Lina Fischer - The Falling of the Stars

I wasn’t able to look him in the eyes after what had happened; there are some things you can’t put aside, after all. He lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes, and I wasn’t sure what to expect.

“Please look at me, Astoria. I’m sorry for how I behaved, it’s just that I’m done waiting for someone that maybe doesn’t even want me,” he said quietly.

“Eden, I love you more than anything, but you just saw what happens if we don’t stop that right now. We can’t work, as much as we want it to, it won’t,” I said, talking into his chest.

“I know, but it’ll take me some time to process this. I don’t think we should see each other until then,” he mumbled, and with that the song ended and he left me stunned.

As I made my way over to the bar, I suddenly felt someone bump into me. I almost fell, but the stranger caught me with his hands on my waist. I looked up into grey eyes, staring at me.

“I’m sorry for bumping into you, are you alright?” I asked the handsome stranger.

“You were quite lucky, that fall could’ve torn your dress easily,” he smirked.

His ginger hair shone in the light from the chandelier, and I couldn’t get past the thought that I must have seen him before; there was an instant connection.

“Do I know you by any chance?”

“We’ll meet again soon, Astoria,” he said before disappearing into the shadows.

The Last Dance

I made my way up to my mother, who stood across the room talking to some of the guests. I greeted some of them on my way over and she put her arm around me.

“Astoria, let me introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Fray,” she said joyfully.

“Darling, let me tell you, you look remarkable in this dress!” Mrs. Fray exclaimed.

“Oh, thank you so much, and thank you for coming!” I told them.

“They lead a very successful academy in the north,” Mom explained.

“Wow, I always wished to attend an academy, but I just never had the opportunity,” I said wistfully.

“Well, from what I’ve heard you would be a great student at our academy, and it would be our pleasure to welcome you,” Mr. Fray said.

I blinked. Did I really just get an opportunity to do what I want most?

“I think we’ll have to talk about that first,” Mom exclaimed with a sweet smile that didn’t reach her eyes, and I knew that it was a lost cause.

“It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. and Mrs. Fray,” I said as I shook their hands.

I took my mother’s hand and lead her onto the dance floor.

“No, Astoria, please, you know I don’t like to dance!” she said, blushing.

“Mom, come on, please, it’s my 18th Birthday!” I exclaimed happily.

She took my hand and we started to dance to an upbeat song. “I remember dancing with you when you were a little girl. You would always step on my shoes and get them dirty, so I would have to take them off,” she said, raising her voice a little over the loud music. She was beaming with happiness. I can’t remember seeing her as happy as she is right now.

“You only let me stand on your shoes because I wasn’t able to walk!” I protested. She chuckled and we danced happily, singing along with our whole hearts like we used to do when I was little.

Eventually she said she had to check on her makeup, and with that she disappeared.

I went to get some of the delicious appetisers, that was the best part about these balls after all.

The First Encounter

A high, familiar scream pierced the air. I searched for a familiar face in the crowd as the guests jostled to get out of the ballroom.

I spotted Eden in a corner, talking heatedly with my Dad, and I knew that something bad must’ve happened. I searched for Mom in the crowd, which seemed to get less crowded with every second that passed.

“Where’s Mom?” I screamed at the top of my lungs, and the two of them quickly schooled their expressions.

“Astoria, everything is fine, Mom is safe, don’t worry,” Dad said, but I knew better. I saw the look on Eden’s face, and there’s nothing that could’ve convinced me they were telling the truth.

“Don’t lie to me on my own birthday, I know damn well that nothing is fine! Where is Mom? Where is she?” My eyes began to burn, and I felt tears falling down my cheeks. I knew that Dad wouldn’t tell me the truth, so I turned to Eden and asked once again where Mom was.

“Astoria, it’s too late, there’s nothing we can do for her. The only thing you can do to help is to come with me right now,” he demanded.

“What do you mean it’s too late, too late for what, Eden?” More tears flooded down my face, and my vision started to go blurry. What is happening? Why won’t they tell me the truth?

“Eden, please answer me!” I said quietly. I saw that it hurt him to stay quiet; his eyes were set firmly away from mine.

I noticed that the room was empty and there was no one else but us inside. The only thing I heard was my own heartbeat, racing faster every second.

“Tell me where she is right now!” I yelled at them.

“Astoria come with us, it is too dangerous for you to be out here!” Dad demanded.

“I won’t come with you if you don’t tell me where she is right now!” I raised my voice so it echoed in the grand ballroom, and when I didn’t get a response I ran.

I ran as fast as I could, and soon I was too far gone to hear whatever Eden screamed. I ran and searched for anything that could help me find her. My gown was too long to run in, so I tore it apart, barely covering my knees now. I ran until I couldn’t breathe, so confused, trying to process what was happening.

In that moment I heard the loud scream again. This time it sounded even more pained, and I knew why the voice sounded so familiar. It was Mom.

I tried to find the direction it came from and fixed my hair as I started to run towards the throne room. Passing a mirror, I saw that my mascara was all over my face, my hair was a mess, and the once beautiful gown was destroyed.

I ran and heard more and more screams and pushed the door open to find something that would haunt me to the end of my days. My eyes searched the familiar room that I had spent so many days in crying from laughter.

I spotted Mom in the middle of the room, struggling against someone I had never seen before. “Mom!” I screamed, and I felt the tension ease as I saw that she was still alive.

From the unknown figure came a voice as dark as night. “What a delight, seeing the guest of honour after all this time!”

“Leave her alone, you monster!” Mom yelled, and I immediately knew that this wouldn’t end well.

“Who are you?” I asked the figure, and as he turned, I saw his face for the first time.

“Oh dear, don’t tell me you haven’t heard of me. I am the most powerful of them all!”

“Why are you here, what do you want?” I asked angrily.

“I want you, and the power that you hold.”

“What are you talking about? What power?”

He seemed to enjoy this far more than he should. “Amaris, don’t tell me that you’ve kept that secret from your little girl all this time?” he said, amused.

“It is too dangerous for her to know what she’s capable of…” Mom said, so quietly that I could barely understand her.

“Mom, what are you talking about, what kind of power?”

“Yes, Amaris, tell her,” the figure said sarcastically.

“I can’t, I’m sorry sweetie, I am so sorry for everything,” she said, her eyes glistening.

“Well then, let’s see if you live up to expectations, my child.”

With that, my mother flew across the room and collided with the cold wall with a sickening thud.

“Mom!” I cried, and rushed to her side. “What did you do to her, you monster?” I screamed, but before I could say anything else I was hit with a foreboding orb that crept up my body and stopped right before it reached my heart.