Be in the Stars

May I go out today?

Lavender walls and purple carpet

The sound of lullabies and wind chimes

A broken doll in the corner of the room

A child sits waiting for the noon

Her name is May, but she was born in February

The last thing she wanted was confetti

Confetti of chaos

May now watches above the cracks in the walls

Where all the demons wait to crawl

-        Inspired by Ruby Moon – Matt Cameron

written by WeNeedPeace

May I go out today?

“Honey look if you’re tired…”

“No, no I want to go.”

“But it’s the middle of the day.”

“We don’t want to leave her alone at night babe.”

“But the park might remind us.”

“Save it. We’ll avoid the park.”

Bill and Jenny sat down on their mustard canvas couch, both with purple saggy eyes and dry throats.

Bill had torn jeans and a dark navy button up shirt with a logo on the breast pocket. While his wife looked a little more pulled together in a black pencil skirt and a cream coloured blouse that went with her bright orange bracelet and honey hair.

“How about we hire a movie?”

Jenny shivered as Bill spoke looking at their carpeted stairs and feeling cold with emptiness. “I don’t want to stay in here” she told him.

She could sense him going rigid and pulled her hair into an elastic band.

“Ok, we’ll go out. Work must have exhausted you; I know the servo took all the energy out of me.” Bill said slowly.

“Ok, should we take the little bug or the-,”

“The jeep, the buggies’ too.. Small. I want to stop off at the hardware store.”

“Oh ok,”

The two sat there for a moment a whistling sound wailed, like a widowers groan of sadness.

“Do you remember when we bought the place?” Bill asked looking up at the flashing light bulb.

“Rumour has it a lady killed herself after losing her family in a fire. She became obesest with lighting things up, because it was her last memory of them, and then one day her family got sick of it, there’s only so much one can take. They sent her to that mental asylum that they use as a haunted house now.

“But she got let free, after a year of rehab, or whatever you want to call it. It obviously didn’t work.

“She got this house, then one day shit lit herself on fire, covered her body in gasoline they say-,”

“ENOUGH!”   Jenny roared turning, “Are you saying we’re like her? That we’re insane?”

He sighed, “I was just thinking about it. I wasn’t implying anything. I mean she's not here, only her ashes remain, we could have gone out tonight, they wont go anywhere” Bill held his head wanting nothing more than a beer. “Let’s go, we don’t want to miss anything.”

The two got ready, Jenny changed very little just re-put on her lipstick and sprayed two squirts of perfume. Bill changed shirt and gelled up his hair.

They were a young couple, both early twenties.

“Ok let’s go.” Bill said, when they both stood ready in the hallway.

The car trip was awkward as usual. They also avoided the park, and luckily dodged any broods that could have been out near the streets. Kids with their technology.

“Did you read the paper?” Jenny asked trying to skip over small talk. She had to move on.

“No, you know I hate reading.” He replied going for the radio, but she planted her hand upon his and pulled it away.

“A girl has vanished. The family are holding up, but police suspect her two best friends, who would kill their friend?” He didn’t answer instead he closed his eyes.

“I saw on television that a girl’s body was found in the Tasman Lake. Somewhere in New Zealand”   He chuckled at the latter story, “who cares?” Bill asked,

Uncomfortable Jenny shifted in her seat and pushed down on the breaks slowly, they were at a red light. “She had the attire of the girl in that Disney movie, Poka-something.”

They were silent. “I think we’re doing pretty well,” Bill admitted, “the therapist did say discussing similar cases would help.”

Jenny felt tears spring to her eyes but held them back, “it hurts when we do that… I can’t even bare seeing children on the streets, I’ve quitted entering her room, I can’t even wear purple anymore.

“May’s coming up too… That’s the worst part, we don’t only get reminded on her death day, or her birthday but on her name day…”

“Jenny, we have to move-,”

“I know Bill!”

“No green light, move!” Jenny pressed down on the accelerator but not quick enough. She could faintly hear the sound of May’s giggle and Bills laughter when they weren’t only chuckles. Then the sound of sirens. That horribly familiar sound. But she didn’t want the real world, she wanted her old life.

“Wake up.

“Jennifer?” A foggy figure appeared before her.

“Jennifer you’ve been in a car crash, your husband is fine, but the people behind you didn’t make it.” Now her life was worse.