Stars and Stories

Opal

The sun hitting my face, the birds chirping, the day was just starting and it was already better than every day before that.

"OPAL!" I heard yelling for me "OPALLLLL!!!"

Today is the day. Today is THE day. For what, I'm not sure, but I know it is the day. You know that gut feeling you get when you just know something?

"OPAL YOUR HEAD BETTER NOT BE IN THE CLOUDS TODAY"

"Yes, of course, I'm coming down right now just give me a second I'm monologuing"

"If you're not down in 1 minute ill make sure you never monologue again!"

It seems I can't introduce myself so I guess I have to stay a mystery for now, sorry about that but I must be off wonderful reader.

"Must you always do that whenever you are late"

"It makes life more exciting"

"It also makes you late now hurry on it's your turn to clean cattle"

"But i-"

"Nope, no if's, and's, or but's, your turn means your turn."

"But th-"

"What did I just say now shoo, the cattle won't bathe themselves."

I stumbled out to see the children I was supposed to care for and knew exactly what I had to do.

"Hello my lovelies, how is everyone?"

"Good!" the group said back.

"What's the story for today, Opal?" one of the children asked while all the others guessed amongst themselves.

"Well today I can't tell you stories, I have to clean so you'll be with Beth"

"WHAT!?" "SHE STINKS" "SHE DOESN'T TELL US STORIES" "SHE MAKES US SIT ALL THE TIME!!" all of the kids were saying, and much more that I'd rather not admit a child has said.

"You know, I could get out of it if you convince somebody to let me go with you instead of the stinky cattle," I said, giving a slight nod to my mother.

"PLEASE MISS" "WE'LL BEHAVE" "I'll CLEAN YOUR HOUSE FOR A FORTNIGHT" "I CA-"

"OK. OK. fine, since you all insist on going with Opal instead of Beth I'll let her go, but my house better be spotless."

"THANK YOU MISS" "THANKS" "YAY NO BETH" "THANK YOU!!!"

"Ok kids, let me get my guitar first, and then we'll head off"

"OK," they said in unison

Today was the day, I just know it.

Walking up the self-made path is a bit of a hassle but I know the kids will love the view when we get to the top. The sky goes on forever, the sun goes through the trees perfectly, the hills, it was the perfect place. And when we got to the top I got just the reaction I wanted, silent awe.

"Amazing isn't it," I said to the group

"It's very nice," some said, most said nothing still taking in all they were seeing.

"Well is it story time or are you guys going to let the flies make homes in your mouths?"

"STORY TIME" "STORY PLEASE" "YEAH FUN TIME"

"Ok kids come around" I began to strum a light tune "this one is new, there was this princess that was the talk of the land. She had beauty comparable to diamonds"

"What are those?"

"They are a very beautiful gem, just like you. Anyways she was the talk of the land but one day she was tired of sitting in a castle every day alone so she came down in commoner clothes to the town below to explore. She was enamored by the people she had never known, but they knew her, and she saw this beautiful man, almost as beautiful as she." I pause to strum for a second

"Well, what happened?"

"I'm getting to it; when they looked at each other it was love at first sight. She would come down every day from her castle just to catch a glimpse of the boy until one day she got enough courage to talk to him and she finally said 'GOOD' and walked away, she had been so flustered that she had forgotten how to talk. The next day she didn't go to him, and the day after, and the day after that, she had decided to not go out of embarrassment-"

"She can't do that!" some of the kids whined "yeah they're in love," others said

"But she did go back," the children gasped "she went back years later and the first person she saw was the boy holding a single rose, overcome with joy the two ran into each other's arms, and the man proposed, and she accepted, and they lived happily ever after. She learned later that he had stood there every day for years with a fresh rose waiting for his love. He always knew she'd come back, he just needed some patience."

"Wow" "so CUTE" "EEEEEE!!" "I love them" "they ar-"

The bushes rustled interrupting the kid and making me aware that we were not alone. A few kids ran out wearing different colors than our towns.

"HEY GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE SHITS" a mysterious voice yelled to the kids, and you all know how much I love mystery.

"Hello?" I called out and then he appeared, and it was as though time froze.