"Mother, can you tell me the story about the sun and moon again?" Young Adeleine asked, tucked in her blanket, pleading with big doe eyes.
"My sweet little sunshine, how many times have I told you that story? Hmm?"
The young girl pursed her lips. "But, it's my favorite. And I keep getting nightmares so I don't think I'll be able to sleep if I don't hear it."
Guilt-tripping her own mother... Desha amusedly smiled. When did her daughter grow to be cunning?
"Alright," she said as her lips touched her little sunshine's forehead.
Desha drew the thin curtains to let the night light flow in. The girl's starry eyes sparkled and grew in size seeing the luminance patron govern the sky.
"Mother, look, it's full today!" she pointed outside her window.
Desha nodded and said, "There was once chaos across all lands. Rivers would flow backward, the earth overturns the sky, mountains would sink and turn to oceans, the ground would shake and sprout volcanoes, it was warm but the next thing, it would snow; there is nothing that separates night from the day; time is non-existent. No stability, no balance. Everything is discord. The world will tear if it continues on—it's on the brink of its own destruction.
"But in the blank canvas above they see, two circles of opposing personalities. One that is bright, and one that is void. The people cried and plead for a miracle, to the flaming bright circle in the sky: it emits light that gives hope; it burns and gives warmth. All the while, they feared what the black hole would do. It stared at them with nothingness and they cowered away from its sight.
"And upon a miracle, the bright circle must have heard their prayers. A golden drop kissed the soil and bloomed a radiant flower beholding a child of gold. The SunDrop child blessed the land with fertility and light but it became too bright for the people to bear, too hot for wear. With more pleas, people begged to the bright circle and to their savior, but there was nothing they could do. And upon that faithful day, the people woke up to see everything dark and sparkles littered the endless expanse. The void stared back at them with a frightening beckon to its end endeavor to which the people hid in their homes once more to let the night pass. They thought the sun abandoned them. The black circle nestled power in the soil and sprouted a luminescent flower that bore a blue child. The MoonDrop child blessed the land with night to where the people rest and sleep. As the darkness passed, the horizon burst into a ray of colors, burning and hot. People rejoiced seeing the sun once again and thanked the SunDrop child for returning. Then it would set to give way for the MoonDrop child to raise the moon. That gave birth to night and day; it gave birth to time. Everything was set to balance."
The young child yawned as her heavy eyelids lazily blinked. She gave out a satisfied sigh and turned over to snuggle her pillow as Desha brushed back fringes tickling the child's nose. Her lips painted a soft smile.
"They say eyes are windows to your soul. Oh how I wish to keep that sparkle in your eyes bright. Goodnight, my little sunshine," she murmured. She pulled the blanket to tuck her in and gently closed the door.
Serenity enveloped the room like a cool blanket and a faint breeze tousled the curtains. The room was only filled with the child's rhythmic breathing.
"Why are you still here?" Adeleine shot up; darkness shrouded her vision. The sight of the familiar room greeted her, a room far back in her memory.
Her eyes flickered in each corner until it landed on the bed where young Adeleine was tucked in. But instead of sleeping, she caught her staring right in her direction. Her diamond eyes gleamed turquoise blue.
Confused was an understatement. At the same time, her unwavering gaze gave Adeleine goosebumps. She wanted to move, she wanted to look away, but she can't. Instead, she was glued to her spot.
What is this? Why is she staring at her?
Again, the child spoke, "Why are you still here?"
Her voice rang in her ears. It wasn't human.
I-
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
"You miss her, don't you?"
Young Adeleine pulled the blankets off, her gaze piercing down the depths of her soul. Her stare...is unnerving.
The child took one step closer while Adeleine's heartbeat steadily rose. The child looks like her...
"You wanted to see her, don't you? That's why you see her here every single night."
Cold sweat ran down her back. She couldn't feel her body; she couldn't breathe.
A small pair of cold hands cupped her cheeks. It was like ice.
"Don't you feel ashamed? You're here living your life, while she died protecting you."
Her thumbs caressed her skin, tracing circles on her rosy cheeks.
Adeleine couldn't breathe. She wants air, she needs oxygen. Her lungs begged but her body doesn't allow her to.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
She wanted to say it so many times, but she knew it wouldn't bring back anything. It wouldn't bring her back to life.
"Awww, don't feel bad now. Mother said it's bad to make a friend cry. But I have no friends... It's true, isn't it? You hid. You ran away."
Her knees buckled under all the pressure. Her eyes... she couldn't look away. It bore straight through her.
The child's forehead touched hers, her eyes never breaking the lock. Her voice came out as a sharp whisper.
"Coward."
Adeleine gasped awake. Her heart thundered against her chest like a murderous storm as she tried to catch her breath. She clutched the hem of her blankets, squeezing her eyes tight before letting her thoughts flow. It was like a messy haywire unwilling to uncoil.
She took a deep breath and exhaled. Her hands were shaking. What was it that made her like this? What did she dream about? How can she not remember now?
Stain tears blurred her vision. It was annoying, to say the least. She felt like crying.
She hastily wiped it away. No. I'm not weak. I'm not scared.
She almost didn't want to say it out loud, fearing that a voice would whisper back at her with sinister echoes.
Wait... This almost felt familiar...
"...Moon?"
Nothing replied. She exhaled loudly. Why would she think of that? Moon hasn't replied to her since forever. It made her think that she was only a figment of her imagination after all... A lonely revelation of never being able to have friends.
When she told her mother then, Desha would only laugh. Her young self wouldn't have understood such pessimistic realism.
She tiredly sank into her bed, arm over her eyes. Her cheeks were wet.
There's something important in that dream. She had a fleeting sense of euphoria and familiarity. It wasn't vivid but... she remembered the nights when her mom would constantly tell her tales of her favorite stories. There was one particular story she was fond of.
However, everything after that...was a blur.
She wanted it to last longer. If only she knew something like that would only become a distant memory, maybe, she should have cherished it more. She should have asked for more.
But does she really deserve more?
"Screw everything."
She doesn't want it, yet she didn't hate it. In that brief moment, she was grateful... that memory was something she could never get again.
She turned over and soft silver light poured on her bed. The full moon could be seen through her window.
Beautiful yet melancholic...