Lost Stars

Chapter One

All seemed still, as though the entire universe had lost the conception of time, and Earth had stood still with no meanings of retaining life again. Ocean currents formed by a single drop of liquid that came from the mountain tops, creating puddles that transitioned into rivers, and generated by streams, simply laid flat; no sense of movement, no glimpse in life. It was as if all hope was lost into the abyss, with only a single point of light to be seen, but so far, that it could never be obtained.

The Sun was never present, just clumps of clouds and solitude. And yet, there were always eyes taking a glimpse outside from their windows, to see if any life had grown to present itself out on a front lawn or extend towards the skies, in hope that some day the Sun would drop a single ounce of shine among them.

Only the Winter could do that. The season, in which it brought running noses, fogged vision, and nonetheless, congestion, not only caused the spread of sickness, but the sense of heartache from desolation. The Summer that you had once fallen in love with was no longer existent. The grain-sized, delicate flower you once knew was now nothing more than shattered pieces of dust. And, as the crisp air brought chills running along our spines, we depit nothing more than of the past we once knew, the memories that were created and later destroyed, and the never ending pain that remained within us.

It was a late Christmas Eve, only a few minutes left before the clock would strike twelve, and although it was the season of everlasting joy, there was nothing but silence to be found in a small motor vehicle in which a mother, father, and their two children sat among as they attempted to stride along an iced road. Many cars were in sight, which had caused traffic along the highway. It seemed as though they weren't one of many families that had decided to go out into the city on a Christmas Eve, for they had gone out to dine in early celebration of, who was now, their only daughter, Audrey.

"My God!" John, her father, shouted from the top of his lungs. The steady pace of the many cars in front of him nettled his being. "Why the hell are there so many damn people on the road? I mean, come on, people! I think it's safe to say that I have a pretty good damn reason to be out here in the middle of all of this. I'm not quite frank about the other hundred people out there."

For twenty years had Audrey's mother, Emma, been married to such a complaining, angered man. She had grown to become used to her selfish husband within her years, and yet at this particular moment, there was nothing more she wanted but to listen to him not speak.

"Hey, John, how's about you do us all a favor and keep your eyes on the road, and your mouth shut?" She nagged him.

John took a glimpse of her from the corner of his eye for at most a second before he could look back onto the road. And he smirked, out of anger, for he was ready to begin the never ending discussion of all the things he was doing wrong.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I say something wrong again? Was there something wrong with what I said this time? Please, Darling of mine, tell me what was the misconception, because all I am doing, wife of mine, is discussing the lack of visibility these human beings have on the road. Like, I know it is the middle of the night, and everyone's trying to get home to their loved ones for Christmas -" John took a deep breath and continued on. "But my question is, 'Why the hell are we on the road? We are the Adams! The only left! So, what I don't understand is why Audrey couldn't just celebrate her special occasion at home!"

Audrey let out a chuckle as she listened to her father pointlessly rant. She squinted her eyes and peered through the rear view mirror, eyeing him as she spoke.

"Actually, Dearest Father, I wanted to take the day off from all of my shenanigans and rest away from all your bull, instead of dining out to a restaurant whose service is as bad as its food, but nooooo!"