Stargazer (Write Awards 2013)

Chapter 2 (Write Awards 2013)

It was just another perfect night. Storm sat next to me, his smile lighting up everything in the room. Rune was giggling with father who was tickling mother while she tried to eat dinner.

“Hey June.” Storm asked me, turning my attention away from mother.

“Yeah?” I asked, stabbing a potato with my fork.

“Missed a spot.” He said trying to hide a smile. His finger was pressed against my chest and I looked down thinking there would be something spilt on my top.

“Got ya!” he laughed, flicking my nose with his finger. My nose went itchy and a few seconds later I was sneezing all over Storm.

“Ha ha!” I laughed, pointing a finger at him. He stuck out his tongue but grinned back. We continued to have the perfect dinner when the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it.” Father laughed, getting up from the table. We paid no attention but continued to laugh when Fathers voice broke through.

“Hey! What the-” The sound of a gunshot sent us jumping to our feet. I saw Father as he slumped to the floor. A group of soldiers walked in with guns aiming at us. I heard Rune scream and run from the lounge room being pulled by mother. Storm was screaming at the soldiers and I was staring at father who lay motionless on the floor.

“June!” Storm screamed and I noticed one solider take aim at my chest. I wasn’t obeying a rule. No women allowed to bear witness in a fight. His eyes; so much like mine could only watch as the trigger was pulled.

I didn’t notice him, but as the bullet was flying through the air, Storms body was in front of mine, protecting me. I felt the impact as his body was sent crashing into mine, and we went down together.

“Storm?” I cried rolling him over. The soldiers had left and it was only us with our family. Storms body rolled over and his eyes looked last me and up into the stars. I lightly hit him on the face, but he didn’t respond.

“I love you.” I whispered into the crook of his neck as my world fell apart.

I woke gasping, the sheets around me twisted, keeping my legs trapped. Scrambling to get them off, I fell out of bed and stumbled backwards. I could only look at the bed in horror as if it was the whole reason I dreamed that night. I forgot how daunting it was, to be there again. One minute I felt loved and happy then the next I grew up and learned about death.

Storm and I adored each other. He was my older brother and I was his little sister. I knew he would do anything for me and I would do the same for him. Everyone knew me as Storms sister. But when he died they knew me as the dead kid’s sister.

Mother was the same, but she was slowly falling apart from the death of father. He loved us all and never played favorite’s unless you were the only kid in the room, then you were his favorite. When he was in the room he made everyone smile or laugh. He was like that.

I walked over to my window looking out onto the streets. No sounds disturbed the night. The purple moon illuminated the streets unlike lastnight. I could see flecks of white twirl in the sky and I reached for my telescope.

My telescope was mounted on the wall that could be pulled out. A gold case was expertly smelted around the telescope as I looked through the lens. I could make out the stars and my eyes searched for the familiar constellation, Orion.

I scanned over the stars until I lined up the stars in the lens. I pressed a button on the side of the telescope I heard a small click. Walking over to my blank white wall I pressed a button and punched in some numbers on the keypad. An enlarged picture of Orion flickered on and I stood back and watched. The silver stars flickered like they were twinkling on my wall and I sat cross-legged on the foot of my bed.

I woke up the next morning from the sound of my mother yelling at me to wake up. Scrambling I clicked off the photo that was still twinkling and got ready for school.

“June?” Rune asked as she opened my door.

“Yea Rune?” I asked, throwing on a jacket. My hair was up in a ponytail and I had no time for a shower so I quickly sprayed some deodorant.

“I umm.” Rune started as she nervously sat on my bed. Her black hair was up in a ponytail just like mine and she played with the hem of her shirt. The only time I have seen Rune nervous was when her first time at the Inspection.

“What’s up?” I asked as I plopped myself on the edge of my bed. I grabbed my shoes and shoved them on.

“I never did the history assignment.” Rune whispered, her eyes dropping to the floor of my spotless room. I stopped trying to wrestle with the laces of my shoes to look at her. If she never did the assignment, then how did she pass the inspection?

“I’m so sorry!” she whispered, tears falling down her pale face. I wrapped my arms around hers as she sobbed.

“Shh. It’s alright.” I whispered racking my brain for something. Suddenly, in idea came to me. “Hey, we can do it tonight. When was it due?”

“Today. It was due today but I couldn’t do it.” I pressed my face into her hair as she clung to my shoulder. “I don’t want to go.”

“And I don’t want you to go.” I said. “We’ll do it tonight. Tell your teacher you’ll give it to her tomorrow, kay? ” I rubbed my hand up and down her back as she nodded before pulling away.

“But what happens if she asks why?” she asked as I got my bag.

“You’re a smart girl. I know you’ll think of something.” I smiled at her before we both ran down stairs and headed to school.

“Late?” Carmen asked as I puffed, trying to get my ponytail back up on my head. Nodding, we walked up into school were already perfect lines were forming.

“I need to tell you something.” I whispered. Carmen nodded before she headed over to her line and I was pushed into another. Composing myself, I headed in with my chin up straight.

Something seemed different about the school as I headed in. No pictures lined the walls from the younger children. I caught a glimpse of painters painting grey paint on the classroom walls. Why were they painting the walls grey I wondered as we were headed into the gym room. Already half the school was sitting down waiting for someone to stand up and speak. I saw Rune staring straight ahead and twirling her hair around her fingers.

Our line sat near the back and just as the last line came in, the assembly started. And this time, I could only watch in horror.