Photography by Unsplash
By: Bree Duwyn
A long time ago, the Sun and Moon fell deeply in love. To prove this immense love, the Sun sent countless scintillating stars to light up the night sky. Determined to return this act of devotion, the Moon decided to visit the Sun in the sky one afternoon. Very soon after, the Moon began to grow.
Once the Moon was full and could grow no more, she gave birth in the night, to a brilliant child. The Moon wept tears of joy, thanking the Universe for such a gift. The child’s skin was as pure as the Milky Way, luna dusted freckles graced her cheeks, and her eyes shone like speckled golden rays of sunshine. The Moon kissed the baby’s forehead and smoothed her hair, a cascade of vibrant constellations.
“I’ve got you, my little star,” whispered the Moon, rocking the child gently.
Years soon passed and Constance, the daughter of the Sun and the Moon, grew up between dusk and dawn. However, Father Sun and Mother Moon decided it would be best for her to live on Earth, where they could watch over her. So, when the time came, Mother Moon kissed her child and sent Constance down to Earth, in the form of a shooting star. As she soared down to Earth, Constance felt a warmth spread throughout her body. She didn't know it at the time, but someone from Earth had wished upon her. Constance landed in the sea, cerulean waves sweeping her to shore with the help of the tide, thus initiating her new life on Earth.
As the months turned into years, Constance spent all of her time on the beach, living in a quaint cottage she built herself on a grassy knoll that overlooked the ocean. Each day, she walked the shore, searching for shells or sea glass to add to her collection, humming songs she would make up in her head. She spent gloriously bright mornings with Father Sun and evenings looking up at the stars, talking with Mother Moon. They each brought her light, but were unaware of how lonely their daughter had become.
One night, when she decided to sleep in the sand, curled up in a cocoon of blankets she had knitted, Constance again felt the warmth within her heart. With the resurgence of a feeling she had not experienced in years, she dropped the driftwood she was using to stoke the fire.
“Mother, I feel it again,” Constance said, clutching her chest. She looked up to the sky, but it was unusually foggy and her mother was hidden by dark looming clouds.
Constance decided she would keep this a secret from her parents. Maybe if she willed the Universe hard enough, she could determine why she had felt such a strong pull, a tether she has forgotten until now. There was no sense in worrying her parents, although Constance also believed deep within that this was not a menacing phenomenon, not even close.
Constance quickly put out the fire, watching the embers hiss with the sudden contact of sea water. Stifling a yawn, she headed back to her cottage, an idea blooming in her mind. Constance decided to sit on her window sill, scanning the night sky for falling stars, hoping to feel the warmth engulf her heart once again. She pressed her forehead against the glass, a hot cup of freshly brewed tea cupped in her palms.
The last time I felt such a strong energy was when I came to Earth. Mother had said I was the brightest falling star she sent to Earth. Perhaps…
Constance slipped into her thoughts, dismissively staring out her window. She wondered if any more stars would fall.
Meanwhile, the Moon had been watching Constance. She felt a heavy sorrow for her daughter, as she observed the girl scouring the sky for stars. Soon, when Constance was asleep, and the Sun began to rise, the Moon called out to him.
“Our daughter is lonely on Earth,” she began.
The Sun saw the worry on the Moon’s face. “We visit her every day and every night, how could she be lonely?”
“It may appear that she is content, but I see the way she looks at the stars, waiting for someone to reclaim their wish.”
The Sun contemplated this, then, a thought came to mind.
“Perhaps their wish is her wish?”
The next morning, Constance woke up with her cheek pressed into the window pane and a chilled, unfinished cup of tea. She startled, and quickly regained awareness of her whereabouts. She had fallen asleep sitting in the window and now, the Sun’s rays filtered into the glass cottage, casting beams of illuminating light, sending specs of dust into a dreamlike flight.
Constance decided to wish her father a good morning. While the birds chirped a cheerful tune, she hurried down the front steps, all while being caught up in her thoughts.
Why waste time looking for something I will never find? Constance thought glumly, her toes dipping into the white sand. She peered up at the sky, waving to the Sun.
“Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?” The Sun’s voice echoed, an incredulous smile upon his face.
“Yes, father. However, I have not been able to shake the most peculiar feeling.”
The Sun nodded in understanding. Constance sat herself in the sand, drawing her knees to her chest.
“No need to worry any longer, Constance. Your mother and I know that you long for a companion. That is why, we’ve decided to find you one.”
Constance was puzzled at her father’s words, until she saw an object in the ocean, growing closer. She scrambled to her feet and approached the shore. A sailboat appeared, large burnt orange sails flowing in the gentle breeze. Constance’s heart picked up when she noticed someone at the helm of the sailboat, a peaceful hand waving like a flag.
The glee on her face was undeniable. Her wish was coming true.
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