USED UP
The whole sky seems to be twinkling. Thousands and thousands of stars are too far away for me to see them, but I know they are there. They can see me. The yellow cusp of the moon definitely has a lady sitting in its lap. Her hand points down, down, down right at me. I close my eyes and speak to her. 'Little Lady of the Night, please be careful or you will fall, maybe land in a big ocean and dissolve into nothingness.' I've wished on so many stars that sometimes my wishes come true. May I wish on you before you change your shape and disappear completely?'
A greenish cloud passes over the cusp and when it is gone, so is my lady.
A greenish cloud passes over the cusp and when it is gone, so is my lady.
Looking further, into the depth of blackness, the bright North Star appears, silvery white. 'Mr. Star, please let my mommy buy me a new dress for Delly's birthday party. She had a pretty one for my party, blue as the summer sky with tiny white buttons, a flared skirt that squished when she walked. A few times I thought she was singing but it was her dress talking to me. Mommy went without me and brought home a red and grey plaid dress that I hated the second I saw it. How I cried for her to take it back to Millard's but she was stubborn, put it on a wooden hanger and left it in my closet.
'Mr. North Star,' I sobbed. 'Please make my mommy take back that ugly.
dress. Please, please. I'll be good all summer.' My eyes were tear heavy and I fell asleep. Right before the morning sun should shine on my bed, I heard a fire engine, clang clanging down the street. Mommy was screaming, running to get me. She pulled on my arm until I thought she broke it. The engine screeched to a stop in front of our house. Mommy pointed, screamed where the two firemen should go. 'Upstairs, upstairs! Smoke is in my daughter's closet.' One carried a big fire extinguisher. I heard the noise it made while I waited on the pavement. Mommy hugged me, kissed me. 'Thank god,' she kept saying. 'Thank god I woke up and smelled the smoke.' I didn't start the fire but maybe Mr. North Star granted my wish. The new ugly plaid dress that Mommy had bought for me was soaking wet. The closet rug was burned a little bit. I don't ever play with matches and I didn't start the fire. Daddy was away on business until the week-end. The more I thought about it, the more grateful I was to the North Star. I had to wait until night time to thank him for scorching the dress I hated.
dress. Please, please. I'll be good all summer.' My eyes were tear heavy and I fell asleep. Right before the morning sun should shine on my bed, I heard a fire engine, clang clanging down the street. Mommy was screaming, running to get me. She pulled on my arm until I thought she broke it. The engine screeched to a stop in front of our house. Mommy pointed, screamed where the two firemen should go. 'Upstairs, upstairs! Smoke is in my daughter's closet.' One carried a big fire extinguisher. I heard the noise it made while I waited on the pavement. Mommy hugged me, kissed me. 'Thank god,' she kept saying. 'Thank god I woke up and smelled the smoke.' I didn't start the fire but maybe Mr. North Star granted my wish. The new ugly plaid dress that Mommy had bought for me was soaking wet. The closet rug was burned a little bit. I don't ever play with matches and I didn't start the fire. Daddy was away on business until the week-end. The more I thought about it, the more grateful I was to the North Star. I had to wait until night time to thank him for scorching the dress I hated.
He was gone for two nights in a row as heavy rain clouds dropped a river of water on Bethesda.
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