The Last Journey Home

Chapter 1: The Unseen Star

Celeste De Luca stood at the edge of the kitchen, her eyes fixed on the window as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden hue over the rolling countryside.

The tranquil view outside contrasted sharply with the tension inside her home.

The kitchen, a place that should have been a sanctuary, felt like a cage, its sterility and coldness mirroring the emotional distance she felt from her parents.

Her mother’s voice cut through the silence, harsh and unyielding.

“Celeste, sit down. We need to talk.”

Celeste slid into her usual chair, her heart sinking as she faced the imposing presence of her mother.

The plate before her was laden with a heavy, unappetizing meal—potatoes, meat, and overcooked vegetables.

The same meal that had been her daily punishment, meant to ensure she was ‘properly fed’ according to her parents’ standards.

Her father sat across the table, his silence more oppressive than any reprimand.

His disapproving gaze was a constant reminder of his high expectations and the harsh discipline he enforced.

Celeste could still feel the sting of his last outburst, a night when he had lashed out after accusing her of stealing money from his wallet.

Despite her innocence, she had been beaten, her protests ignored.

The truth had meant nothing to them; their minds were already set on their own version of reality.

“Celeste, why can’t you be more like your cousin?” her mother’s voice was sharp.

“He’s always so well-behaved and successful. Why do you always fall short?”

Celeste's grip tightened around her fork.

The comparison to her cousin was a familiar sting, one she had grown accustomed to over the years.

Her cousin was a constant source of their praise, the golden child who could do no wrong.

Celeste, on the other hand, was subjected to relentless criticism and harsh punishment, a stark contrast that had long fostered feelings of inadequacy and envy.

“I’m trying,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her hands shook slightly as she cut through the food, each bite a reminder of her role as the ever-disappointing daughter.

Her father’s gaze hardened.

“Trying isn’t good enough. You need to do better.

We’ve given you everything you could possibly need.

Yet, you still manage to fall short of our expectations.”

Celeste’s heart pounded as she forced herself to chew, the food almost choking her.

She had long since learned that arguing or defending herself was futile.

Her parents' opinions were set in stone, and her attempts to explain her actions were met with disdain.

They had convinced themselves that their way was the only way, and her honesty had no place in their narrative.

As her father continued to lecture, Celeste’s thoughts drifted to the box hidden under her bed.

It was packed with everything she needed for the journey she had planned, a journey she had been preparing for in secret.

The box represented her escape, a way out of the life she felt suffocating and unjust.

The dinner dragged on, each minute stretching into eternity.

The conversations around the table were a blur of criticism and expectations, punctuated by her mother’s sharp reminders and her father’s stern directives.

Celeste’s mind was elsewhere, envisioning a life free from the constant scrutiny and unrealistic demands that had defined her existence.

When dinner was finally over, she cleared her plate with mechanical precision, her movements automatic.

Her parents continued their conversation, oblivious to the storm brewing within her.

Celeste’s resolve was growing stronger with each passing moment.

She had endured enough, and the thought of leaving was no longer just a fleeting idea—it was a necessity.

After she finished her chores, she retreated to her room, where the box lay hidden under the bed.

She glanced at it, her heart racing with a mix of fear and excitement.

It was time to put her plan into action.

She needed to leave, to find something beyond the narrow confines of her parents’ expectations.

Celeste sat on her bed, her gaze fixed on the moonlight streaming through the window.

The room was quiet, but the silence was filled with unspoken words and unfulfilled dreams.

She thought of the life she was leaving behind and the uncertain future that lay ahead.

It was a daunting prospect, but the promise of freedom and self-discovery was worth the risk.

As she prepared for the night, her mind was set on one thing:

to take the first step toward the life she had always wanted but never believed she could have.

The journey would be long and filled with challenges, but for the first time, Celeste felt a glimmer of hope, a faint but persistent star in the darkness of her life.