Short Stories

The Stars in the Sky

Dedicated and written for Sharon.

"One star, two stars, three stars, four stars..."

I blinked a few times and stared back at the ground. Most of the grass felt like needles, but there were a few spots that were quite soft. I picked a small flower and twirled it between my fingers.

"Five stars, six stars, seven stars..." my sister trailed off.

"You'd have better luck counting the blades of grass," I snickered and let the flower drop to the ground.

"Paige!" She turned and looked at me, peeling her eyes away from the sky. Sam's eyes reminded me of stars. Not like they were full of stars, but each eye belonged in the sky. They were grey and full of light.

I squinted at her. "Saaaaaam."

"Paaaaaaige." Sam flopped onto my lap and stared at the sky again. "How many do you think are up there?"

Numbers ran through my head. Thousands? Millions? New ones are created and even more are constantly dying as the universe expands. I combed my fingers through Sam's hair as I thought. "More than you can count," I hummed.

Sam flicked my chin. "Infinity and beyond."

We sat there for a few more minutes, Sam still insisted on counting the stars. Her voice filled the empty field, beautifully peaceful. I sniffled and swiped at my eyes.

"Paige?"

"Do you think he's looking down at us?" I whispered, asking myself more than my sister. "Is he wishing he was on earth with us tonight?"

I was talking about my father. He's not dead, but he would be sitting in Earth's orbit, in a space station. They were supposed to call him back a month ago, but then decided he had more work to do.

Sam shifted in my lap and produced a photo from her pocket. It was torn at the edges, and was worn like fabric from her grubby fingers always touching it. I remember the picture being taken; we moved to a new house and the four of us- my parents, Sam, and I- stood in front of the it. I held my sister in my arms as my parents kissed behind us. That was five years ago.

I kissed Sam's forehead. "You always know how to make me feel better."

"I know." She let her hair spill out into the grass. "Can you braid my hair?"

"Hm, I suppose." Sam's blonde hair matched mine in style, but hers was a little darker. I enjoyed braiding it. And once I finished, I picked a few of the small purple flowers and stuck them in her hair.

"Are you putting grass in my hair?" She asked.

"I wouldn't do that." I pulled up some grass and dropped it on her face.

Sam swatted it off and sputtered. "Hey!" She jumped up and started walking.

"Are you going back?"

She nodded.

"I guess it's getting kind of late..." I pushed myself off the ground and caught up with Sam. "What do you want to eat when we get back?"

My mother always insisted on working, even though my father's job gave us plenty of money. She said it was something about a sense of accomplishment. But it ended up becoming taking late shifts... and less time for me and Sam. So I learned how to cook and it's usually just me and my sister.

"Grilled cheese?" Sam suggested.

"And tomato soup; you've got to give me a challenge." I winked. "I'm a master chef, so I can make soup and sandwiches at the same time."

Sam rolled her eyes. "So complicated."

"Hey." I bumped into her shoulder. "Do you know anyone else who can do that?"

"Yeah," she laughed.

-

I blink a few times before rubbing my eyes with my wrists, trying to avoid my sooty fingers. It helps that it's starting to drizzle outside, cleaning my hands, and that maybe people won't be able to tell if there's tears or rain on my face. But mostly it helps putting out the fire on the second floor of our house.

The flames lick the frames of the window as the curtains catch fire. Firemen arrived a few minutes ago. Their truck is now pulled up to the house, pouring water on the flames. After I assured them that no one else was home, they were focused on the fire.

Another car pulls up, and my mother gets out. She runs up to me and hugs me. "Oh, thank goodness you're okay." She kisses my forehead and hugs me again.

Two more people get out of the car, and I freeze. It could've been from the rain picking up speed, but it was probably from my father walking up with my sister. They must've gone to pick him up and rushed here when I called. I would move forward, but seeing him here, and now seems so unreal. My stomach churns. He wasn't supposed to be here while the house was burning down... it had to be the three of us greeting him at the airport, a sign made and everything.

But maybe it's not too bad. He holds his arms open and I hug him, burying my face in his windbreaker. Suddenly it turns into a family hug. Maybe... this is what I needed.

"Dad, I'm sorry, I knocked over a candle and-" I start.

"It's okay," he says.

"I'm just glad everyone is alright," my mother says.

Once the fire is put out, I walk back into the room. The candle I had been so careless to leave inside the room burning, sits in the trash bin next to a singed blanket from Sam's bed. The two of us have shared a room for as long as I can remember, but I feel horrible for this happening to our room. Her side had taken the most damage. Mostly her stuffed animals. I pick up one and inspect it. The teddy bear is slightly singed, but it's better off than some of the stuffed animals are.

Sam walks in after a few minutes, and she takes in the damage. "So much is burnt."

"You know, we'll go shopping, and I'll pay for it myself," I offer, passing the teddy bear from hand to hand.

She sits down on my bed, since hers is stripped of all its sheets. I sit next her, and she promptly drops her head in my lap. It's been a while since she's done this, maybe a few years. Now Sam is bigger, she's not as small so she can't curl up completely in my lap. I run my fingers through her hair, thinking of the stars.

"Not everything was burned," I say.

"Hm?"

I drop the bear in front of her and she pulls it into her chest. "You always know how to make me feel better."

"I know."