Child Of Chiaroscuro

Chapter 1

When you live in a small town with overly tall buildings, tall enough to meet the sun, you get used to not seeing the stars; but you also get used to having to travel great distances just to get away from the people you grew up with and to see the actual beauty behind the magical, bright stars. The perfect place to look at the stars is on top of a towering hill I like to call 'the lookout' that's located on the outskirts of town. I am surprisingly one of the few people that know about this secluded and hidden spot. I love to look up at the stars while lying on the roof of my car when I am in a bad situation, I always know the stars and the constellations will be there to watch over me. No matter what I am going through or what bad situations come banging at my door the stars will be there night after night. Sometimes when I am feeling super down I feel as if the constellations are moving and speaking to me. Like they are actually part of my friend group; like there could be more to them then just the magical brightness that they emit. The stars give me purpose and all of the constellations give me hope, maybe there is a better life out there for me. Maybe I can be happy on the inside and out. The conversations I have with the stars is one of the only times I get to pour my whole heart out to someone and tonight was a special request. "Make me happy, no matter what it takes," I whisper to myself while closing my eyes. All of the bad things that have ever happened to me flashed before my eyes in a sliding picture show that was located right behind my eyelids. I quickly opened my eyes again wanting to get away from the on going pictureshow. And just when I opened my eyes there was a bright light speeding across the sky in a slight arch. I was in such a state of shock as I watched that star shoot across the sky. It was like the timing for a shooting star was just right and maybe, just maybe my wish would come true. I push myself up on my elbows trying not to roll off of the top of my car. I make my way into an indian style sit with my arms resting inter clasped in the little space between my thighs. It was not the coldest night I have ever encountered, but the wind coming over the hill made it cold enough that my eyes started to water. With the wind beating so cold on my face the tears coming swiftly from my eyes started to slush. It was not ice, but it wasn't tears anymore either. A night this cold with a chance of rain would definitely leave our town covered in snow; and just like that snowflakes started falling from the sky. Just like my tears these snowflakes were not ice, but it was not quite rain either. One snowflake landed on my hand. Two, Three, Four. Snowflakes were falling at a quick pace out of the sky and I could feel my cheeks flush a light pink as the cold was starting to get to me. I not so cautiously spun around to face the trunk of my car and quickly slid towards it. When I was at the edge I climbed off hitting the gravel stepping on one of my feet with the either making me stumble and fall and land on a sharp rock. The pain from my hand landing on hard gravel made my hand feel like it was getting stung by one thousand bees. I lifted my hand up to see some gravel stuck in my hand and also some marks. I rubbed my hands together to get the gravel off and stood up. My eyes watering for the second time tonight not only from the cold weather getting colder but also because falling on a bunch of sharp rocks is not what I wanted to be doing while it was snowing. The slushy snow started to come down faster making the tears freeze in my eyes even more than they already were. Wiped off the back my favorite white pants knowing that they were gonna need a good bleaching when I got home. I walked over to the driver side door and pulled the keys out of the pocket of the thin jacket I was wearing. I tried to put the key into the door to unlock it but my hands were shivering so bad that I dropped the keys. I bent over to pick them up and as I tried to stand back up I hit my head on the door and fell right back down on my butt. I wiped my hands off again as I grabbed the keys from beside me and stood back up. I figured it was a better idea to use my automatic unlock button then try to put my key in the door again. Finally I pulled the door open and the smell of sweet pea and vanilla poured out of my car. I quickly climbed inside being indulged in the smell. I hold in the button for three seconds to start my car. When I don't hear the engine turn over I let go of the button and bang my hands on the wheel "Come On!," I say in anger as a bright light flashes through the sky. I lean forward and look out of the front window at the sky,wondering when lightning started coming with snow. I sit back with my eyes shut and my head back wondering what i did to deserve all of this bad luck tonight. I lean forward and press the button again and I suddenly hear the engine roll over and my music start echoing out of the speakers just as loud as I left it. Right when it turns on I reach over and turn the music down slightly and then move my hand down to turn the heat on full blast. Artificial heat make some dizzy and sick but when it's this could outside there is no other choice. I turn around and reach in the backseat for the blanket I keep back there in case my car breaks down. I pull it up to the front and wrap it around my shoulders. Not wanting to leave this spot yet I sit in the warmth of my car with a blanket wrapped around me and my favorite songs playing. I leaned over and opened the glovebox and I pulled out one white chocolate Kit Kat from a lifetime supply of them. I most likely have more than 8 bags of them located multiple places in my car. I unwrap the white wrapper and break one piece of the candy bar off and bite into it, setting the other three pieces in the cup holder beside me. I slide the cover to the sun roof back leaving the actual window shut. Putting my hand down beside my seat and leaning it the whole way back; I am left staring up at the stars the same way I was on top of the roof of my car just way warmer. I take another bite of my kit kat and as if right on que a shooting star passes right over top of me. Two shooting stars in one night? I figured it could be possible even though I had never seen this happen. Sitting quietly staring at the stars and connecting the constellations made me realise that the world is way bigger than it seems and that shooting stars most likely travel faster and faster the closer they are to the Earth. As if on cue again another shooting star passes overhead seeming a lot closer than the last. Now three shooting stars seemed a bit off. Why would there be three shooting stars in the same place one right after the other? I turn my car off, open my door and climb out. I look up in the sky to see another shooting star this time it seems as if it is far enough away from me that it won't physically hurt me but close enough that I can almost see the streaks of light forming the star. I follow the shooting star across the sky the light from it almost too bright for my eyes. It almost seems as if the shooting star is traveling the whole way around the Earth in seconds and coming back closer and closer to the surface. The shooting star starts to slightly lose momentum. Slowing down and falling quickly to the ground in a diagonal line. My eyes are still locked on it when It hits the ground and the light starts to go out; and without thinking for a second of any harm that could come to me; I get in my car slam the door, starting my car as fast as possible and putting it in reverse finding the easiest way to get down to the valley. I don't know what it is about this star, but I was strongly attracted to it and no matter what it took; I was gonna find it