Born of starlight and shadows

~Part thirty-four: Stella~

Where was I? My senses were on high alert after everything that had happeneded. I wasn't sure if it was real or simply the product of my troubled, tired mind, but I was still on the edge. 

I didn't know how to process anything that had happened from the past-well, however long it had been, and I was beyond simply worried. 

My eyes darted around this room. 

It was small, cramped, and I was sitting on a small cot in the corner. 

To my immense relief, however, there were no chains restricting my movement. 

I sensed there was no need for them. I couldn't explain it, not really, but something inside of me felt...different. 

Almost as if something was missing. 

I tried to focus on simply breathing for the moment and nothing else; I was so overwhelmed. 

I closed my eyes, thinking. 

Something had happened to me, hadn't it? Well, a lot of things had. But this one stuck out. 

That strange, clear serum, it seemed almost like it restricted my abilities. 

And it was wierdly familiar. 

Almost habitually I reached out in my mind. 

But there was nothing except me, and I frowned but accepted it; the strange connection between my mind and his was for the moment, gone, or at least damaged. 

I didn't have time to dwell on it, but part of me wondered.

The door opened, and a man walked in. 

"You," I said wearily, recognizing him. "What do you want?"

"I don't want to hurt you," the man said. 

"But you will if you have to, won't you?" I asked. 

The man sighed. "Yes. I will." 

He came close to me, closer than I was comfortable with, and whispered, "But I'll have no vhoice. I'm not truly on their side. I'm not your enemy." 

"Why on earth should I believe you?" I asked. "You're the reason I'm here!"

"Yes," he said, bowing his head slightly, almost as though he were ashamed. "But I must explain something to you. My name-" 

"I don't care what your name is!" my voice rang around the small room, harsher then I had expected. 

He continued as if I hadn't said anything. "Carter Johnson. And your name is Stella Williams. I knew you once." 

"No, you didn't," I snapped. "There's no way-" 

He shook his head slowly, "You look so much like her." 

"What do you-" 

"Your mother, of course," he interjected. "I'm talking about your mother." 

"I thought she died or something," I recalled the words that had been said to me so, so long ago. 

"Yes, she did," Carter said. "Nearly fifteen years ago." 

"When I was born..." 

"Yes," Carter said softly, "When you were born." 

"Y-you knew my mother?" I asked. "My-no. It's a trick. There's no way.

"Whether or not you believe it or not," Carter said, "Too much is counting on that. Now I'm afraid I have to go." 

"Wait-why?" I asked. 

"This is a large facility," Carter said, "There are other prisoners." 

"Wait-can't you at least tell me who she was? How she took control of my friend?" I asked. 

"I'm afraid not," Carter said, and he turned to go. 

"Are you working with her father?" I blurted out suddenly. 

"Yes," Carter said, "But there's more to that story as well. I hope you're comfortable. That serum will wear off in a few hours or so." 

"What does it do?" I asked. 

"I can't tell you," Carter said, "Because I'm not sure myself." 

And then he was gone, leaving me confused and frusturated. 

A few moments later a tray was pushed into my cell. 

I took a look at it and sighed. 

But I was hungry, and eating would provide a break from my thoughts. 

Turns out prison food was even worse than boxed mac 'n' cheese. 

I thought absently of my little sister again and wondered. 

I thought of Midnight, of Hannah.

My parents. 

The other Star Children.

And I wondered some more. 

I wondered if anything would ever make sense.