Shiver Between the Stars

Introduction

A slight breeze hugs the trees as the cold air wraps around its trunk and fans out to its ends. The branches shiver as the snow falls gently on their backs and melts. Stuffed noses and watery eyes congest like morning traffic. Centimetres of snow are flattened then soon refilled by the endless release of snow onto the footpath. Boots flick up the snow only for it to move inches from where it lay before. Small shops running both sides of the street have been closed the past few days and show no sign of reopening, any and all items looking to be purchased can be accessed at the local centre, rather than individual shops.

The roads are blocked and the only way to move around is by walking as neighbourhood bikes have gotten stuck in all kinds of places, include Mr Wilson's front yard tap where the tire spokes were trapped between the nozzle and handle.

But as the sun goes down and the cool air drops, the town becomes isolated. No one dares to leave their heated house. The town falls into a silent hush, the trees not daring to sway and the houses not daring to creak. Everything was frozen. Everything except Stevie, who will wear his thickest jacket and pants, grab a blanket and sit outside of his house, watching the stars twinkle.

Stevie once attempted to draw these stars. He wasn't particularly good at drawing but he preferred it over learning to read and write. The stars to him were perfect, the four-year-old probably liked them because they were shiny. So Stevie would colour in his drawing page dark blue and black and with his pen, he would make a hole in the page, hold it up to the light and create his own stars. However, as common for young children, Stevie soon lost interest in the stars and became fascinated with birds, in particular, the Robin.

The red robins that created a nest in the trees near his back yard quickly became Stevie's new love and the stars were soon forgotten. However, the stars would stay, when the birds would migrate and leave Stevie. Over the course of the next several winters Stevie began to love nature, he would climb trees and break his arm, and the moment it healed go out and play just as he did before. Stevie grew up. Stevie wanted to be addressed as Steve because Stevie was too much of a 'little kid' name. Steve would yell at his parents and hang out more with his friends. Steve began to like girls. Steve began to like Jennifer, but she liked Grant. Steve had a fight with Grant, and they stopped being friends.

As Steve moved through school, some days flew by while others seemed a lot longer than bearable. People changed in the small town but some things, including its constant isolated feeling, stayed the exact same.

On the 22nd night of February, Steve sat outside his house with a blanket and looked out at the stars. This, older version of Stevie knew that the stars where giant balls of gas, not someone turning a torch on and off. He knew that the stars he was gazing upon were light-years away. He was aware of mortality and that the stars he looked at were probably dead. Steve knew that no matter how much he didn't want her too, his mum probably wouldn't make it to next February. All he could do was hope. So, Steve wished upon the stars.