Trapped Among The Stars

6pm:

Tonight is a lunar eclipse. I gaze up at the moon for a few seconds. The first of the year. The last one was half a year ago.

Felt more like an eternity.

I swipe my keys from the table and clamber into my black Jeep, turn the ignition on, and back out of the driveway. I know Mum isn't going to come. She's on a date.

Turning up The Best Day by Taylor Swift, I drive along the lonely road as rain begins to fall.

"Danger: severe weather warning up ahead," chirps my car system in an unfittingly happy voice. "Please seek shelter immediately!"

I narrow my eyes but continue driving.

Nothing can make me turn around tonight.

7pm:

The car slows to a stop in the deserted carpark. I stuff my bag with a torch, telescope, blanket and food. I shrug it over my shoulders and walk towards the looming mountain before me.

7:15pm:

The security guard is asleep this time. Score. I start to creep past his snoring figure when a snort makes me jump.

He's woken up. How delightful.

"Hmm? Where am I?" he grumbles. He glances at me. "Woah, there, missy, you can't go there. There's a big storm headin' this way. Lightning and thunder and whatnot. Very dangerous."

"Oh-" Think, think. Weigh out your options.

Option 1: knock him out. It worked last time but the consequences were unideal. It really wasn't worth going to the police station again. Well- I glance up at the sky. Nothing really was as important as this. Not even a police record.

Option 2: pour my heart out to this complete stranger.

Great.

"I'm sorry, sir but I have got to get to the top of that mountain. I'm going to sound absolutely crazy right now, but someone I love very much has been ta- gone, they're gone, basically, and this is the only way I-I can be with them just for a little bit, just connect, because there is the no other possible way I connect with them at all because they're gone, they're gone and they're never coming back." My voice cracks. "The only way I can get to them is-is at the top of that stupid mountain." I finish my speech and swipe away tears. I turn to go back to the car.

"You're very stupid."

I continue walking.

"You might get killed!"

One foot in front of the other.

"But you have to- what's the word you used- connect with them, so get on that frickin' mountain, missy."

Not wasting a moment, I turn on my heel and sprint towards the mountain.

"Don't get fried!" calls the security guy.

"Thank you sir!" I yell over my shoulder.

And then I climb the frickin' mountain.

8pm:

I lay out the blanket on the dirt, set up the telescope and eat my warm meat pies.

Then I lie on my back and stare at the sky. The clouds have gathered broodingly already but the stars are especially bright tonight. My eyes rake over the constellations my father taught me. I fix my gaze upon the Southern Cross.

And then I wait.

9pm:

And wait.

10pm:

And wait.

11pm:

And wait.

The stars twinkle down at me mockingly. A streak of lightning flashes threw the air. Thunder claps. I shiver and pull the blanket closer. I search the sky for a sign.

Nothing.

11:30pm:

The rain comes suddenly. It's as if an invisible, waterproof cover has been demolished, and the angry little droplets of rain are free at last. I am drenched in a second. My tears mingle with the rain lashing at my face as I flee for cover. I find a small cave and wait out the storm.

Wet, cold, and angry, I scream my fury as loud as I possibly can. I scream until my throat is dry and all my tears have run out.

I am alone. All alone.

I curl up in a ball and fall asleep.

12am:

I wake, bleary eyed. Quick as a tick, I scramble out from my shelter and peer up at the sky.

Nothing.

He isn't coming this time.

You shouldn't have gotten your hopes up, I think.

Something catches my eye.

The Southern Cross.

Its stars flash, one by one.

It's his sign.

Trying to contain my relief and excitement, I hum the lyrics of The Best Day over and over again. I hum my way through the whole song.

The stars are blinding now.

I yell the lyrics at the top of my lungs, and then the stars fall from the sky. I laugh as the stars scoop me up and carries me up, up, up into the sky.

It's going to be the best day.

12:30am:

I've landed amongst the stars. Darkness stretches everywhere but the stars are like little nightlights, comforting me.

And there's the moon.

I sprint up to my dad and he crushes me in a hug.

"I thought you weren't going to come," I murmur.

"Sorry, kiddo. The red moon was a bit late to the party. But I'm here now. The eclipse will last one hour. How about I introduce you to the Sun?"

I hold tightly onto his hand and we skip along the sky.

My dad points at a shining star in the distance. "That's Ricky," he explains. "He's about to reach his supernova," he adds sadly.

We float through space. I watch in awe as speeding comets wave to me as they zoom past, young stars burble to each other, and wizened old planets smile in my direction.

"That's Jupiter, the big fellow, Saturn, the pretty one, little Mercury, and - oh! - that's the Sun!"

I greet the Sun. She is unfathomably old, but impossible gentle for such a large star.

"Hello, child," she says. "Your father talks about you all the time."

I smile a little sadly.

"I'm sorry you only get to see your father every lunar eclipse," she says. "Perhaps one day you could join us up here."

I would like that.

1am:

The lunar eclipse is about to end. My dad has to go back to his duties.

"See you soon kiddo," he rumbles.

"Bye Dad," I say, trying not to burst into tears again.

"Anytime you miss me, just look up at the moon and know I'm shining just for you, okay kiddo?" he says.

I nod, and then I close my eyes and hum The Best Day again. When I open them, I'm back on Earth, the moon shining and the stars twinkling above me.