Star Fall

Ghost Stories

It's nearly dark by the time Jinx and I make it back to camp. By the way Poppy is going after a cord of firewood, I can tell she isn't pleased. Jinx loudly crunches through another cookie, announcing our arrival.
"Took you long enough," Poppy grumbles. She picks up another piece of wood to cut down to size.
"Ooh. There you are!" Lulu jumps off the stumps she's sitting on and rushes me in a hug. At least someone's glad to see us.
"Don't sweat it, Bam Bam," Jinx tosses the bag of oranges onto our picnic table. "I brought oranges and cookies." Jinx looks into the bag again and brings out the last uneaten cookie. "I mean, I brought oranges and one cookie."
Jinx breaks it in two, giving half to Lulu and keeping the other for herself.
"Here you go munchkin, don't say I didn't share," she says.
Lulu looks up at Jinx and smiles. Poppy groans.
"Alright," Jinx adds, "But only 'cuz you're crazier than me." She gives Lulu the other half as well. "And because I don't want Poppy to have any," she whispers loudly. "Hey, aren't we supposed to set some stuff on fire?"
"You mean a campfire," I say.
"Yeah, one of those." Jinx reaches into her Stars and Ammo tote bag. I can hear Kuro's squeaking and the distinctive click of a trigger.
"Uh-uh." I shake my head, "No powers."
"Killjoy." Jinx rolls her eyes. Poppy laughs between wood chops.
Janna bends over the campfire ring with a lit match and a bundle of dry pine needles. After a few seconds, the needles catch fire. A thin waft of smoke rises and Janna blows gently, coaxing a bigger stick in the middle to ignite. She tucks the flaming bunch into a teepee of wood in the center of the ring and gives Jinx a satisfied smile.
"And that's not cheating?" Jinx drops the empty cookie bag on the table with a melodramatic sigh and starts looking around for a stick. "Whatever. Did we bring marshmallows?"
Poppy sets the neatly-chopped logs in a pile next to Janna. "Aren't marshmallows all you brought?"
"Ooooh yeah," Jinx snaps loudly, remembering. She finds her discarded tote and pulls out a bag of marshmallows, threading four on long, thin stick. "I brought a towel too, Shorty. I'm responsible."
I settle onto a stump near Janna. She seems better than before.
"You alright?" I ask her. She nods.
"I think I just needed a bit of fresh air."
I gesture to all the trees around us and smile. "Well, I guess we came to the right place."
Janna nods her agreement, but without my enthusiasm. Before I can ask further, Lulu dusts the cookie crumbs off her hands and climbs up next to Janna.
"Tell us a story, Janna," she says.
"I don't really know any stories, Lulu."
"How about a ghost story, Janna," Jinx adds, "You're old. You probably know some ghosts, right?"
Janna arches a lavender eyebrow at Jinx.
"Please?" Lulu pleads.
Janna takes a deep breath. It seems no one can deny Lulu tonight.
"Alright," Janna begins. "Once upon a time, there was a lonely light that stood against darkness."
"Was it the First Star?" Lulu asks.
Janna nods.
"Yes. In the beginning the First Star was all alone. After a while it didn't want to be alone anymore so it took all of its starlight and spread it across the night." Janna waved her hand gently across the sky, gesturing to the blanket of stars above us.
"And that's where we came from," Lulu says proudly.
"You. Me. The animals and the trees. Even Jinx," Janna adds with a smile. "Everyone carries a little bit of that light. It's very powerful stuff and the First Star knew it needed to be protected from the darkness. The first Star Guardians that were chosen were said to be very strong and full of light." Janna's voice drops slightly. "But, those that burn bright, burn quickly."
"Isn't that what we're here for?" Poppy adds, confused. "It's our duty to protect all of the First Star's light."
"Yes," Janna agrees. She looks over at me. "But it's more than duty; it's our destiny. And it's our destiny to do it together. The First Star knew how hard it was to be responsible for so much and do it all alone."
"Did anybody ever decide not to go with the flow, you know, against the whole destiny thing?" Jinx pokes her marshmallow stick at one of the burning logs, knocking off a few glowing embers. I'm surprised. I didn't think she was paying attention to anything except burning sugar.
"There was a Star Guardian, once, who decided she'd had enough of the cycle. She didn't want to return to starlight. She wanted to stay just who she was."
"You have my attention," Jinx says, turning to face Janna.
"It's said that she first came to be in a system full of darkness," Janna continues.
"Did she find sisters, like us?" Lulu asks.
"Oh, yes," Janna says. "And because her corner of the galaxy was so dark, they meant everything to her. For a time they were happy. And she was happy with them. Then one day there was a battle. A great evil came, swift and terrible. She lost her sisters in the fight and she became very sad."
"That would make me sad too," Lulu sniffs.
"Me too, Lulu." Janna says, hugging her. "But they say that instead of staying sad, she became angry and turned away from the First Star's light. They say she followed the evil to where it came from, hoping she could find some way to undo her destiny."
Lulu shivers and snuggles closer to Janna.
"Is she still alive?" Poppy asks.
"I don't know." Janna thinks. "If she is, her light would be pretty old by now."
"Older than yours, Janna?" Jinx mocks.
"Yes," Janna says, mocking her right back. "Older than mine."
Lulu yawns. "Was that a real story?" she asks.
"I'm not sure anymore, Lulu," Janna says quietly.
It's quiet. All I can hear is the crackle of the fire as the weight of the night settles over us. I decide to break the silence.
"Well, the meteor shower begins in about four hours. Maybe we should get some sleep before then," I offer.
Janna stands the sleepy Lulu up and marches her slowly towards one of the two tents. I go to follow her. Poppy stops me and points to the other tent, before going in ahead of Janna.
"You're with Jinx," Poppy says quietly. "She snores. Good luck."
"I heard that, Little Bits," Jinx says, stuffing another handful of marshmallows in her mouth.
"Don't worry," Janna says as she navigates Lulu into the tent. "I'll look after her."
I smile and grab a bucket of water to douse the campfire. I look up. More stars than I can count cover the sky. So many. Maybe more Star Guardians. Just like us. It would be nice not to feel so isolated. I shake the hope from my head and pour the water onto the fire. It sizzles and steams as the glowing embers are drowned, leaving me alone in the night.
I climb into the dark tent. Jinx is already whistle-snoring and I can hear Poppy smacking her lips in the other tent. Not exactly peace and quiet, but we're together. There are four holes in the tent roof. Through them I can see the sky. I try and count the stars beyond our world.
I don't even make it to ten before I'm swallowed by sleep.