Estrellas: Book 2

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: UNITING

(told in perspective of Matthew Crustello)

As we reached the top, my parents stood there smiling, almost expectantly. "Are you alright?" Andrometa looked nervous as I took her hands.

"Yeah, I just haven't really done this before." I watched her awkwardly look down and shuffle her foot on the gravel below.

"Neither have I." I gave an awkward laugh and scratched the back of my neck.

"It's just kind of odd having the fate of the entire world relying on my first kiss..." She blushed and then looked down at her feet again.

"Don't worry it'll be fine." I tried to reassure her but failed miserably.

"Looks like your as nervous as me." She laughed.

"Yeah, I guess so." I gave a sideways smile and her face grew redder.
I laughed, then our eyes met, her eyes showing the same determined look she had always had, buried beneath a sea of embarassment. Her hair covering her face in a shy manor I had never seen before. I brushed her hair away and she broke our eye contact.

"What's so funny?" She gave an embarrassed smile.

"It's just, I've never seen this side of you before." I smiled and she looked into my eyes again, longingly.

"Yeah, I guess this side of me doesn't come out too often." She shuffled her feet again and I just shook my head.

"Ahhh, what the heck." And before she could ask, I pulled her in and kissed her, she was knocked off balance for a second, then she wrapped her arms around my neck, and I wrapped mine around her waist. The mountain around us started glowing with bright beautiful colors, the strange darkness I had known for most of my life had all disappeared, all because I was with the one person I loved, Andrometa. As we slowly broke apart, I noticed my parents beaming with pride, then, they started fading away.

"I love you Mom and Dad, always and forever." I whispered into the wind as they disappeared. The landscape started changing, barren fields became luscious crops, drought barren creeks became teaming with water and fish, the droopy dim forests had brightened up and wildlife roamed through them once again.

"Oh, so that's how it works..." Andrometa laughed, finally realizing what was happening, "...where did your parents go?" She gestured towards the now empty stone pathway.

"I think they're in a better place now." I smiled and looked towards the sky as the sun and moon shined brighter than they ever had before. Suddenly we heard a loud bang come from beneath us. The mist cleared and we saw the battle below, people were hurting each other, the war still continued on.

"Wait what? I thought that we just ended the war!" Andromeda's face became concerned.

I shook my head, "Maybe we know the war is over, but they don't. They still think the sun and moon are at war, the Medias still think they are buying us time..." I trailed off.

"But, how do we help them?" Andrometa started to tear up, "How do we stop a war? How do we tell them that they don't need to fight anymore?"

"We make a speech." I told her with determination, I grabbed her hand and dragged her after me down the stairs.

"Wait what?!" Andrometa almost tumbled down the stairs as I dragged her behind me.

"We make a speech, we tell them to stop."

"And what if they don't listen?" Andrometa asked concerned.

"They will."

"How do you know?"

"I just, know." I stopped and took Andromeda's hands in mine, "Look, if you don't want to do this, I won't make you, but I can't sit here and let all those people face death when they don't deserve it." I gave her a loving look, let go of her hands, and started walking back down the stairs when I felt a hand grab my left hand.

"No, it's not that, I just don't want either of us to get hurt again, I mean what if someone shoots at us?" I turned around to face Andrometa and gave her a faint smile.

"Then we face it together." I leaned over and gave her a light peck on the cheek. She smiled and we both walked down the stone stairway. When we reached the bottom, we found a gory battle field, shots were ringing through the valley, screams of pain and anguish echoed around from everywhere, reminding me of the echoes of my dreams, and the pain Andrometa had been through. Andrometa put her fingers through mine and grasped my hand tightly.

"Together." She gave a determined look and I smiled, lovingly.

"Um, can I have everyone's attention?" I yelled faintly. Nobody even stopped to glance at me.

"HEY EVERYONE LISTEN UP!!!!" Andrometa yelled, gradually, the entire battlefield stopped fighting, and everyone gave me a confused look.

"Thanks Andrometa." She gave me a nudge and I looked out towards everyone in the field.

"Four decades we have been fighting, and where has it gotten us?!" I paused for effect, while everyone started to turn to one another with confused faces, "NOWHERE!" I yelled, "And when will just one side win? NEVER!" I heard murmurs throughout the crowd, "So why do we keep fighting? When will this eternal war end? Why do we fight a war that no longer needs to be fought?" A random soldier in the back raised his hand and pointed to the sky. "Oh so we're fighting for the sky now? That makes sense..." Everyone started talking and mumbling to each other, and they all looked as if they were pondering something.

"But why should we listen to you?" Someone yelled from the crowd.

"Yeah? What makes you so important?" Another person yelled.

"It isn't me who is important, it's the idea I represent, peace rather than warfare, no more killing, no more shooting, no more war!" I yelled to everyone. Everyone started nodding, they looked like they were starting to understand what I was saying. "So let's all end this war, right here and now, lay down your weapons, let's join together as one!" It was silent for a second, then suddenly, everyone started to lay down their weapons, someone started to clap, and that clap started to echo throughout the valley, one clap turned into thousands, some people cheered, others started chanting,

"No more war! No more war!"
TO BE CONTINUED