My Star

By Jewel MacWilliam

The streets were dimly lit, a million stars filled the skies above. The world seemed fuller at night, full of possibility, not a single person able to keep you from doing what you want to do. My family dare not set foot farther than the front door, dare they stick a toe outside of line, outside of the world that was carefully curated for them, little do they know in a world of unlimited possibilities there still is one thing that distracts me, people like me.

I was spending my night as I usually do, on the street, pen in hand dreaming of something bigger than oneself, that's when I saw their tall figure out at this hour, I thought to myself, “This person wants more, this person does not want to limit themselves to the boundaries of this prison we call ‘home’.” 

I limited myself that night, but only because my curiosity got the better of me. 

I stood up from the bench I was sitting on, about 100 metres away stood a body, tall and lean with what looked like a briefcase in hand, they stood on the sidewalk opposite from the one I stood upon. The street lamps flickered like fireflies and leaves blew against buildings in a repeating pattern. The figure ahead started to walk, they walked at a steady pace. I ran ahead to get a closer look.

One foot after another, I pressed my shoes into the ground as quietly as possible so as to not draw attention to myself. 

They walked until the end of the road, then the figure turned their head to look at their surroundings. I slipped behind an alley way, I stuck my head out in hopes to make out the face of the person, but I was too slow. They had already turned back around, they strode down the street, I could tell we were close to our destination, or at least I hoped.

After a fair bit of walking forward we reached the gate to our local cemetery. The figure opened the gate and walked inside. Once they were out of view I ran up to the gate and grabbed one of the long metal gate posts before it could close. I slipped inside and breathed in the scent of fertilizer and fresh soil.

I scanned around looking for the figure. 

I made a promise I would never be buried in that graveyard, I want to be buried with dreamers, people who rose above societies limits people who knew stopping was never the answer, the dozens of graves I was staring at marked nothing but underachievers, people who never had the chance, didn't work for it or simply turned it down for a easier life. 

I took a step on to the path that led directly into darkness. 

With each step I took gravel rolled under my feet. I slowly spun in circles in hope it would make my search quicker but still no luck. I looked towards the sky in hope the stars could help me. I let out a deep sign and continued down the path, the street lights no longer lit up the path I was walking on, each step got more clumsy due to my lack of sleep. 

“One wrong step and-” I was thinking until I ended up on my hands and knees on the path way, I pushed my hands onto the ground in order to get myself back on my feet. I couldn't see the damage the gravel did to my hands because it was so dark out but I ran my fingers over the spot where the small stones made indents in my palm, I could feel spots where my hands were bleeding and others where dirt had simply imprinted itself on my skin. 

As I continued down the path I tried to ignore how badly my hands were burning. 

As I took a right turn something caught my eye, a glowing light appeared straight ahead, I let out a sigh of relief and started running towards it. 

As I ran I grounded myself each time I took a step to make sure I didn't fall again. 

I stopped running as I got closer to the light. 

In front of me stood a short birch tree with many new leaves. On the other side of the tree sat the outline of a figure. The wind whistled in my ear as I awkwardly stood behind the person I had been chasing for the past hour. 

“Hello,” Whispered a voice. “You followed me here, why?” Asked a delicate female voice. 

“How did you know I followed you?” I asked.

“Well first off,” She replied remarkably quickly. “I saw you in the alley way.”

“Oh” I replied.

“Then not to mention you ran quite close behind me,” She added. “Then to tie it all together I never heard the gate of the cemetery slam shut.”

“That was thoughtless of me.” I grumbled.

“Quite,” She answered truthfully. “Well if you want you can sit on the other side of Melia.” 

“Melia?” I questioned.

“Oh yes, that's what I named this tree.” She remarked.

“That's if she wouldn't mind of course.” I joked.

“Good point, I don't think she would.”

I turned around and leaned against the tree then slowly lowered myself onto the ground. 

“So what are you working on?” I asked.

“Just a painting.” The girl replied.

“In the dark?”

“More atmosphere.” She argued.

“Fair enough, it is quite beautiful,” I agreed. “It would be nicer if my hands weren't burning.” 

“Why are they burning, it's quite chilly?”

“I fell on the gravel trying to follow you.” I muttered under my breath.

“Are they bleeding?” She asked.

“They were, now they just sting.”

I heard no response, just rusling. “Close your eyes.” She said out of nowhere.

“What?” 

“Just close them.” 

“Ok, ok.”

“Now give me your hands.” She nagged.

“I can’t see you though.” 

“Just give them to me.” She argued.

I slid my way around the tree still pressing my back against the trunk.

“Am I close?” I whispered.

“Just stay still, I'll move next to you.” She answered.

I heard a rustle then a slight brush against my shoulder.

“Pass me your hands.” She said strictly.

I obeyed and reached my hands in front of me since I couldn't see. 

She grabbed my wrists and set them on her lap, then I heard the click of a brief case and some shuffling.

“This may sting.” She said,

“Ok…” I answered nervously.

Very suddenly I felt wet cloth on the palm of my right hand, she was very gentle. Then she did my left hand. Then she started wrapping around what felt like more cloth, she tightened it and secured it with a pin.

“Done.” She said proudly.

“Thank you.” I answered.

I gently pulled back my hands and felt the bandage with the tips of my finger prints. 

I heard the click of a lantern. “You can open your eyes now, it's pitch black.” She pointed out.

I opened my eyes and looked to the sky.

“Beautiful isn't it? '' She sighed. “The sky I mean.”

“Quite mesmerizing,” I added. “It's like each one of them represents one of us.”

“Maybe.” She answered.

I shifted to my back so I could stare at the sky, I could feel movement beside me then he warm shoulder against mine. 

We sat under the stars in silence for many long minutes. 

Finally she broke the silence. “What do you want to be when you get out of here?” She whispered.

“A writer,” I confessed. “How about you?”

“I've dreamed of being a painter.” She said.

“If you could be any one of these stars, which would it be?” I asked.

“That one.” She pointed to the brightest star in our view.

Good pick.

After another moment of silence I heard turning, then a warm breath on my face, yet I could not see it.

“I’m in love with the fansaties ive made in my head,” She said out of nowhere. “My hopes are merely dreams, dreams don’t come true.”

I didn't agree, maybe because I was so tired or maybe it was because I didn't have an answer for her, yet.

“Goodnight.” I spoke as I moved in and lay my head on her chest.

“Goodnight stalker.” She whispered right before she drifted off to sleep.

As she slept I could feel her chest move up and down, the rhythm of her heart beat illigned beautifully with her breathing and I listened to the melody of her movement as I fell into a deep sleep.

The stars are awake during the day, they watch over you, then at night they are visible, there to guide you for the ones who need guiding, the ones who need guiding are always up during the night.

I awoke to a warm breeze on my cheeks.

I opened my eyes to nothing but an empty patch of grass under the birch tree, no trace except for a note. 

I touched it gently and opened it, it read, “I see the way you look at the stars, you think you're ordinary, you're not.” 

I looked up from the paper unsure as to what it meant. 

There was no name to call, she never told me. I couldn't search for her because there was nothing to search for. 

Maybe she was my star, she led me in the night, when I needed it most, now that its day she's washed out.

Now whenever I look at the brightest star I think of her, she will always be here, but she's moved on, to a new planet, or maybe a new galaxy, but wherever she is she's made a mark, and I know she will keep leaving them until she burns out.