Stars Of Life

✦ Two Worlds

I was alone, living in two different worlds, accompanied by mixed thoughts. One was my dream and another, reality.

I kept the book on the table and served myself some roasted almonds from the kitchen. Munching my favourite nut, I returned to my room and start to text April:
I'm home alone. Eric, my cousin is coming here, I can't believe...

A notification saying the battery is less than fifteen percent showed in the screen while typing. Instantly, I pressed send to charge my device.

Then I came back to open the first chapter of the book with my face cupping on my hands. Nonetheless, my mind didn't focus on any words, something bothered me. I closed the massive book so that I could travel my eyes all around me for doing something interesting. Musing, I tapped fingers on my study table, checked phone twice and seek something to do and still, I didn't discover what to do.

My vision lingered over the window near the bed. Then, all at once, I got my task. Like the moment of 'Eureka', I hurried to take my rarely used laptop from the book stand.

Online Searching!

I decided to search about the mysterious fireballs. No one has ever spoke about this thing, but I can assume there might be some people who had observed that night. Firstly, I hit the buttons to find the local news, when I found nothing related, I simply typed fireballs.

The screen flashed with various theories of movies, sciences, and ads. When nothing caught my interest, I clicked a link that had the statement, it said, "Fireball exists! Immense heat and energy was created as atoms collided against one another, operating the newly born stars. As a result, burning balls of heat from the sun......"

"Hmph! It's not what I'm actually looking for," I wasn't satisfied. "The first sentence is deceptive!" I muttered.

After sometimes of clicking to and fro in boredom, April ring me up. Coincidentally, she revealed to me that she searched about the fireball stuff too. We were similar in some way. I remembered her social media caption that goes: If you have friends as weird as you, then you've everything.

I vividly remember the day, I met my cousin Eric. At first, he seemed peculiar, too.

When I was eight, my parents took me to another state on holiday, where my Aunt and uncle lived. That was my first trip, as I'd never left my hometown until now. The journey was safe and amusing. When we arrived, the first thing I had noticed was a gigantic board written,
'Welcome To Pinehill!'

The landscapes were same to ours, except Pines, they were plenty there than in the Reign. Hills and Pines!
And the only thing I can recall is, I was fast asleep, then opening my eyes inside the fancy room. When I woke up, I had heard my parents speaking with someone on the other side of the new room. Then I realized, It was aunt's home.
I saw colourful toys stuffed inside the brown paper box. Feeling home, I inspected the box, finding cars, cranes, trains, and other indoor puzzle games. Playing with those toys was my delighted option. In play, I assembled the cars aside and pulled with hooks of the crane to lift them up. It was enjoyable to control the small cars for the first time. I had almost forgotten my parents and home when someone knocked the door, disrupting me for a second.

I spoke, still indulged,"Come in, please. Oh! I love these cranes."

A boy appeared in front of me while I was kneeling on the floor watching the toys. I glanced at him above. He didn't buzz from his place, he looked angry. He scanned the toys on the floor like they were hurting his eyes. Then he yelled with a monstrous sound,"THOSE ARE MINE!"

I got up and ran towards the door. In the right time, all the elders came inside the room; I started sobbing.

"What happened, honey?" My elder aunt asked.

I was silent, clinging myself to Mama's waist. She stooped down to my height and told me to introduce myself to family. From the corner of my eyes, I saw him, who was wearing a red angry bird t-shirt, staring at me.

I turned to my uncle and Aunt to say,"Hello, Dear Uncle and Aunt. I'm Sage Wales. Thank you for inviting us in such a nice place." My sob had withered away with the smile, they came closer to snuggle me. Uncle James called the angry bird boy and told him to introduce as well. So, I thought his name was something like Errec that time. He didn't look at me like a few moments back. He was extra confident to say my parent's name.
"Hi. Mr. and Mrs. Wales
I'm Eric Stoner. It's a pleasure to have you here."
That's how I met my cousin for the first time. Later on, he became friendly, shared his toys and we ran over the backyard around his home. I also remembered when we were leaving back, he gave me his favourite toy (crane) which made me miss him for the rest of the way.

At around four p.m, they arrived. We shared 'hello' to each other, it was confusing that he looked different, that is good in real life than in video calls. I think he also got surprised by my height. I'm taller now.

"Sage. Grown up, eh?" His voice was deep and hoarse.

"Yes, but you're taller than me, cousin." I smiled proudly.

Keeping my statement at the side, he asked,"Do you have any plans tomorrow?" I shrugged.

"Then would you like to join me to the town as I wanna take some good shots? As in photo shoot."

"Um..interesting."

We had a short conversation with our place. Then I move into my room, thinking what tomorrow will bring.

• • •

In my dreams, I saw an unknown figure coming closer to me. The dark silhouette was going to wrap me, but somehow I found myself between the two burning buildings. I wasn't feeling any hot flames, though I knew the temperature was high.
Dreams never stop being crazy!

I walked towards the dining room to have breakfast. Dad was already on his place, dressed in formal attire. Whereas Eric was silent, watching here and there thoughtfully. I took a chair beside him and wished all of them.

"Good Morning, Sage." They replied in unison.

We ate in silence.

Before leaving, Dad stated,"Sage, are you accompanying Eric today?"

"Yes."

Maybe it will be a refreshing one, I told to myself.

"Okay. Take care of yourselves.
Have a lovely day!"

I smiled tightly and acted like a sincere, one-who-understands-everything-girl. Mom also left, advising me to be fearless. I waved them goodbye. She owns a stationery shop at a little distance from our home. Parent knows me very well; it is the reason they choose to state careful words for me.

"Mr. and Mrs. Wales are so smart."

I smiled widely by the door. I had nothing to say.

He added, astonishment in his face. "You talk so little about your life. Don't you want to share some?"

"Maybe." I pursed my lips.

"Then tell me about your friends, school life and of course your boyfriend."

"I don't have a boyfriend."

He dropped his smile.

"Well, get ready, little sister." He made his way back to the room.

I smiled. A content one.