Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis)'s Arc

Chapter 2 of 4

Betelgeuse turned from the glowing globe with a new purpose. The star was his. He needed to take it home. He lifted the red globe off its stand. Shaula watched without a word. Antares gave a small nod from the doorway. "I'm claiming it," Betelgeuse said. He pulled a shimmering net from the counter and wrapped the globe inside. The threads caught the light and held it like trapped sparks. He set a tall crimson flashlight beside the net. Its red beam pushed across the kitchen floor. "So they see it from outside," he said. Antares looked at the beam and said, "They'll see." Shaula slid a glowing cursive sign across the counter. His name, lit in red. "Proof," she said. He tucked it under his arm. Betelgeuse stood over the wrapped star, the beam, and the sign. The star was no longer just a name on a page. It was his to carry. The hard part started now — making the others look up.