Stray Gods (SLOW UPDATES BUT NOT ABANDONED)

Chapter 21

You were home.

You were space.

You were everything.

You were nothing.

You could see them, there, sleeping, but not for long.

It was just the three of them so far.

But they would soon find the others, you knew.

It was destined.

The light rose and shone upon them, reflecting their inner lights.

How beautiful they were.

So beautiful.

And how much you longed to be with them.

But not yet.

They weren't ready yet.

Their shells awoke and they started their day the same way they always did. Covering their shells with layers of fabric. Adorning their tops with sheer-looking hats with decorative beads. As if they were trying to hide themselves. But they could never hide. You'd always find them, easily, as their lights were too bright, too pretty to ever miss.

You watched as they did the things the lesser lights did as well. They were hiding in plain sight but no one ever seemed to notice. You couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to wear such a shell over your own light. It looked so uncomfortable.

You could see their emotions, their feelings suddenly displayed on their shells. Joy, happiness, love. But also other feelings that you did not know or understood.

You watched your favourite light, the oldest, as he entered the space in between. The space where the lesser lights couldn't see him, but you still could. You watched how he manoeuvred and found what he was looking for. Once again it was a new lesser light. Your favourite light flickered for a moment, as he always did when he found a new light. He took the new light and, flickering once more, absorbed it. The new light slowly dimmed until its spark was completely gone. Your favourite light flickered once more before he continued to manoeuvre through the space in between.

You understood what he was doing, and why. But what you did not understand was how his light would flicker sometimes. It was something that had started not too long ago, something he hadn't done in the beginning. But the more time he seemed to spend with the lesser lights, the longer and more he would flicker.

You couldn't tell why.

But you did wonder.

Suddenly, you realised what was going to happen. You looked excitedly, and yes, he found him. Your favourite light stopped upon seeing another bright light in the in-between. He lingered for a while.

Why did he wait? Why wasn't he showing himself?

You did not understand.

His light returned from the in-between, back with his shell as he went to find the others. They talked and their lights burned intensely. They were feeling the same thing you were.

Together they went to find the new light; of course it didn't take long as he was still in the same spot the oldest light had found him.

But...

No, why did they leave again?

Why did they leave without the light they had just found?

They belonged together!

You did not understand.

You had been watching the other lonely light for so long and you knew he desperately needed the others.