Oh, fell a star in a terrible roar. The sky shivers by the fire who dare triumph with the whiteness of thunders. But now, only the remains of the mine could survive the collision.
*Scream* The principal room echoes with her scream, filling the air with shock as she steps back in horror upon the creature. Her dampened scream through the wooden door makes it echo back at her.
"What are you? What in the looks of hell are you?" Eve leaps.
"Woah, friend. Watch out. You shouldn't crawl there! That's dangerous!" The creature softly approaches her, knowing nothing about her apprehension of him. Eve struggles around the couches while looking again at the being with nervousness.
"I'm not doing this. NO! Stay back!" The girl grasps tightly onto her spot. Still, she was holding onto a book.
*Crack* "Ouch!" The creature was hurt by her throw.
What a terrible look for a man. These scattering silica and lithium were brewing maliciously upon impact, and their essence released sparks of life, birthing a new living being like no other. "It is alive!" The star is as conscious as the living thought.
Unfortunately, the couch is not a perfect place to step as a student. Only a slip of her shoe and she fell by her head and rolled out awkwardly. Confused and terrified of the creature still, she could only distance herself from touching the gleaming rocks.
"What are you? Who are you? If you're trying to kill me, don't even try getting closer!" Broom is her only best friend to defend herself against the creature. Although it would've been a fragile attempt to poke at the creature's skin.
"I'm not going to kill you." It reassures her that no malice shall happen.
"I'm here to help you from your boredom!"
"You think I'm stupid? Who am I to trust a creature like you?"
*Crack* "Ouch! It hurts!"
*Crack* "Hey! Don't do it!"
*Crack* "Oww!"
*Crack* "Hey!"
"You're quite resistant for a creature...should we try something bigger?"
"No! Please don't do it! Not here..."
*Crack* Fall an unfortunate vase from the table.
"Fuck! Mr. Witz's going to kill me."
"I'm not dangerous! Listen to me! You're going to get yourself in more trouble if you do!" The creature hides behind the principal table.
"Alright? When are you going to tell me you're not going to kill me?" Eve stops.
"Yes! I am innocent! I promise!"
"H-how do I know?" She felt nervous.
"Because I haven't killed you yet! Also, I wouldn't do it in here. Would be unwise to let you go out there...dying...alone."
"Sad." The creature cleans the furniture Eve left to broken.
*Broom* *Broom* *Broom*
"What is this now? You're the second thing I have to look at twice today..." She aims her palm at the creature—brooming his way out of the trouble.
"I don't know what to say about you. A blue dwarf creature, in an abnormal skeletal form...and you're made of rocks." She rants over the office before she calms her breath down—sitting on the couch with her legs spread and elbows leaning onto the knee.
"A monster...are you a monster? Is that what I'm looking at right now?"
Ignorance gets the best of the librarian. She took her chance to reach for the star in a reckless push out of curiosity—leading her closer to the shimmering stones before her—in the hope of learning the sky.
"Actually, I was made of sparks. These pebbles come free with my conscience...but I am a monster. In a certain sub-species title." The creature educates her.
"Your body. Not that I care, but...are you by any chance...a construct?"
"Of course not! I'm alive. I don't even have a creator. I'm all by myself! Oh, that's sad..."
"I didn't see your lips. Are you...wearing a face?" She approaches closely from the furniture.
"Nope. This is my face! I...may look expressionless because I don't have a mouth. But I can speak and hear you clearly..."
"Oh, finally! I got a real deal to ask." She brags.
"But...what does this mean? What's with you here and...going after me...and...and...all of this is nothing as I was hoping."
"H-how..." She became speechless, but she was not eager to stop to ask.
The girl grabs the creature by the head, "Am I hallucinating? Or maybe this is a dream that symbolizes another thing upon me? My doom?"
"Wee! Hehehe...!" The creature enjoys his time.
"No. My doom is way long ahead. And they wouldn't send me a dwarf to tell me." She threw the creature into the trash bin. It stood up by floating its limbs above his shoulders, anchoring itself to nearby furniture.
"Where's the principal? What did you do to him? You didn't slay him, right?" Eve glances through the extended arms.
"He didn't come to this class. This is Monday! He never goes here until 13.00..." He pokes the calendar, searching for the current date where it hasn't been crossed yet. Today, it was October 2.
"How do you know that? Who are you? And why are you looking at me?"
"That's what I'm trying to do, friend! I'm Charger. Charger the Great! Just the one you need in this harsh time on autumn when you have nothing to do!"
"I've been looking for you over the past ten days since I arrived here, and I've been keeping an eye on you since! It's all as I expected."
"You're stalking me? That's what you're trying to say?"
"W-well...I wouldn't consider it stalking—it's more like, uhm...friendly supervision?"
"Oh, that's really...nice of you." She stared long at the creature. The talking stone figure was not just her imagination or a late daydream. Everything was as present as the pencil that poked her back.
"A real creature. Talking to me..." She stares speechless at it.
"W-what is happening around here? Why do I keep finding things I shouldn't? First, that prince...now this?" She grabs the creature again.
"What do you want, creature?"
"Help me. I need your help to brought me high above the sky to complete myself." Ask the star instead— a surprise to the librarian's ear. The librarian was alleviated in arrogance. Hearing the monster calling for her help makes her feel contemptuous.
"What? Speak English!" The girl scolds.
"Oh, am I too short? I mean, I need your help to aid me above!"
"Aid? Above? Me? Who are you? And why should I trust a stalker like you?"
"Because I'm the Great Charger! And you are the perfect caretaker—I mean, helper for this situation!"
"And you need me because you think I can make a perfect sidekick for you? Forget about it..." A displeased girl slaps her face afterward.
"You think this is funny...? Even if this is real...if you are...standing at me...what comes into your thought to look after me. I can't trust a talking stone with retractable arms that could kill me anytime. Let alone everyone here looks at me differently than yesterday."
The creature looks at her with pity. The discontent on her face brought it to console her doubt with a reaching hand. Gently, it kneels one knee for her behind the couch where she is hiding.
"Is there anything you wouldn't want there? I'm sure everyone loves exploration like I do..."
"Well...Maybe if you gave me an otherworldly Snickers, I would spend at least two hours to help you on that..." Her eyes roll out as she bargains with the creature. It puts a smile on the creature's head.
"Sure! We have a lot there! What's your flavor?"
"I...wait, what am I doing? I'm out!" She storms to the door.
"Wait, where are you going? I haven't done yet with my greetings! We haven't even eat the welcoming cake I made you!" The creature had a present for her. A cake kept within a plastic cover with a poorly written name of "Charger" and a blueberry sugar cream covering over the top. Edible as it may sound, the cake is not, unfortunately.
*Opening door* "I don't even know you! You're stalking me and you expect me to trust you? And out of all people, why me?"
"Because why would I choose those people when I can choose you?"
"Yeah...I'm out." She slams the door shut. The poor creature stands speechless at her immediate and insensible leave.
"Aww...I should've made a better cake." The creature ponders at the still-fresh cake on the plate.
"I hope it's not because I made it poorly..."
The librarian would later belittle the star with discontent. Her never-ending curiosity soon turns into a play that confounds the creature with shame. What an uttering rage for the star to be ashamed! But how little for a human like her to let the star be angered.
[South Hallway]
"Friend! Friend! Friend! Wait! Please, don't leave me!" The creature tails from behind, reaching its friend far while he can walk free within calm hours.
"Ugh..." The girl stops.
"Charger...what is it?"
"Please, listen to me! I need your help! Really!"
*Beep* *Beep* Through copper wires and components of a broken watch, the clock is as functional as a smoker's lungs in their 60s.
"Oh, no. It's 12.00 already? This is not good...the hallway would've been crowded by...30 seconds."
"Good. You have only 30 seconds before the class beside me is done. And when they are done, you'll have a gap to wonder the rest..."
"I swear I was trying to help you! And as I want to be helped by you too!"
"Really got me on a nerve again, huh?" The girl slams the locker door, leaving the corner filled with noise.
"Whoa! What was that? Did someone come over here?"
"Aah! No!" He panicked.
25 seconds left.
The creature begs for her, "I swear by the brittles on my shoulder! I am trying to save you from this place! The horrendous quality could not be bear by you!"
"Poetic. But wrong!" She slams again.
"Hey! Stop that! I'll go out!"
Letting her guard down is a big mistake, for the star took its chance to seize her mind. Unamused by the star's attempts, the librarian left an open spot for the star between her crossed arms—A "pure" heart of a human who believes in the warmth light of the sun. The star had another idea.
"Tell me now. You want to go for the third one?" She prepares her fist on the slightly bent locker door.
"No! Please, listen to me!"
20 seconds left.
"Okay! Okay! I'm telling you! The truth!" The creature starts speaking transparently to Eve.
"I am tainted with crimes in my world and I couldn't return! I need you to help me clean my name to prove my innocence! It's what I've been trying to do in this place!"
Eve replies, "I have a lot of questions. And I'm not sure which one to ask."
There are 15 seconds left on the clock's needle, and if the bell rings at 12.00, then time will spare nothing for Charger to act.
"It's not my crime! Mostly it's all accident but I can't plea otherwise! You're the only one who can help it!"
"I said clear." She reminds him again.
"I mean, human! Humans are the only one who are trusted in accompany with creature! They wouldn't let me do it myself unless I have..."
"Me? Then, why not Cyrus? He's human, too."
"Because you're the only one who has the key to the door! Your emotion! Your thoughts! All the cold and grim shaped the key to unlock!"
"What door?"
8 seconds left.
The "fool" played along with the librarian, allowing the beating heart to be lifted from the arms of an arrogant librarian. Soon enough, the looks grew evident to the eyes of the star—ready for a shot.
"The inter-realm door! It's the universal access to travel from world to world. Just like how I ended up here! It can only work with two things: A stone and negative energy! A strong one!"
5 seconds left.
"Stone? What did you make here?"
"Please, friend! I really need your help! I can't do this myself..." Kneel the boy in his pathetic excuse and rubbish look. Lower than Eve's knee, she was begging himself off as the footsteps from the left class started tapping out.
*Bell Ring*
Fool to the arrogant librarian who ignored the priest's word as the star had stolen her heart in her ramblings. Void fills the rest between her chest, with a soft chime of a bell reminiscing the last of her life.
"Noo!!!"
"Fine...come here!"
The girl escorted the boy just in time as the door slammed open, releasing the students from Mechatronics and computerization study to the hallway. From the gap between the two pillars, they witness the unnoticing students head to the north for lunchtime.
"Did you guys hear something? Sounds like someone banging a locker door..."
"Probably some winds blowing on shutters or someone from the cafeteria blowing stuff again."
"Phew! We're safe! That was close, right?" Charger stood relieved between Eve's legs.
"Is it?" Eve stared sharply. "Why don't you tell me more about your journey somewhere else than here? Wouldn't it be nice to wait at my home?"
"But I knock on your door! You never answer..."
"You know what? Let's leave this place and act normal. Once this class is over, you and I could have a look over that "crime" you've been mentioning."
"I just need you to help me do whatever they want me to do. I heard it's like a community service."
"Augh! Thank you for reminding me why I hate you..." The girl steps off from the hiding spot. "Stay hidden. I'll go get my bag..."
"Don't worry. I have a tool for this!" Charger raises his watch.
*Fade away*
In a moment of an eye, the girl watches as the creature disappears into thin air within a second. But his presence can still be felt by the wind through the ripple.
"Woah..." The girl stood amazed for a second, only to realize the wavering temptation.
"I mean, good to know you're not blatantly coming at me with nothing. Now stay quiet and don't move too much..." The girl walks out from the hiding spot.
"Okay, Okay! I won't, human!" The creature begs.
In that cruel and cold wrist it held onto, the librarian sparks in the curse of servitude to her new master, the star of no sky's reach. Weakened in a cold venom—less than a human in control—she reaches the creature desperately for help, partaking herself in an absurd and regretful decision.
"Yo, Eve!" Yelled from afar, Cyrus finds her standing in the hallway. The new student and his new "friends" were heading in a crowd towards their position.
"Aw, Dion. I didn't know your muscles were that strong! You must practice a lot, aren't you?"
"No, I just had a good gene. That's all...but I doubt I have anything to share right now..." Dion remains proud of his fans.
"The road's getting bumpy here. Need to keep an eye..."
"Aww, that's even better!"
*Faint* "Of course. That's even better...why even bother?" He quipped.
"Ugh, why this place out of all?" Eve glances in disbelief. She stood in an open hallway with vibrant school decorations and a striking color theme that couldn't be left unnoticed.
"Well, well, well...if this isn't the lady in trouble. Fancy meeting you here...at the south hallway." One girl appears unamused at Eve's presence, while others have their leave to the class.
"An unamusing presence? Is that what you want to say?" Eve kicks Charger softly to the wall, feeling his invisible presence with her shoes.
*Faint* "Umph!"
"Well, you might as well leave this school while you could...seems like you didn't have anything else to care about here?" One boy stood boldly at her face.
"What? Say that again?" Eve confuses.
"Uh oh..." One can feel the tension brewing between them.
The students round between her, cornering Eve to a locker as she feels her presence threatened.
"I'll be waiting on the courtyard. Hope the teacher won't mind if I waited there..." Dion left the crowd to their craving for Eve.
"Ow, what am I saying? He won't..."
"Truly, you've never had a life, Eve. Don't you know that? It's been years and you never changed at all. You've been doing this whole bully thing since the first year and we give anything you want..."
"We thought you could've been a rare case. But you're just a bitch who treats everyone like your pawn. Who are you to hurt our new friend?"
"It's time we talked about how your attitude is so immature. How are you supposed to live with that? Spending your life on a book thinking you're a genius because you're flipping pages?"
Eve replies, "What are you guys doing? You want to get hit or something?"
"See? That's what we meant. You have no wits to answer a simple question. You're a coward, Eve."
"You've been in this school for too long and you still thinks you'll get everyone to your knee? Who do you think you are, moonlight?"
"Why are you still pushing me?" Eve grew aggravated, but the others still stood nevertheless against her will.
"What would you ever do in your life now? Would you ever stare at someone else like you did with those books? Saying a lot about being tough among us?"
"You're so bold about everything but showing some answers. All you did around was evade a direct speech. I could tell to your parents forget about you every day because you never talk to them."
"Don't you..." She pushes forward for a grab.
Before she could finish her words, the others gave her a surprise on her face. Cyrus and Eve were shocked by this unexpected threat while restrained in their position.
Buk!
She fell into the locker, holding her blackened eye as she recovered from her wound. Others stare disappointed at Eve, not even a chuckle to share with Cyrus. Only an angered face, having enough of the one they had ignored for too long.
"I dare. I'm afraid..." The girl coldly uttered.
"Woah! Okay! Okay! That's enough. Can we just go now?" Cyrus stops.
"Someone had a wit to be an idiot today, are they?" Eve rubs her wound unfazed.
"Yeah. I guess we can go now. This is a waste of time...have fun doing nothing for the rest of your life. Cause that what's going to hit you when you're leaving this school."
"Oh, and the teacher just told me you just got a penalty mark for what you did with Dion. You know what that means, right?" A girl approaches Eve.
"Oh, Eve is in trouble! Ooh..." The crowds laughed harder, and Cyrus grew ickier at them.
"Come on, everyone. Dion is waiting at the courtyard!"
"Woo! We're about to eat big today!"
"We already eat, fat boy! Is eating the only thing you had now?"
"I'm still hungry, you know?"
They all depart from Eve, leaving her for Cyrus to handle. The poor girl leans helplessly with her blackened eye as she watches everything faintly with one eye, dampened to speak further after a hit. As if her bravery was shredded by a hit.
As usual, Cyrus comes to her aid, trying to get her in check before she could. A bruise on her eye wasn't a problem, but the lack of response from Eve bothered him.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know what happen there. I just..."
Eve stops him with her palm, "Leave me alone. I don't need anyone right now..."
"Oh, okay. As usual, I see..."
"Look, Eve. I don't think you should let this go again. The case is seriously threatening right now. You got 3 penalties on one semester! You know what that means, right?"
"You won't pass this semester with your current state! You're about to fail! Even worse, your friends had already ditched you!"
"I don't have friends," Eve wipes her eyes.
"I mean, We need to improve this now! I'll get you prepared for study or anything if you want to. Just tell me if you need more books, okay? I'm still open to that!" The boy left her, still in worry.
"Alright, you can come out now, " she signals. The boy dismantled his cloak with pencil dust and wax on his face.
"Phew! That was close! Imagine what happen if we get caught there. Right, friend?" The creature walks in relief after enjoying the empty hallway once more.
"I'm not your friend. And what's that on your face? Clean it, you freak."
"I'm sorry. I'll clean it in a minute! I think whoever had the locker must have had a bad day..."
"Don't speak to me now. Don't." Eve commands with a cold palm. Her tone shifts lower with a more angered yet calm voice as she holds a grudge over her defeat.
Does the cost of this star come with her pride? The librarian felt a striking guilt as she carried the star to her arms. The warm source of its light seems to be the only thing that could brighten her path to the city. That's what she had feared to happen.
As the creature awaits her in the empty hallway, Eve ponders at her loneliness with contempt.
"I hate this. I fucking hate this."
"Those people had some balls to hit me at last. But why am I not surprised? They never liked me either..."
"This is the worst day ever. Why did I have to be here?"
"Please make it ends quicker now. I don't want any of this at all."
"At all..."
"And there was that thing walking around. What am I owing to him, anyway? He's just a stupid creature."
"Stupid and evil. Evil monster...evil wishing star."
Lights are fading, the world's darkening, and the sky gleams in a greyish frown. Doubt fed upon her eyes, leaving her thoughtless to the future with only a star to carry. The librarian had crossed the righteous boundary and stepped into the other side of the world.
The only thing she could welcome was the vivid sight of the star calling for her name in the clouds. Promised by a knowledge, owing to one. The curious cat fell into the mouse trap—just like the star that fell, thinking it would be in the eternal sky.