Far Yet Close

Chapter 1 (Connecting with the Sun)

Harris was sitting in his class. His class was mourning for the death of his classmate, Fiona.

"Fiona was a precious and unique soul. I have known her since we were small kids. Fiona always wanted to get the ubistar to help people with her power even when the disease would have side effects or she would die," Fiona's best friend, Doromy said, trying to hold back her tears. "But when she got the disease, her power was to make immortal flowers in a fragile world. Fiona being the girl she is, didn't give up her dream of illuminating people. Every day Fiona went to different hospitals and gave bouquets to the patients. Everyone accepted the pretty flowers she gave with her smile and she gave them hope. Fiona never complained about the nausea, spitting blood and all, cause she was obsessed with her goal. Now she is gone, there would be no more unique flowers for many of us."

Doromy finally started crying. The teacher patted on Doromy's head. Many children in the class teared up. Harris was not paying attention for most of the part.

Another boy, Hudson, who had a star on his wrist came up near Doromy and the teacher. He had a big stone in his hand. Doromy smiled at him.

Hudson started writing on the stone. The star on his wrist started glowing. After writing on the stone, Hudson gave the stone to the teacher.

"Fiona Everstar, may your good deeds stay in the hearts of people you connected with for as long as they live," the teacher read from the stone, tears in her eyes. "I will put this wish stone on the tomb of Fiona. Thank you Hudson."

As Hudson was about to say welcome, suddenly, he fainted. Children knew not to rush to a fainted person, so the class monitor, Roman, asked the teacher permission to check Hudson's back for medicine that he usually eats for fainting. Roman took the medicine and put it into the mouth of Hudson and the teacher poured some water into Hudson's mouth. After a few seconds, Hudson regained consciousness. Hudson thanked the teacher and Roman.

The classes were dismissed for the day to mourn for Fiona. Harris went alone to his home.

Harris went straight to his bed and lay on it without changing his uniform. Who cared about life or death when the only certainty is nothing. All of a sudden, Harris felt something come out of his nose. He wiped his nose. It was blood. Harris quickly looked at his wrist. On the right wrist, there was the star. Harris started laughing out loud, and then stopped after some time. Harris went and opened the windows to allow the sunlight when he felt weak. He felt like he was getting dizzy. Harry went to the bed and laid there. He closed his eyes.

Harris remembered his parents' death. He was returning from school. That was when he encountered a man running with a knife away from him. Panick-stricken, Harris rushed to his home. He saw his mother and father stabbed with a knife. Harris quickly called the ambulance. He then rushed to his parents who were lying next to each other. Harris's father was blinking, but his mother's eyes were closed. Shivering, Harris put his fingers under his mother's nose. Unfortunately, she was not breathing. Harris began to cry, hugging his dad.

"Live son," his father said touching Harris's hair and Harris looked in shock.

Suddenly, his father's hand fell to the ground. Harris tried shaking his father to wake him up, but it was useless. He was dead.

Harris's head started pounding ferociously and he could not think anymore. On the right wrist, it pained strongly and the star glowed. At that moment, Harris's mirror caught his attention. The mirror displayed a lone shining star. Harris went near the mirror. He touched the mirror and surprisingly, he could touch the Star. The Star did not feel hot. The Star spoke to him and at that instant, Harris fell back on the floor.

"You are aware that you now have the ubistar disease, right?" the Star asked.

Harris nodded his head. Nobody told him about the talking Star when they got the disease.

"Now you can choose one of your past life personality stored within me," the Star said. "Oh, and I must say this. You cannot figure out the personality, it's only the feelings you get from the personality."

Harris's mouth gaped.

"There are reincarnations? I never believed in them!" Harris said.

"Yes, all reincarnations of one person is stored in one star. Just like stars are connected and form constellations, groups of people are connected for eternity," the Star said.

"So that means my parents and I are..." Harris put his hand on his head and hid his smile from the Star.

"Gosh! I don't get any other special powers?" Harris demanded.

At that moment, Harris spit blood on the floor.

"Not that I mind what I get. Either way this means I get to die and reincarnate," Harris said. "But it wouldn't hurt to get something cool."

"Touch me and choose now," the Star demanded.

Harris got up. He touched the Star. He could not see his past appearances, but he could feel their personalities. One by one, the star switched personalities with different colors. Different emotions came up with each personality. After some time, the Star stopped making Harris feel the personalities.

"So which do you choose?" the Star asked.

The Star showed all the personalities in different colors in the mirror.

Harris thought for some time. There was nothing in this world that kept him alive. He did not want happiness because it was sure to be snatched away from him sooner or later. He did not want to get closer to people by being nice. Getting ubistar means he is going to die. He does not want to have a good life and become greedy because he accomplished to have something after developing the disease.

"I choose the yellow personality," Harris declared.

"You sure," the Star asked, a mysterious gleam in his eye.

"Yes," Harris said.

"Then touch the yellow color," the Star said.

Harris touched the yellow color and he felt his old personality slowly starting to vanish. There was a bigger headache now. Harris managed to stand up holding things. The Star disappeared from the mirror.

Harris lay on the bed, his thoughts on how rude he was to everyone after his parents' death. He thought his parents may get depressed if they saw what he had become now. Harris realised he made a mistake in choosing the personality. He choose a kind personality. This was not what he wanted. He now feels bad for Fiona.

Harris was the only one who did not go to Fiona's tomb. He decided to go there and pay his respects. When he reached there, he saw Hudson.

"You got it too," Hudson said, his head lowered, furious.

"It's fine," Harris told.

Hudson clenched his fist.

"No! No, it's not fine," Hudson said. "Now ubistar has become a communicable disease. If this goes on, the human race will go extinct," Hudson said.

"No... this... this can't happen," Harris said, putting his hand on his head.