DreamWeaver's Plane

Chapter 5: ESTHER, THE STARWALKER

Chapter V
ESTHER, THE STARWALKER

TRYING TO SHAKE that awkward feeling brought by her brief conversation with Myrrha, Esther decided to continue reading in the school library.

She should have thought about this earlier but she cannot eat while reading inside the library. She hates it when she gets reprimanded for a school offense. The shame and attention it could bring is something she cannot endure.

Esther loves her privacy so much. She did not want anyone taking notice of her for she did not grow up having enough attention from her parents. Her mother was a strict lady. A stage actress in a small theater in town where she spends most of her time except on Mondays.

Her father on the other hand was a very busy doctor who did not seem to have time to attend to her own problems.

She had to spend most of her days in her room studying and reading things that interest her. Her favorite is about books on Astrology.

Today she was reading about constellations, aspects and transits. Astrology helped her understand her own self and the people around her with much less interaction as she could possibly have. She writes for the school newspaper and her column is about her interpretation of the stars each month.

Unlike any other known astrologers, she reads from other newspapers, she does not offer the typical horoscopes that people devour. She writes to educate people how to read stars and how it could change their lives.

Her column is her way to reach out to people teaching them the art of Astrology and not just some esoteric skills for anyone's entertainment.

She had several followers even on her social media accounts. Some of them became her avid readers who sought her help for their personal issues and who could attest how accurate her readings were. She was told many times how she was so good for a very young girl studying Astrology.

Esther was very picky though when dealing with people consulting her. She only allows people who were really eager to understand their own birth charts and how they better live their lives.

Most consultations were done online and she hardly met them in person. Some thought she was an anti-social, snub, and arrogant writer. There was more to it than what they thought they knew but she was not ready to open the details of her private life to just anyone.

She was busy reading for half an hour already when she noticed some male students entering the library section for graphic arts. It only took a minute when they started getting rowdy looking at some pictures. At a brief glance she saw it was about some ancient pictures depicting goddesses in history. It was hard not to hear their lewd comments and stories they shared with one another.

Then she heard one of them suddenly whisper about a couple of students who were sitting on another table across from her. They were Sergei and Valerie. They were giggling like crazy then the guy who spoke stood calling Sergei's attention.

"Hey faggot!" He shouted with a mischievous smile on his face.

"Look here. I am sure you would love to see this muscled man!"

Esther saw that it was a drawn figure of a warrior from an ancient tribe she can't recognize from her previous readings.

Esther saw Sergei's face turned red but he was trying his best to hide his shame and to ignore their obscene innuendos.

But the girl beside her, Valerie, stood up and threw a pencil at their direction.

"You are jerks! You are the real faggots here teasing my friend. I am sure you fantasize about those warriors in your dreams at night," Valerie retorted.

The guy who spoke lewd comments earlier was about to assault her. Perhaps embarrassed by what Valerie said.

Esther felt her heart tightened in fear for Valerie. The violence in his eyes was ready to be unleashed on the girl.

She could say in an Astrologer's perspective this guy could have a very malevolent Mars feature in his natal chart. It does not only help her understanding of aggression but it also stirred a memory she kept locked all these years.

She saw her cousin Emil on that rainy night when he assaulted her in her room when she was only fifteen years old. She woke up feeling someone fondling her breast

She rose from bed surprised to see her cousin there. She was about to scream when he covered her mouth harshly.

"Keep quiet you foolish girl! If you tell anyone about this, I'll make sure no one will see you anymore from this house!" He threatened her that instant but forever scarred her all her life.

She woke from that memory hearing the librarian Ms. Summers warning the rude boy who insulted Sergei earlier.

"If you don't keep quiet, I will have you talk to your College Dean about this and make sure you get punished for disrupting the silence in this department." She threatened him and his friends.

They apologized profusely and decided to leave the library right away. But before they could be out of sight, they threw angry looks at Sergei's direction.

Valerie was still agitated while Sergei was quiet, breathing heavily on his chair. Esther felt sorry for him and she herself was shaken still about what she witnessed that moment.

Violence and obscenity often anger her for it made them remember her abusive cousin. She preferred to get away from them as best she could, making her seem aloof especially to men.

Her uncaring approach also seemed to have stemmed from years of neglect from her parents who did not seem concerned for her well-being.

Sergei and Valerie caught her eyes but she would not want to linger in the library after what she saw and heard just a few minutes ago.

Esther walked out of the library not knowing where else to go. She wanted to forget the feelings and memories triggered by that incident.