. the starman .

in the old attic of dusty thoughts and old motivations, beyond the collected stamps of foreign lands and the random butterfly wing, sits a girl with dusty fingers flipping through pages of an old diary. above her head are cut out stars strung by string and bits of tinsel. from the portal window, the sunlight streams a waterfall of golden exhales of a bellylaugh and a cigar. and in the corner, tucked away from sight and light, the old Wurlitzer sits ready to sing perfectly poised in anticipation of the crank of the curtainman to begin the show. it suddenly begins to rain...

"... and i waited there with the golden glow and hum of the streetlamps to keep me company. damn, it was cold. it wasn't like the starman to be late. he was most punctual and most of the time early and anxious. my stomach twinged with suspicion.. i looked up at the sky and it was eerily empty. orion was late for his performance. the twins weren't in their places and the seven sisters were nowhere to be found.."

thunder roars. he makes his war call. the old one-eyed cat races across the creaky wooden floor to find a hiding place. the young girl pops her head up and begins to scans the the room like a small animal watching for its predator. 'it's just the rain. it's just the rain. it's light outside. it's only rain,' she tells herself as she nestles her face into the collar of her woolen sweater until only her eyes can be seen. she turns the page...

"... i dug my hands into my pockets and found the feather of brenna. she always left me little reminders of her just when i needed them. i couldnt recall how long it had been since last we spoke. with the delbchaem war over, there wasnt much communication over the lightwaves. we lost touch... but she was always so sneaky. i stood there grinning with a onyx plume in my hand just as Nightwatch dropped down from his silver strand...

caught in her spell again, are you? he laughed knowing that he always caught me in the most human of times.

i coughed and ranted, where is starman. have you seen the sky?

yes, i watch, remember? he spun around like a trapeze artist practicing for the afternoon matinee. he whirled and dismounted with a half twist that left golden sparks against the blackness of night. i dont know. it seems very strange for him not to be here since he is always on us for being late. have you channeled Neeva? she's bound to know...

i was hoping that i wouldnt have to do that. i saw Siofra earlier tonight and she was up to something.. "

'neeerrrNoooooo one to talk with, all by myself, no one to walk with, but I'm happy on the shelf.. ain't misbehavin'... the Wurlitzer began to sing. the girl squeaks and drops the diary. the portal waterfall disappears as the dark clouds smother the day. the attic is washed in an odd blue light.

the girl rushes to the corner and luckily finds a friend, the cat. the Wurlitzer cracks and creaks. soon the sounds of sskip sskip ssssskip ssssskip ssssskip echo throughout the cavernous walls. the stars catch wind and dance over head while two stars shoot down to land on top of the diary. their tinsel ends still dancing in a strange draft. very slowly, she looks around and inches along the wall to the other end where the window lives. she takes a chair and places it at the base of the portal. "it is just a storm. there is nothing there. it is just a storm and there is nothing." with a half-bitten lip and a heavy exhale, the girl places her foot on the chair and pulls herself up. her face is cast in deep cyan and her eyes double in their natural size.

the window breaks and a sweep of air steals the girl away like a lost balloon.

to be continued...