“Don’t look at the moon. Whatever you do, don’t look at the moon.”
Kat was confused. Who on Earth had sent the message? It was from an unknown number. “Who is this?” she replied. [DELIVERY FAILED. UNREGISTERED NUMBER.]
Confusing. But, hey, probably just a wrong number or something. Nothing to worry about.
Kat went about her day. She took the bus to school, scrolling through a million bad things in the news to pass the time. An article at the bottom of the main page caught her eye. “Rare ‘Malumoon’ excites astronomers.” She tapped the article.
“A ‘once in a lifetime’ astronomical event is being anticipated by sky-watchers tonight. A Malumoon occurs with a specific alignment of the Earth, Mars, Venus and the Sun that will not be repeated for another three centuries. Astrologers say…”
A message flashed up. “Kat. Don’t look at the moon.”
The same number, an apparently impossible number. Kat wrote another reply. “Seriously, who the hell is this??”
[DELIVERY FAILED. UNREGISTERED NUMBER. DON’T LOOK AT THE MOON.]
Every couple of hours that day, Kat received a similar message. “Don’t look at the moon.” “Do NOT look at the moon.” “Kat, you must not look at the moon.”
She was getting scared. How did this person know her name? Why were they texting her? She tried to call the number; all she got was a dead signal. She texted it one more time: “Why?”
The message delivered.
“You’ll see.”
Kat’s group chat was ablaze.
“OMG, are you guys seeing this?!”
“Yeah, it’s crazy. How is it doing that?”
“So weird.”
Her phone was constantly pinging. It was a warm spring night and the sun had just fallen below the horizon. “Kat, you have to see this!” That was her mum, shouting from downstairs.
Her heart was thumping. “It’s just the moon!” she shouted back.
More messages from the group. “It’s so bright.”
“Beautiful.”
“I feel so lucky we get to see this.”
“This is the best thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Kat, are you looking?”
“DON’T LOOK AT THE MOON. DON’T LOOK AT THE MOON. DON’T LOOK AT THE MOON.” A stream of messages from the mystery number.
Kat’s mind was racing, her inner monologue talking over itself, debating. Don’t look at the moon. A quick look won’t hurt. They said not to look. It’s just the moon. It’s not just the moon. Look at it. Don’t look at it. Stop. Stop. Stop.
Kat couldn’t take it any more. She went to her window. One more text. “NO. KAT. DO. NOT. LOOK. AT. THE. MOON.”
Kat looked at the moon.
And then…
And then…
Kat’s mum came into her room. She had to get Kat to see this. It was the most incredible vision she’d ever laid eyes on; the Northern Lights and a solar eclipse all rolled into one.
But the room was empty. Kat was gone. On the floor by the window was her daughter’s phone. She picked it up and read the message on the screen.
“I warned you.”
Shane Rynhart 