To the Stars and Beyond

Chapter 1

 I'm in the middle of my 24 hour routine of sleeplessly staring at the wall when a knock sounds on the front door of my tiny flat. I force myself to roll out of bed and shuffle into the main room. I don't remember the last time I washed my dark brown hair or changed my pyjamas. All I know is that I look like a complete mess, however I couldn't care less.

I swing open the front door and grumble to myself when I see who it is. Eleanor looks like a runway model next to me. The little old lady is wearing the latest fashionable white blazer and pants with gold accessories. She looks expensive.

"Malya." She says, looking me up and down, clearly unimpressed.

"Hello Elle."

"It's nice out today," The old lady states, "When was the last time you got some fresh air?"

I just shrug.

Eleanor steps inside and walks past me without bothering to ask my permission. She starts wandering around the room picking up misplaced items and dirty dishes and trash. All I can think to do is ask, "What are you doing?"

"You do own a vacuum, don't you dear?"

I nod, "It's in the broom closet. Why?"

Eleanor barely reaches my shoulders in height however she's the fiercest little lady I've met. Back in 1963, she founded the circus Magie de Minuit with her husband Julian who died a few years ago from lung cancer. Ever since then, she's kept up running the circus herself and taking care of her performers- which wasn't easy after Liv's death. Eleanor decided to put Magie de Minuit's tour on hold to give everyone time to recover emotionally.

That was two months ago.

I let a couple minutes go by watching Eleanor zip back and forth between my living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom before finally having enough. "Elle, why are you here? I haven't seen you in over a month."

She stops in the doorway of the bathroom and sighs, "I wanted to check on you."

I shake my head, "I told you last time you were here that I'm fine."

"From the looks of it, you haven't left your place in weeks." Eleanor gestures to the cluttered space around her that she's had little luck cleaning, "There's dust on practically every surface, clothes piled on your floor, and absolutely no food in your kitchen."

When I don't respond she continues, "When was the last time you ate a meal?"

I just shrug again.

Eleanor puts her hands on her hips, "Go shower and get dressed. I'm taking you out for lunch."

I know there's no point in arguing so I shuffle towards the bathroom.

By the time I'm ready, Eleanor has significantly improved the state of my flat. The floors are shiny, the tables are wiped, my bed is made, and I can hear the laundry machine running.

I follow Eleanor out to her little red punch buggy sitting in the parking lot. I'm about to open the passenger door when something on the window catches my eye. It's a small circular sticker with the dark silhouette of a girl swinging from a trapeze and the words Liv for the show.

I choke back a sob and look up to see Eleanor watching me from the other side of the car.

"It was her parents' idea." she explained, "A memorial thing."

"Can I have one?" I ask softly.

Eleanor nods, "I thought you would want one so I left it on your night stand."

"Thank you."

We sit in comfortable silence while Eleanor drives to the Pinklight Cafe. She gets us a table and I'm happy to cozy up next to the window. When the tall blond waitress wearing a pink apron and black stilettos approaches our table, Eleanor orders us both scones and tea. She scurries off with our orders and Eleanor turns her attention to me while I busy myself by making a little tower out of creamers.

"So." She says, "There is something I wanted to talk to you about."

After a second, I realize she's waiting for me to respond, "Go on," I tell her.

Eleanor takes a deep breath, "I want to resume Magie de Minuit's tour and I want you to come back and be a part of it."

My hand shakes and I knock over the tower of creamers I had been building on the table in front of me. I shake my head quickly. Any thought of the circus reminds me of Liv and our last traumatizing act.

Eleanor reaches over the table and takes my hands in hers, "Come on Malya, you belong at Minuit. You can't tell me performing doesn't make you feel truly alive, I remember how it was."

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.

Eleanor leans forward as if she's about to tell me the world's greatest secret, "I don't tell people this, but I used to be a tightrope dancer back in my days. I met Julian when he came to see a show while abroad in England."

I can't help but be surprised. Being his niece, I've known Julian my whole life and became especially close with him and Eleanor when they took me in after my parents died 8 years ago. Yet somehow I never knew that Eleanor was a circus performer herself.

"What happened to make you stop performing?" I ask her.

To my even further surprise she laughs, "Well I got old dear. I would love to be able to do what I used to, however my body would break in a hundred different places if I tried. You should be thankful you're only 17." She squeezes my hands tightly, "I'm begging you to be young for me and not give up what you love."

My voice cracks, "I can't Elle. It hurts to think of her."

"Liv wouldn't want you to give up trapeze because of her." Eleanor points out.

I shake my head, "I don't even have a partner."

"I already took care of that." She tells me, "If you say yes then there is nothing stopping you from picking up where you and Liv left off."

I look down and watch as a tear rolls down my cheek onto the table. I didn't even realize I was crying.

"Malya, do it for me and Liv and your parents. Do it for everyone who wants to see you happy."

I take one last deep breath and look up at Eleanor, "Okay, I'll do it."