✩₊˚.⋆ Estrella ☾⋆⁺₊✧ PAST “Mom, what do I do if I ever get lost?” It was 10 PM, but instead of lying in bed, my mom and I were lying on the meadow next to our home. Every night, we’d always go out there to gaze at the stars. She laughed at my question, then started coughing heavily. I turned my eyes from the sky to her. “Are you okay Mom..?” I asked. She just responded by pointing at the sky. “You see that star right there?” I looked to where she was pointing and nodded. “It’s the brightest one in the sky. Whenever you get lost, just look for it. The star will always guide you back to me. Now no more silly questions hun.” As a six year old child, I couldn’t understand what she meant by that. Was a star going to come down from the sky and hold out its hand? Was it going to walk me back to my mom? I only thought about what my mom said for a few more moments, before my eyes couldn’t stay open any longer, and I drifted off to sleep. My mom scooped me into her arms and brought me back home. She gently covered me up with the dark blue and yellow blanket she got me for my birthday. She planted a gentle kiss on my temple. “Good night mi estrella brillante.” (My shining star) PRESENT Once again, it was 10 PM, and I walked to *our* meadow. The only difference was that I was fifteen now, and there was someone missing beside me. I stood by the gravestone practically covered in tulips, my mom’s favorite. I dropped some more that I picked out earlier at the flower shop in town. Without thinking, I started humming the tune my mom used to sing to me when I couldn’t sleep. I glanced at the stone, before abruptly turning away. Just looking at the gravestone made my heart throb, and my eyes teary. Eventually, I turned to it. “You know, I finally understand what you meant now Mom… about the stars leading me back to you. It was never about that star was it? You-“ My voice cracked, and I struggled to find my words again. “You were the star. My star.” At that point I could barely hold back my tears. “You knew about the sickness didn’t you? It was tearing you apart and dimming your light, and I couldn’t do anything about it. I let you die.” The silence had never felt so heavy. “Mom… I’m lost again. Dad misses you so much, and I’m trying not to fall apart for his sake, but I can’t do it anymore.” I collapsed onto the floor, letting my tears water the grass beneath me. “Come back mom. I need my brightest star again.” Just then, a light in the shape of a human came towards me. And as it got closer, I could make out details of its face. “Mom..?” She didn’t say anything, just gently touched my face, wiping the warm tears away. And suddenly, the silence didn’t feel so heavy anymore. It felt gentle and calm. Finally, she gave me the hug I’ve been needing for so long. The type of hug that instantly makes you melt and erases all of the pain you’ve been feeling for years. “Never stop shining Estrella.” And just like that, the light died down, and my mom was gone again. I was left with nothing but empty arms. But I knew she was still with me, even if I couldn’t see her. She wouldn’t want to see me like this anymore. She wouldn’t want to see her daughter crying every other night, and constantly sinking further into the darkness. It was time to meet new stars. But no matter who I meet, I knew I’d always need the brightest star of them all. My mom.
my submission for round one of AOTA <3 prompt: there are many shining stars in your sky, but one sparkles the brightest
