And it slowly begins
It was the middle of the night when Stelle woke up. The girl suspiciously eyed her room. She could hear steps and faint breathing, yet she couldn't pinpoint its location. The golden eyes were startled, darting from one side of the room to the next one. She could feel her heart beat faster.
' Why? ' Was the only question in her brain. ' What have I done?'
The girl carefully and slowly removed her blanket and stood up. Over the few years, she has learned to trust her instincts, and when her gut was telling her something is wrong, then it meant something was truly wrong.
Stelle always knew that for some reason she was different from her family. Not because she was kidnapped, not even because she acted differently, no.
She was never sent on any mission. She was kept away, perhaps hidden from the world. Stelle knew that.
'Not willingly.'
That was a single sentence that appeared in her mind. Her heart started to hurt, and it got harder to breathe. Shivers rushed down her spine. Tears caused her vision to go blurry. It all made sense. She was stupid. Her stomach started to turn, sickness taking over her.
She rushed towards the doors, desperately trying to open them, moving the door handle down, yet the doors weren't opening. She was trapped. Some sort of gas started to fill the room, her body was getting heavier. She started to breathe into her shirt, but it was too late.
"Ka...Kafka..." Her voice was weak, filled with grief and pain. Her body was getting heavier, and her legs were giving up. With a loud thud, she fell on the floor, tears freely running wild.
Her time was up. So many thoughts and so many memories raced through her head. Her world was slowly getting darker and darker, her eyes looked at her window, and she could see a falling star in the distance. A sad smile appeared on her face.
'Mom...'
Then came pain. The most unbearable pain the girl ever felt. Then, it all faded into nothingness, just like she did.
Little Stelle was standing in front of a window, staring at the stars, as they slowly drifted through space. She quietly stood there, her hands pressed against the glass.
"It's quite late." Said a voice from behind her. Stelle looked at Kafka who was walking towards her.
"I know." The little girl answered, looking at the stars.
"You like the view?" Kafka asked, standing closely behind her, she could feel her mentor's eyes on her.
Stelle didn't answer. She just continued looking. Something, in her heart, was aching, but at the same time, she felt happy, and yearning. She didn't struggle with learning at all, yet emotions were so complicated for her. She understood how life and death worked even though she was a 'small girl.' It didn't take her too long to understand that the people she was living with had some rules and that she was living with them for some reason.
Stelle after a short while looked at Kafka and nodded. The older woman placed her hand on Stelle's head and gently rubbed it, causing the small girl to smile and lean into the touch.
"Something on your mind?"
"Is it so easy to see?"
"You don't act like other kids, so what's wrong?" Kafka got on one knee so she could look into Stelle's eyes. Stelle looked out of the window once again before she looked back at Kafka.
"I don't know. I feel so many things and I don't understand them."
"If you want to talk, you can. I will listen." Kafka's voice was soft. Stelle relaxed and took a deep breath. She knew that her mo... her mentor wouldn't mind if she was honest. She felt like she could only be honest with Kafka.
"It's like... Something is pulling me out. Every time I look at the stars and planets... I feel like I should go explore them. Something in me wants to go out and... go on an adventure, I guess?" Stelle played with her fingers, looking again out of the window.
Kafka remained quiet, knowing Stelle wasn't done.
"And... Then when I think about leaving, it... it hurts. It... It reminds me of Dad." The girl said, looking at Kafka, tears in her golden eyes. Kafka's eyes widened at those words.
"My dad also traveled worlds. He read his notes to me. I can remember his voice... I can remember everyone's voice." She shivered. "But you... You got rid of him because he wasn't useful anymore... right?"
Kafka couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could Stelle know about this? The girl was in a tube when it all happened, and it was a secret. Kafka wasn't sure how to react. Her heart was aching, the girl she was raising grew so close to her heart, and it was hard to imagine being without her.
Stelle must have sensed it and wrapped her small arms around Kafka. Her mentor pulled the little girl closer to her and gently rubbed her back. Her little star was calm, which added some more confusion.
"I don't think I'm angry about it... I don't think I'm sad either." Stelle's voice was weak, she pulled away away from the hug. "I'm just... scared."
"About what?"
"Will... Will it happen to me too?" Stelle sniffed. "Will you get rid of me as well?"
Kafka's heart broke once more. She gently patted the little girl. Stelle stole her heart, and Kafka adored her... little daughter.
"Stelle, do you know why I named you like that?" Kafka asked as she picked up Stelle and walked with her towards the window, allowing the girl to enjoy the view of the galaxy. Stelle shook her head.
"It means 'star.' You are my little star. You shine brighter than any other star. I would never let you go. Not willingly." Kafka's voice was soft, tender, and filled with love. This was a side of Kafka only the little girl could see.
"I'm sure eventually, you will go on the adventures you yearn for so much," Kafka said with a smile as she pressed a small kiss on Stelle's head.
"Will you be there with me?" Stelle asked.
"I will... be around. I will watch over you, now and forever." Kafka said, their heads bumping into one another, causing Stelle to chuckle. The two stared out of the window, together, enjoying the peace.
"Look!" Stelle pointed into a corner of the glass, there was a falling star. "What's that?"
"It's a falling star. If you make a wish, it will carry it across numerous worlds and eventually make it come true."
"Then... Then I wish to never forget about Kafka!" Stelle said, louder than normal. The star seemed to blink at Stelle's words.
Kafka watched the little girl giggle in her arms, knowing how painful the future will be for her. She was proud of her Stelle, even if the little girl had so much to learn. Yet some things worried her...
How could Stelle remember? Could it be because she was created and grew in the tube for so long? Was it due to the forced knowledge in her brain? Kafka had no idea about the answer to these questions, and she doubted she would ever find out.
There was one more question she had.
Why did her little girl yearn so much for traveling?