[SDMN] Imagines

Zerkstar #2

His breath froze in front of him - mixing with the cloud of smoke he puffed out.

Josh leaned against a brick wall, between a vape shop and a convenience store. The infinitely tall skyscrapers towered over him. Blinking neon signs light the night sky. The cold weather clinged to his skin and stings.

He looked up to the dark blank canvas of a sky. The brightest things he's ever seen up above was an airplane and the moon. Josh has never seen a single star before.

The bright city lights, which he's grown with, cancel out the twinkling stars of space. He's only heard stories. He tried to picture them in his mind as a child.

"Cough, cough"

Josh turned his head to who was coughing so heavily.

A boy, quite short, had gotten himself caught in one of Josh's smoke cloud.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I should've been paying attention and not just blowing smoke in strangers' faces." Josh apologized.

"Aw don't worry about." The boy looks up at Josh. The smoker feels something stir inside of him as his hazel green eyes meet with the purest of black. The unnamed boy's raven hair gets tussled in the winter wind. "I'm not paying much attention myself. I've never been a city before."

"Really?" Josh was surprised. He often forgets things exist outside of his bubble.

"Yeah. I've lived out in the country my whole life. Very different compared to all, this." he motioned.

"Then why'd you come here?"

Josh has heard the country is much more open, and peaceful.

"Because I heard the city is full of opportunity." The unknown beauty looks around. He stares up into the darkness as Josh studies his cinnamon-shaded face. "It's a shame you can't see the stars here though."

"Wait,"

The stranger tilts his head.

"Stars are real?..." Josh gasps.

"Yes, of course." Now it's the stranger's turn to be surprised. "Have you never seen them?"

"No, I've only heard of them. I always wished to see them but I didn't think they actually exist." Josh finds himself lost deep inside the boy's eyes, trying desperately to picture the glitter that supposedly litters the sky. "You must show me."

"But... I don't know how." he speaks solemnly.

All this time stars have only existed in Josh's imagination. But here was a pair staring right at him.

Josh smiles.

"Yes you do. I'm looking at one right now." The cinnamon boy blushed. His eyes seem to twinkle at the compliment.

"You don't even know my name." he chuckles.

"What does it matter?" Josh says, awestruck.

"Well, every star has its name. Mine is, Vik."

Vik... What a star...