The Little Fallen Star

• Eric Din, Grade 6, St Joseph's School
• Short Story
• 2016

Finalist in the 'Top Secret 2016' competition

The illuminating stars outside of the atmosphere. “The atmosphere made up of made of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, 0.03% carbon dioxide and small percentages of other elements,” I muttered to myself. Star by star as they start to shine in the pitch black sky as I hear the wind bristling through the trees as everything becomes dead-silent. I head to bed as the vivid, bright moon rises into the dull sky. The world seems so blank in the night as I watch the stars shine brighter and the world becomes darker. I gaze upon the trillions of stars and see the beautiful constellations of Sagittarius and Aquarius. I feel good inside but it started to rain, water poured down from the sky as I watch the night become gloomy and the headlights shone bright, it reminds me of a lighthouse, leading a lost boat back to shore with its light. I look to the sky once again and see Leo and Aries (I’m not much of a star-gazer but I am fascinated by them) then as I opened my window, a sharp light headed to me, I reach out with two hands- ‘BUMP’. “Wh..wh..who ar..r.are you? Wh...where a..am I” the little star questioned hesitantly.
“Don’t worry, I am a friend, I won’t hurt you,” I reassured it.
“Oh, thank the stars above!!” he pleaded with joy.
“Why are you here?” I him questioned with curiosity.
“I’m not sure,” the star replied.
“Hmmm, so what do you do in the sky?” I asked again.
“Lots of things,” the star replied sadly.
“I am usually with my family, oh the happy times we had!” he pleaded joyfully as he became gloomy again.
“Do you know how to get back to the sky?” I asked, worried.
“Well, as the elders say, one day you may have to fall to the Earth.” he replied.
“So, what’s your name?” I asked.
“Staka, meaning second chance,” the star answered back.
“Oh, well it’s only fair if I introduce myself. My name is Lachlan!” I replied.
“Ummm... Hi Lachlan!!!” Staka shouted joyfully.
“Well, we need a way to make you go back to the sky,” I stammered.
“Well there is one way,” Staka declared.
“Every year, there is a rocket that blasts into the sky through the element-filled atmosphere and into space. But the hard thing is that you have to place me onto the top of the rocket,” Staka spluttered.
“But the blast off is on Friday!!!” I shouted, trying not to wake my parents up.
On Thursday, Lachlan called the Government and informed him and he called him to Canberra by plane. He went with his family and arrived in the afternoon and showed the star to the government and he approved of it then he asked his work-men to put it onto the rocket ship. Lachlan was pleased it went smoothly.
Then on Friday, the rocket blasted off and Lachlan shouted sadly “Goodbye!!!”