When Stars Fall (NaNoWriMo22)

Chapter 30

The day is warm, but the sky is still cloudy. Cloudy enough to let me walk along the grey clouds and silently watch my sister's dream.

Her dream reflects the mortal world well, I should think. For only walking among it for such a short amount of time. Stars never dream. We never had stories to conjure before. It's exhilarating to be able see her growth as a human. My eyes finally land on Alcyone. She looks ethereal. Her beautiful gold hair is swept over her shoulder, unkept and flying with the wind. She has on a pastel blue dress that reaches past her ankles. She very calmly wades through some kind of forest without shoes.

That's a reminiscent of her first days, I'm sure.

She looks sad, but determined. I sit down to watch what happens next. Alcyone touches the branches and the leaves gingerly, transfixed in wherever she's going. Then, a distance rumbling shakes both the ground and the sky. It catches me off guard, but it's like she doesn't feel the disturbance. A bird caws repeatedly. Precisely, three times. The same call over and over. Nearly identical. It's confusing! I cannot see a bird anywhere. It might be a forest but there's no wildlife that I can see. I guess it is to be expected. This is a dream. Alcyone knows not which animals live where. Unless, she was told.

An ear splitting shout erupts from nowhere. It's soulcrushing! She doesn't seem to hear it as loud as I can. She gazes in its direction but barely flinches at the poor cry. It echos, breaking into three parts. What is happening in this dream? There's something off about it. But it happens again as she walks closer and closer to her destination.

The forest gives away to an open grassy field. In the distance, there's a blinding shimmer. I cannot see what is behind it. She seems as intrigued as I am. I can feel the pull she does. Her blows eratically as she nears this strange light. Her eyes narrow, her lips mouthing a question that is lost to me. Her hands let go of her dress skirt and reaches at the light. But just then, another Alcyone appears out of nothing. She looks exactly the same, except for the permanent terror in her face. Other Alcyone is facing away from the shimmering light, screaming at something behind her. The scream erupts shattering everything in her dream to darkness.

I am ripped away from her earthly dream. Confused and intrigued all at the same time. Huh. These are new sensations. I am stunned and speechless. It could all be nonsense, but it felt too real to ignore. Should I continue to test my gift? Investigate a bit more? I should tell my siblings about my current experience. But...then again, Maia will no doubt thrash me for not practicing with someone else.

Who are watching, Sister Electra?

Curses, Pleione! Must you appear from behind me?

I apologize, sister. I just thought you would like someone to convene with. Are you watching Alcyone?

In a manner of speaking. I think...I think I saw her dream. I believe I was Dreamwalking.

Dreamwalking?

Do you not remember? First Brother spoke of such phenomena a long time ago. A power of watching more than just physical acts. To project oneself into a mortal soul and watch their inner most stories.

And? How was it?

In truth? Strange. I'm not entirely such what I saw exactly. I was just deciding if I should stop while I am ahead, or try reaching the boy. To find out what's going on with our sister.

Let us go! Together. Maybe I can help with the confusion.

Fine. Let's see what we shall find inside our sister's beloved.

*****

Holding on to my sister, I reach for Averett. His mind is much harder to find for some reason. This boy is quite the mystery, but I find him nevertheless. Pleione and I project into his dream. His dream is less interesting than my sister's. It is of his life on the opposite side of the Wall. A small house with an outlandish, blue door. Pleione and I step up to the walkway of his home as he exits through his front door. He halts in surprise at the sight of two strange girls. "I've never seen either of you before." He says uncertain. "Should I know you?"

"No, mortal boy," Pleione answers for us. "You should not. We are not of this mortal world as you are. I am called Pleione and she is Electra."

His eyes widen with recognition. He's heard our names from Alcyone. From her heartfelt words on her sibling Stars. "How..? Why..?" I sigh. I am disappointed by our first meeting. I expected more than incomplete questions. "Please speak plainly, Averett. We do not have much time." Pleione steps forward. She is braver than I give her credit for. I have yet to move from where my feet have rooted themselves at.

Feet? I look down. There it is! Plain as day. I have feet! I observe Pleione. My sister is taller than me, darker than me, with redder hair than me. Red? Maybe not red. My hair is slightly more brown. Hers is more ginger. We have bodies here? Is this his imagination or our own projections of what we think we look like?

"Tell us, how is Alcyone?" My gaze settles on Averett once more. His eyes bounce between my sister and I. It is unnerving being in front of him this way.

"She's...alright, I think." Pleione's slender hand twitches. My eyes focus on the limb. "That's not the whole truth, is it?" I feel a sudden panic in my chest and an even stronger sense of protection. "Averett, how is Sister Alcyone? What is wrong with her?"

He sighs, waving us over. He opens his front door and beckons us to follow him. We do just as he suggests. The house is homely. It is small but full of memories. Some that I could touch if I wanted to. I can change the direction of this dream if I wanted to.

"She's fine." He sits on one of his many chairs and runs a hand through his hair. "Well, not 'human' fine. She mumbled something about seeing inside a man's head. Then, she vomited and promptly fell asleep. She has a fever but I've been trying to remedy that all night."

Pleione and I share a look. "She has begun to manifest her gift." We both say synchronically. We were right. Well, in a sense. I look back at the boy. "She'll be fine, Averett. Just take care of her." Pleione sits herself down and surveys Averett. I almost do too, but he asks us a questions. "What was Alcyone like as Star? As in, when she was up in the sky with you." I smile against my will while Pleione giggles. Many memories of mine own run freely in my mind. It floods my sense. I feel happy and sad the time we've shared. "She hated humans!"

I roll my eyes at my sister's outburst. "That's an over-exaggeration, Pleione." I turn to Averett. "Alcyone is our youngest sister as such she was prone to many questions. 'Why are humans so violent', 'Why must they hate each other', 'Why must I watch them every night of my life'. She grew tired of the same hate and judged humans too strongly. We all should've known that she would've been next."

Pleione nods fervently. I can see now that she has a very expressive face. "Oh, yes! She's very opinionated and blunt. And, at times, explosively aggressive. Mostly with words but she's never had human limbs before so be careful." I swat her arm, earning a dirty look. "I know that side of her very well," Averett rubs the back of his neck. "So, how old is she exactly since she's the youngest?"

"Ah, we do not record time as humans do. It is a waste to do those kinds of things where we're from."

"And she hates humans?" I laugh at the flicker of self doubt in his eyes. Not because I find it pathetic, but because I now know something that he has yet to discover. "Hate is too strong. She watched the bad just as much as she watched the good. She especially grew fond of watching love and hope and courage. I remember how longingly she watched them." My chest hallows. Alcyone was never meant to stay with us, I realize bitterly. Pleione leans over and touches my arms. Her touch brings me comfort. An overflowing feeling of love from one Star to another. It hits me just as it hits her. Pleione smiles widely. She has found her gift.

"We must go," Pleione stands, "I have to converse with our brother. And you must go and take care of our Alcyone."

She disappears before Averett could finish the word 'goodbye'. I slowly stand, looking around his home. Alcyone doesn't have this to go back to. Not really. A home full of memories that have meaning. I'm not sure she should come back anymore. Alcyone has proven that she is capable of taking care of herself. "May I ask you for a favor, Averett?" We now stand face to face. He's only a few inches taller than me. I can now see his face better. He looks like someone I've watched before. I know I have. Hmm, another mystery for another night. "Yes," he shuffles his feet anxiously. Am I intimidating? "I would like for you to deliver a message for me. A message for my sister."

After briefly sharing my message with Averett, I return to my place with my siblings. Pleione, as I expected, has already shared the news with everyone.

I can't believe it, Electra! I am an Empath!

And Alcyone may or may not be a Seer.