiritual revolution.... Paloma will be present..."

This terse, impersonal missive, coming out of nowhere, stirs up unpleasant memories and many questions. Why this letter, and after so long? What discovery could the man who had been your mentor all those years ago, before entering the respectable and lucrative career of Observatory Director, have made?

You have no desire to see Hartmann again. Could this be a hoax, a cruel prank, even a trap? But why? Has Hartmann really written to the others? You don't even dare mention their names or faces. It's all so long ago.

*

Astres solitaires is the long version of L'Observatoire, which I wrote for French Comp 2016.

A walkthrough is about 16,000 words long.