Starfall (FJ)

Seven Gifts

    "Zïâ! Hurry, the stars are falling." Moçi said excitedly, shaking her sleeping sister. Muttering, Zïâ rolled over.

       "Wish without me. I don't even want a gift this year." Every year, the people of The Glen would travel to the hills of Sim, for the Falling of the Stars, where seven stars fell from the sky, and when they touched the earth they were the size of pebbles, burned up by speed. Whoever was the first person to touch it would have The Gift for the year. The Gift, it was mysterious, for nobody knew what the gift was,  as the pages of The Book of History were lost to time, invaders,  and legend.

      Stubbornly, Moçi shook Zïâ again. Zïâ sat straight up, looking around alertly. "What?" she asked, coming out of her sleep. Moçi giggled.

      Zïâ shivered, standing on a hill of Sim, gazing at the stars, her nerves tingling, a swooping feeling of unease poisoning her stomach. She felt a hand touch her shoulder. Without looking away from the sky, she said," Hi, Hans." 

      "Zïâ, do you really think you will get a star?", Hans smirked. "You have a million out of one chance, you know". Zïâ finally looked away from the inky black sky. Hans was a dark-headed boy, a bit older than her. His dark hair stuck out in The Glen, where everyone's hair was white. He was found floating along a river, just a baby, from a neighboring tribe. Three days later, news that the tribe had been destroyed reached The Glen. 

          "Well, I try anyways."

         "Look, Zïâ, the stars are falling!" It all hapened so fast, as it always did. In a matter of seconds, six cries went up. Six stars located, six stars touched. After a few seconds, a murmur spread around. It never took this long for all seven to be found. Where was the seventh star? 

         But Zïâ and Hans weren't murmuring with the rest, they were staring in shock at the red, glowing stone between them. Hans spoke first, "You touch it."

              "No way. You do it."

             "Zïâ, pleases, I don't want to. I can't. It doesn't work on someone from another tribe. Please."

              Zïâ looked up at him, saw that he was serious, and-with trembling fingers- picked up the star. She suddenly felt a white-hot pain shoot up her arm. Crying out in pain, she dropped it. People sighed in disappointment, hoping that they could find it themselves, then started for the village in one movement.

                 "Zïâ, come out, I want to play.", begged Moçi. Zïâ shook her head, looking pale and sick. She knew that you needed to have the star in your possesion for The Gift to work. And she had lost the star. She had wasted a star. A knock sounded from the door. Zïâ turned paler, knowing the villagers would be angry if they found out. Moçi answered the door,"Oh, hi, Hans. Yep, she's here. But she looks sick, she's worried about losing the star....Ooh, I LOVE surprises! What is it?" Hans walked inside and knocked on Zïâ's room's door.

                     "Come in..",said Zïâ, her voice trembling. Hans walked in, grinning. Suddenly, Zïâ felt annoyed. How could he be smiling if she could be exiled from The Glen for wasting a star? Why was he happy about that?!

                       "I have something for you." Grinning like a madman, He pulled out a stone. It took Zïâ a moment to realize what it was. But when she did, she laughed, jumping up and down.

                         "My star! Thank you, thank you!" Taking the star from him, she asked,"Where did you get it?"

                         "I picked it up when I noticed you hadn't picked it up." She grinned at the faintly glowing star. her fingers tingling where she held it. Her special magic. All hers.