Starlight in the Heavens - 5. Chapter 5

Part 5 - Jo

It was time. If I was to be honest with myself, it was past time. They were pure souls, given to one another, and they needed to understand the pain they felt at separation.

Dreams since our day of meeting. Never had the dreams begun so soon. But then, had I ever before come across a binding such as this? Had I ever before come across such open souls?

Shaking my head, I looked at the reflection of the woman staring back at me. She was average, just as she should be. Average height, average build, nothing to unnecessarily draw the eye. Yet, their dreams began the day they met her.

I tried to remember what had transpired in our first meeting, but it was fuzzy. Nothing was really clear. Except. Half and complete. The eyes in the mirror grew wide as the memory of my first words made its way to the fore front of my mind. I stared into the mirror and watched the change to the eyes looking back.

“Half and complete.”

It is what they are. Or rather, what they were. Half when alone, complete when together.

The eyes grew brighter, the prisms pushing their colors out, into the glass and shining back. The reflection in the mirror changed and I saw his face. His face, her face, my face.

Starlight.

Oh, for it to be night. I wished to see the faces of my loved ones. I wished to dance, to rise in the night sky, and be joined by those that had gone before me. Such beautiful souls, so full of promise. Extinguished by a world of bigotry and hatred. A world where difference is ignored or snuffed out, even though it is everywhere around. Each snowflake different from the next. This world thrives on difference and it is being torn apart by the ones that would seek to shape and force everything to singular conformity.

A bitter laugh escaped me at the thought of this world conformed. Out of balance. Such fools. They would rip their own hearts out if they were ever to truly meet their maker.

Enough. The time has come.

I saw the reflection of the woman staring back at me. I would show them what I am. I would show them what they are. And our journey together would begin.

“Josen, are you sure? Are they strong enough? Is their bond pure enough?”

I closed my eyes and answered with a smile. “I am sure.”

***

When the door opened, I was greeted by Joshua.

“Hey, Jo. I’m glad you could come. Would you like some tea or soda?”

He was nervous, sending quick, furtive glances toward the kitchen as he led me into the living room. It was hard for him to have Alex out of his sight.

“Do you think I could have a brandy?”

“Oh.” He stopped walking and stared at me as I sat in the corner of the sofa and pulled my legs up. He’d never seen me drink anything but tea, water, or soda, and assumptions do run rampant in this world. The shock on his face was rather comical.

“It’s okay Joshua. I am of age.”

“I’m sorry,” he said with a shake of his head. “I didn’t think you drank.”

“I don’t... usually.”

The look he gave me was both understanding and confused. Interesting. I wondered just how much these two would figure out on their own.

He nodded, “Okay, brandy.”

He left for the kitchen and I turned around to rest my head on the arm of the sofa. I wanted to see my front lawn from their house. I wished I could remember the day I moved in better. It might explain why their dreams started so soon.

“Jo?”

I turned back to face the living room and took a snifter from Alex.

“I hope apricot is okay. Joshua doesn’t drink brandy and I’m afraid I have a sweet tooth.”

“Apricot will be just fine. Thanks.”

Mmm, this was sweet. I held a small sip of brandy in my mouth and closed my eyes. I could see and taste so many different things in this single small bit. The fruit, the tree, the earth in which the tree was planted, sugar, yeast, water. I swallowed, and smelled the fragrance of the brandy in the snifter and on my breath. I could feel the warmth of the alcohol spreading through my body. It was similar but opposite the warmth of love. This warmth flowed out through my fingertips; love flows in and rests in the soul.

I could feel Alex’s gaze studying my face. He understood the taste of the brandy, though, I doubt to the same extent.

“What do you see?” I opened my eyes when he didn’t answer. He had his own brandy, so I nodded at his snifter. “Taste it, and tell me. What do you see?”

He took a small taste, and, as I had, closed his eyes and let it rest on his tongue. Joshua came in with a glass of red wine and sat in a recliner, watching Alex carefully.

Alex swallowed and answered. “Color. Amber, gold, green.”

“And what do you feel?”

“It’s warm. Makes my fingers tingle.” Alex opened his eyes and asked, “Why?”

“I want you to do the same thing. Only this time, with Joshua.”

“He doesn’t like brandy.”

“No. Joshua, stand behind him. Hold him close to you.”

There was an immediate change in their faces, in the color of their skin, in their very posture as Joshua’s arms wrapped around Alex. No tension, no nervous jitters. Alex again took a taste of the brandy. He closed his eyes and rested his head against Joshua, fitting in perfectly beneath his chin. Joshua kissed the top of his head and I saw something I hadn’t before.

“Starlight.”

My eyes snapped back to Alex’s face.

“Orchard. Night sky. Running brook. Child.”

His grip on the snifter relaxed. I could see it begin to slip. Joshua took it from his hand and pulled him over to the recliner.

Settled in with Alex, now sleeping, against his shoulder, Joshua looked at me. “Jo, what’s going on?”

Again, I saw what I had missed before. There was so much more to them. Why didn’t they tell me? I have to find out what transpired on the day we came in contact with each other.

“The day we met. What happened?”

Joshua looked confused. “What do you mean? You were there.”

“Yes, but it isn’t clear to me. I remember meeting Jack, loading furniture and such on his truck, and leading him here. I remember starting to unload the truck... and then it starts to get fuzzy, very unclear. I fell, and then you were helping me to the porch.”

Incredulous, Joshua stared at me.

“You don’t remember him throwing your stuff out of the truck? Practically dumping your sofa down on top of you? How could you forget something like that?”

“Why would he do that?”

“Hell if I know. You said he didn’t like your answer. I figured he made a play for you and got pissed off when you said no.”

“A play?” Things were starting to come together.

“Yeah, a play. You know, tried to force himself on you. Maybe he copped a feel and you pushed him away.”

“He touched me! He kissed me!” Now it all made sense. “No wonder it was unclear. A dirty soul. When you came to help, was there any time that both you and Alex touched me at the same time?”

“Yes?”

“Half and complete.” Alex’s eyes fluttered open and he turned to face me. “That’s what you said. And your eyes were starlight.”

My eyes were starlight?

“I remembered the words earlier today," I said. "It is what you are, no, what you were. Half apart and complete together. It is the reason for your dreams. It is the reason for your need, other than the obvious.”

“The obvious?” Now why would that statement confuse Joshua?

“Are you not in love? Do not all in love need each other? Yes, the obvious.”

Joshua actually blushed at my answer. “Alright, but what about the obsession we have for you? Why do we dream about you? Not that you’re not pretty, but you’re not exactly our type.”

Oh it was too funny. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Joshua, you have no idea just how true that statement is. There is not a human in this world that would place me as their type. I am not what you see.”

Joshua pulled Alex closer to his chest. He was protecting him, shielding him. From what? I could see he didn’t yet know. All he knew was that to lose Alex would be to lose himself.

“What are you?”

I could hear the stress of fear in his voice and it made me a little sad. There was a time when those like me were not feared but welcomed. Our touch brought joy and completion to their unions. That was before the need for dominion overcame the need for love and acceptance.

“I am many things.” I had another taste of the brandy. He said he could see a child. “I am what is needed for those who wish to accept me. For you, I am the binder of your souls.”

“No. We were one long before you came.” Joshua said.

“Mmm, to a point.”

I set my glass down to free my hands. They would be needed to show them. My hands began to glow, both blue, but one light and the other dark.

Joshua’s eyes grew wide as he watched, but oddly, Alex stayed very calm. In fact, he drew himself up and curled gently in under Joshua’s chin, and sighed. Could it be, he already knew what I was about to show them?

“This is what you were before I came.” I held my hands apart. “Half.” I put my hands together, lacing my fingers. The blue combined, joining and blending at my fingers. “And complete.”

As I pulled my hands apart, the color separated into two distinct shades again. “Do you see?”

Joshua nodded and absently brushed his cheek against Alex’s hair. It was there again and I paused to watch as wisps of silver stretch out into the air. Bringing myself back to my explanation, I again laced my fingers.

“This is you now.” The blue was again combined, but as I pulled my hands apart, the color didn’t separate. It stretched and grew tight, visibly pulling my hands together again. “This is the pain you feel. The incomprehensible need you have to be connected.”

“There is more."

Alex's voice was soft, gentle, almost a whisper and it caused an instant reaction in Joshua. I could neither say nor do a thing as he raced up the stairs with Alex held firm in his grasp.