You Are My Moon And Stars

• Eva Salisbury, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2018

Lightning struck over a horizon of mountains, igniting the indigo sky with a luminescent glow, thunder roaring in the distance. I gazed at this exotic scenery through the window, which was slick with water, as rain hammered onto the glass pane. Tuning the radio, I sat in the cushioned seat of the vibrant yellow vehicle, as it trampled over the muddy route. Strands of grass sprouted through the crevices of rock, coating the tyres with thick mud. The radio erupted in a series of ear piercing screeches before a voice issued from the device,
“Challenger ready for take-off.”
In chorus with the radio we chanted,”10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1,0."
“Challenger has taken off,” embracing my mother in a hug, we cheered.
“70 seconds in and there appears to be a decrease in speed,” lightning came striking down from the heavens, pouncing on its prey, a shower of sparks erupted, and the mountain collapsed into an avalanche.
“73 seconds in, Challenger has lost speed and is rapidly losing altitude,” all hell broke loose, as we were trampled by a stampede of rocks. The bitter taste of blood swelled at the base of my gums. I felt the lacerated flesh on my forehead, the tissue exposed to the dim light. Splintered branches skewered through my eye sockets. My limbs aching in agony, as I cried desperately for help, but all I could hear was a silent ring echoing in the depths of my eardrums, as a curtain of darkness closed on top of me.
“Challenger is down, I repeat, Challenger is down.”
***
I woke to the rigorous sound of beeping, a bandage wrapped around my head. The cotton surface was wet with blood. My eye lids fluttered open, but all I could see was a vast desert of darkness. Rising my hand, my palm brushed against my mother’s cheek, which was drowned with tears.
***
Guided by my mother, we strolled past the brick bungalow, its rooftop stained with time. The familiar scent of home drifted away, replaced by the calming aroma of the night, accompanied by an orchestra of crickets. Leaning towards my ear, she whispered,
“Open your mind.”
And with those words a vast sea of stars appeared, mounted upon a violet sky. Alighting the night sky was the moon, blanketed by a misty haze, casting shadows across the placid scenery of my surroundings. I may be blind to the galaxy of reality, but not to the galaxy of my imagination. And once again, I didn’t just feel my mother’s hand clenched around mine, but saw it too.

THE END