Following the Stars

Chapter Eleven

I was still grasping onto life by a threat, but it was about to break.

Part of me wanted to let go, to follow the light, but part of me wanted to stay.

"My sweet baby girl," I saw familiar arms open in front of me. I recognized that voice. That face.

"Mother?" I asked in disbelief, "You're here? It's really you?"

She nodded, "Come here, my dear child."

I followed her into a small house by the river side.

It smelled like fish outside, but the moment the door opened, I was met with the smell of cinnamon.

My mother was cooking.

"Your father's waiting for you outside," she said, "Go on. He's missed you."

I opened the back door, met with the beautiful smell of lavender and rosemary.

"Father?" I asked.

The man sat in a wooden chair looked up and smiled, "Hey, stardust."

"It's really you!" I ran into his open arms, "I've missed you so much."

He smiled, "I missed you too, stardust."

"Sky!" I heard a shout from across the river.

"Go on, stardust," he said, "I'll still be here."

I dove into the river, feeling the cool current against my skin as the water pulled me downstream.

I climbed out the other side soaking wet. I followed the sound in the woods until I found a tall tree.

Climbing it, I couldn't believe my eyes.

Fireflies buzzed around everywhere, lighting up the tree. Looking up, I saw the stars.

So many of them in all different clusters, twinkling softly.

The words escaped my mouth, the little lullaby my father sang to me.

Look at the stars,
See them so bright.
They shine for you,
They'll be your light.

So when you're lost,
Lost in the fray.
Follow the stars,
They'll light the way.

My little stardust,
Don't be afraid.
Follow each twinkle,
You're out of the shade.

"You have a nice voice," the boy smiled at me. I found myself smiling back, "Been a while."

I hugged him, "You have no idea."

"Did you miss me?"

"Of course," I laughed, "I thought you died."

Kadian smiled as he met my gaze, "I did. I joined the stars."

"We're the river people. Aren't we supposed to return to water?" I asked.

"We return to life," Kadian said, "But you aren't Samukru anymore."

I frowned, "I am."

"Part of you is, and part of you always will be," Kadian grabbed my hand, "But Skaikru? You belong with them."

"I belong here," I looked around at our village.

He laughed, "You never belonged here. You belonged up there," he pointed at the stars, "You're there right now."

"What?" I asked, "I'm here, aren't I?"

"Your mind is," Kadian said, right now, they're fighting to keep the rest of you alive. They need you."

I shook my head, "I saved Echo, but Clarke's dead," tears began pouring down my face.

"She may be dead, but she lives on," Kadian said, "In you. In Bellamy, Abby, Raven, and Madi. She lives in your hearts."

The tears kept flowing. Madi. Clarke's death and the Flame were bringing her to the point of madness.

"Clarke lives on in your memories, your hearts," Kadian continued, "In the stories Monty and Harper told Jordan, in the stories everyone will tell of her."

"What if we want her back?" I asked, "What if the world is a better place with her in it."

Kadian sighed, "If part of her lives in you, then you have an obligation to do better. In her memory, for Monty and Harper. For Jordan.
For me."

I nodded, still crying, "What use is her memory in my heart when I'm dead?"

"You are dead," Kadian said, "As we speak, the others are trying to jolt you back to life."

"Should I go back?"

Kadian shook his head, "You've only been gone ten seconds. There's someone who'd like to see you."

All of a sudden, I was back in my old classroom, facing my teacher.

"Do you know why you're here?" She asked.

"No," I answered. This felt like I was seven years old again, in trouble for playing too rough.

She smiled, "Do you remember nothing I taught you?"

Her fist landed in my face, and the sheer force of the punch sent me across the room.

"Right now, they're trying so hard to bring you back to life," she said, "I told you to survive. I taught you how. So live."

Turning around, I saw a pale, nervous girl with wavy black hair wearing a pink dress, "Maya?"

"Hello, Sky," she said, "They still need you. I can't stay for long, and neither can you. You need to come to your senses."

There was a sudden pain on my chest as new air was forced into my lungs.

"Get up," she told me.

Turning around, I was face to face with Month and Harper, "Come on, your a fighter. So fight it. Get up."

I turned to face Jasper, "I thought we were the problem. But sometimes we're the solution. So do better. Get up!"

Turning between all the ghosts from my past, I heard them all telling me to get up. I didn't know how.

It all came rushing back to me.

The pain, the emotions. I felt the bullets hit me all over again. I felt every shock lash, every drill going into my bone.

I was screaming on my knees until someone pulled me up.

"Mother?" I asked.

"I'm here, baby girl," she smiled softly, "I want you back so much. I've missed you. But they need you. Go help them."

I turned to my father, "Go on, stardust. Go save the world. We'll still be here when you're ready."

I smelt the cinnamon, the fish, the lavender and rosemary. The fresh pine forest.

I listened to the birds chirping wild I'll, the water flowing past the rocks, the wind through the trees.

I felt my mother's warm embrace, my father's rough hand around me.

I stood up and walked back towards the darkness, away from the beautiful light.

"Leidon," I whispered. Goodbye.

I saw Kadian's face one last time. The tears began to pour.

"I don't want to leave you. Not again," I cried.

"I'll be here when you're ready," Kadian smiled, "Go save the world. They need you."

I nodded, stepping through the portal, "May we meet again."

"May we meet again," the darkness circled around him.