The Researcher's Journey

Chapter 1: Stella.

Ocean Islands, Great Bridge City, in the year 950.

On her way home, Stella passed by a supermarket to buy some things. While shopping, she saw herself in one of the mirrors ; her hair was a bit messy.
“Oh my God, have I been like this all day ? I look terrible.”
Stella went to the bathroom, washed her face, and fixed her hair.
She had normal features, with wide hazel eyes, a small nose, thin lips, wide eyebrows, fair skin, and long dark brown hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a jean jacket, a long black skirt, and a white shirt.
She quickly put her things back in her bag, ready to leave, when suddenly a woman entered, pushing the door turbulently, which frightened Stella.
“What’s up with this one too ?”
The woman never looked in her direction and went into one of the bathrooms, closing the door behind her.
“It’s none of my business anyway. I have to go ; I’m already late.” Stella was already going to leave, but stopped by the woman’s voice inside, crying, saying, “Why did this happen to me ? Why ?”
Stella remembered her parents’ commandments to help, especially her mother, who always urged her to do so.
Stella sighed, “Oh, well, it doesn’t seem like it will cause trouble. I’ll just go check on her.”
She went back to check on the crying woman inside, but before she could knock on the door, the woman opened it and went out to wash her face. Stella said, “Excuse me, I wanted to…”
Before she could finish what she wanted to say, she fell silent, her expression turning to one of great surprise as she looked at the features of the girl in front of her in the mirror. It was as if she were looking at herself, an exact copy in everything except for some differences : the girl’s eyes were darker, and her voice was just a bit different.
The girl turned to her, her face mirroring the same expression of astonishment. After a few moments of staring at each other, the girl said, “Wait, am I delusional, or do we look alike ?”
Stella replied with a smile, “No, this is not an illusion. Indeed, we are similar.”
Stella did not expect such a situation to happen to her. She thought to herself, “This is the last thing I expected to happen today. I thought I had no similarities to anyone and I don’t even resemble my parents that much.”
Stella continued, “Well, I think you’re better now. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay, so I’ll leave now. Bye.”
Stella wanted to get out of the situation quickly. Even though she had always wanted to meet someone similar to her and experience what that situation would be like, in the end, it was an uncomfortable feeling for her.
Stella was about to leave, but the girl stopped her, saying, “Wait a minute, why are you in such a hurry ? You just met someone who looks like you, and you’re leaving like this ? I mean, meetings like this don’t happen very often in life.”
Her tone of voice was calm and gentle, with a smile on her face.
Stella replied, “I’m too late, so I have to go now.”
Stella wasn’t very good at being polite, and besides, she wasn’t really late—she just wanted to get away from this stranger who looked like her. She was always wary of people ; having experienced the working life, she had seen many things that made her this way.
The girl replied with the same smile, “Actually, I would like to thank you for your concern. Also, I’ve never seen someone who looks so much like me, so I want to get to know you.”
Stella responded, “Sorry, but…”
The girl interrupted her, holding her hand, saying, “I know a good café around here, so please, let me invite you there to thank you. We can also get to know each other. What do you think ?”
The girl was very insistent, and besides looking nice and polite, she seemed like a more elegant version of Stella. She wore formal clothes : wide black pants, a white shirt with a black jacket, and medium-heeled shoes. She had on earrings and a necklace that matched her outfit, along with a small handbag.
Unlike Stella, she left her long hair straight.
Stella looked at her phone and saw that there were no missed calls from her mother, so she wasn’t really late.
“Okay, I accept your invitation,” she said.
“Great, then let’s go now,” the girl answered enthusiastically, extending her hand to shake Stella’s,“My name is Emma Smith. And you ?”
“I’m Stella Light.”
“Nice to meet you, Stella.”
After gathering all her things from the supermarket, Stella headed with Emma to the nearby café. They chatted and got to know each other better.
Emma is twenty-three years old, yet she looks like she is still a teenager. She works at the scientific research center in the city.
Stella was surprised to hear that.
“So you work at the research center ? That’s impressive ! Just to be selected for an interview there, you must have had high grades in your university studies.”
“Thank you for saying that, but unfortunately, it seems I won’t be able to keep this job for long.” There were signs of displeasure on her face.
“Why ?”
“Unexpected things happened, and it looks like I’m going to lose my job, even though I worked hard to get it,” she sighed sadly.
“Excuse me for asking, but what happened to make you think about leaving work ?”
“As you know, the center usually organizes trips to various regions in the country, and even outside it, for exploration. I was assigned to go on one of these exploratory missions, but unfortunately, I won’t be able to go. My mom is very ill, and I can’t leave her to go. So, I have to decide whether to stay with her or keep my job. I chose to stay with my mother, so in a few days, I’ll go and submit my resignation.” She looked very emotional as she spoke.
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Never mind.”
“And what about you ? What field would you like to study in the future ?”
“I’d like to specialize in one of the scientific fields.”
“So, you’re like me. I hope you’ll go to a good university.”
“I hope so.”
“If you want, I can help.”
“How ?”
“I have several contacts that could help you.”
“I don’t need it, but thank you for your concern.” Stella thought carefully before giving this answer ; for her, it wasn’t possible to accept help from someone she had just met half an hour ago.
“Then, I think I should go now. My parents will be worried if I don’t come back before nine o’clock.”
“You have very caring parents. Do you have any siblings ?”
“Yes, I have one younger brother.”
“I only have my mom. My dad died last year, and I have no siblings.” She said that with sadness.
“Oh, I’m sorry for your loss, and I hope your mother gets well soon.”
After a moment, Stella said, “Now I have to go. Thank you for inviting me.”
“Well, I hope we meet again soon.”
“See you.”
Before she left, Emma made sure to exchange phone numbers and social media accounts with Stella. Stella thought she might meet her again one day too. After all, Emma seemed like a nice girl, and Stella didn’t have any friends, so she thought she might have finally found one. Suddenly, her phone rang ; it was her mother calling.
“She must be worried again,” Stella thought, as she answered, “Yes, Mom, I’m in…” Before she could finish, her mother interrupted her, crying, “Stella, we’re at the hospital. Your father’s condition has worsened again, but it seems that this time…”
Stella’s face turned pale, her heart racing as the news about her father sank in. A mix of fear and concern clouded her expression, and she struggled to find the strength to continue the conversation with her distraught mother. She quickly arrived at the hospital, her complexion pale, and her eyes reflecting a deep sense of dread. The weight of the news about her father bore heavily on her, causing her heart to pound. Upon meeting her mother and younger sibling, Jean, she struggled to find the strength to navigate the difficult conversation ahead.
She finally gathered the courage to speak to her mother, “Mom, how is Dad ? What did the doctor say ?”
Her mother sighed and replied, “His condition is stable now, and he’ll wake up from fainting soon. But the doctor said his health has deteriorated, and he needs surgery as soon as possible.’
Stella felt relieved after hearing that her father’s condition was stable, but she quickly placed her hand on her forehead in frustration and asked, ‘ What kind of operation is it ? How much will it cost, Mom ?’
“It would be better if we discussed this at home. The important thing now is for your father to wake up.”
Stella looked up at her mother’s face ; she was tired and exhausted. Her younger brother was asleep on the hospital chairs.
She replied, “Okay, I’ll look for the doctor to ask him when Dad will wake up.”
Stella went to find the doctor. After locating him, she asked about her father’s condition, the operation he needed, and its cost. As she had feared, the amount was substantial—far beyond what a middle-class family like theirs could afford.
The cost of surgeries was very high in the island nation, especially in the capital. Stella was still a high school student, her mother a housewife, and her father’s pension was insufficient.
An hour later, her father woke up. He was breathing hard. Though he couldn’t speak, he could hear and see. The doctor said he would need to stay in the hospital until the day of the operation. Stella felt a mix of happiness, anxiety, and confusion. She kept thinking, “Where are we going to get this money from ? If we delay any longer, his condition will get worse again, and he may…” Her thoughts were interrupted by her little brother, who tugged at her skirt, “Stella, Stella !”
“Jean, what is it ?”
“Sister, is Dad going to die ?”
Stella remained silent for a moment before answering, “Who said that ? Of course not. The doctor told us that his condition will improve soon, so don’t worry, little one.”
Their mother was listening quietly, her eyes brimming with tears. Jean continued to look at Stella with desperate eyes. Stella gently poked his cheek and said, “Look at me, have I ever told you something wrong or lied to you ?”
“No, you haven’t.”
“Then don’t worry about Dad. Like I said, he’ll be out of here in a few days, okay ? Now go and open my bag ; you’ll find something I brought for you. Go on.”
Her bag was still on one of the chairs, and as she said, the little boy eagerly went to see what she had brought. Stella then turned to her mother and whispered, “Mom, please stay calm. Don’t cry in front of him like that. He’s still a child ; he’ll be scared.”
Her mother, Kate, was a brown-haired woman with beautiful features, though fatigue and pallor often marred her appearance due to all that had happened. Although she was in her late thirties, she looked older. Jean resembled her a lot ; he looked like a miniature version of her, a very cute child.
As for Stella’s father, he was only in his forties, but his health was very poor due to the work he had done since his youth. He worked as a painter, which caused him to suffer from lung disease.
Her mother simply nodded, her eyes filled with despair.
In the morning, the doctor allowed one person to visit Stella’s father. Stella decided to let her mother go in while she stayed outside with Jan. She thought that after their mother left the room, she would take Jean home. He was still a six-year-old child, and staying in the hospital would be too difficult for him.
Stella took out her phone, which she hadn’t checked since yesterday, and noticed a missed call from Emma. She remembered her meeting with Emma and wondered why she had called so early. Initially, she considered deleting Emma’s number but then recalled that Emma had mentioned having several acquaintances who might be able to help with her situation.
Stella hesitated at first, but after thinking it over, she realized she didn’t have any better options. Since her father’s illness, their financial situation had deteriorated. Even their relatives had suddenly disappeared, and no one had checked on them for a long time. On top of that, she had lost her job just a week ago, her mother didn’t work, and she had a younger brother who needed care.
Feeling desperate, Stella considered asking for help from a girl she had only met the day before.
She called Emma using a nurse’s phone. When Emma answered and heard Stella’s voice, she sounded genuinely happy. Stella asked if they could meet at the same café as yesterday, and Emma gladly accepted.
An hour later, they met at the café. Emma was already there, looking elegant and formal, while Stella was still in the clothes from yesterday. When Emma saw her, she could tell something was wrong.
“Hello, how are you ?” Emma asked.
Stella didn’t respond immediately and remained silent.
“Stella, tell me what’s wrong. You didn’t sound good on the phone,” Emma said with concern.
“Honestly, I asked to meet you because I need your help.”
Emma’s expression turned serious, “With what ?”
Stella explained her father’s situation, her family’s struggles, the surgery, and everything that had happened.
After listening to everything, Emma responded, “Well, I’ll help you. I’ll cover all the costs.”
Stella was taken aback. She hadn’t expected Emma to help, or at most, to offer a small contribution. After all, they had only met the day before.
“You’re going to pay ?” Stella asked in disbelief.
Emma smiled warmly. “Yes, as you heard, I’ll pay for everything.”
Stella, filled with joy, stammered, “I…I don’t know how to thank you, but I promise I’ll pay you back every cent.”
“I don’t want you to repay the money,” Emma replied.
“What ? I can’t accept that. I will…”
Emma interrupted, “But I would like you to help me with something else instead of money.”
“What is it ?” Stella asked, curious.
Emma swirled her coffee cup with her fingers. “You remember the trip I mentioned yesterday, don’t you ?”
“Yeah…”
“Can you go in my place ?”