Shooting Star

• Myra Hughes, Grade 10
• Short Story
• 2020

Love can be poison too. It starts sweet and harmless but the more you drink, the further you fall, overdosing, time continues, consuming you until it is no longer sweet but bitter, burning your throat, creating bile as you gage it down, you can’t stop it as it's slowly killing you from the inside out, starting with your heart.

***
She was brave, courageous, intelligent beyond her years and yet there she stood at the kitchen sink utterly alone. Her gaze was distant as she watched the stars growing further away, blurring as tears one after the other began to fall. She felt helpless. She had tried so hard. she had doted on him, loved him with all she had and yet it still wasn’t enough for him to stay and yet she was more than enough. She was tired, in her soul.

A little tug at her shirt brought her back to reality as she stared down at the owner of the hand, her face softening and clearing. “Mummy what’s wrong?” the little girl asked, “where’s Daddy?” The Mother picked up the little child and held her tightly before explaining. “See those stars up there?” She asks, pointing out the window, when she catches the little girl nodding, she goes on, “Well you can see them but not touch them, they light up your world and yet aren’t yours to have, they look upon us and provide light for us and yet their job always comes first. They’re there to protect us from the darkness. Oh look, a shooting star,” the Mother exclaims softly, “They are what it’s all about, when you see a shooting star it lights up your world, answering your wish as it travels to its destination. A star returning home to its loved ones. Your Daddy’s a bit like these stars and one day I hope he becomes a shooting star, on his way home to the life he’s missing.” The Mother stops talking and looks down at the little girl, snuggled up in her arm, fast asleep. She tucks the girl in, brushing stray hairs away as she leans in to kiss her forehead and says softly, “One day you will understand but tonight I hope you sleep well and know that I will never abandon you. Goodnight my beautiful girl.” And with that the Mother left, wiping her final tears away as she gazed once more at the sky.
***
The years past, seasons blending together. The children grew and yet the dad never stopped leaving. It was his duty, he said, to serve and honour but he didn’t acknowledge the pain and damage it was causing. Every time it was just the same. It always ended with the Mother, a once beautiful, happy, naive girl left alone. Each trip was like another vile of poison until it started to show its effect. Until it started to show the cracks and decay it left in its wake, until it all became too much. She was too tired. Even when he did return it wasn’t for long and he wasn’t really there, not really. Every shooting star the Mother wished on was never hers.