A Twinkle In The Stars

Chapter 30

I feel no pain. No hate towards anyone. In fact, I was a revolutionary. I feel a sense of sublime happiness and calm.

After my death it helped the FBI finally set eyes on Madame Zay. And with her came Edgar and Gwen and a bunch of scared teenagers.

Madame Zay cut a deal but only because she turned against Edgar and everybody else. It wasn't easy, she even had to incriminate herself in some situations. But she made sure of one thing:

My name was clean and uplifted in all this.

Her deal granted her immunity and she would serve no jail time. However, her assets would be frozen and everything she owned would be seized by the FBI.

That government contract would have really been handy by now.

Along with Madame Zay, Edgar, and Gwen, there was a crack down on Granada Falls government officials. The mayor, the entire police force, and even some higher ups. It was the biggest scandal in all of Granada Falls history.

Edgar was handed over to the Navy. He was dishonorably discharged and was to serve one year in an offshore government facility. After the one year he would face his trial for my murder. Somehow some way it was spun that he was responsible for my death. Which he technically was.

Gwen was thrown into prison for the abuse me and Ailita faced. Without the protection and resources Zay had, she was fed to the wolves just the same as Edgar. And due to one of us being alive and the other being dead, the FBI suspected that she was duly responsible. She was given a crappy attorney fresh out of law school. Her fate had been set the minute she refused to give any information on Edgar. Which was sad because he didn't credit her the same opportunity. He turned on her the minute a sentence reduction was mentioned.

He even had evidence of the years of abuse. Pictures, videos, recordings, and even me fleeing the house that night. Which was just enough to replace the initial child abuse charge with accessory to child abuse. It still held the same weight. 

The FBI finally looked into our mother's murder and Gwen was charged with that too. With the help of Edgar and Madame Zay the charges stuck.

Our mom had finally gotten justice after five years.

The FBI overlooked the drugging so Denver, Star, and Margo were off the hook. But were returned to their families who were gracious to have them back. Madame Zay still had some connections that weren't completely singed so she made sure she could get updated reports on the three.

As for their friendship, it kind of fell off the hinges after I died. Star and Margo were estranged cousins too prideful and scorned to talk let alone hang out with each other. Margo and Denver tried to hold a connection but it kind of fell off after a while.

Margo spent her days trying to piece her life back together. But she couldn't seem to go back to the way things were. I was always running across her mind and it was too much to handle. She attempted to kill herself and was sent to a psychiatric hospital for the rest of the summer and well into the school year.

Denver's parents promised to love him for who he was and wanted to fix their family. With weekly counseling sessions and some time well spent, they were just fine. Denver even found love, Alec. He was happy for once. And as for his relationship with Star, it died after Star tried to sabotage his relationship with Alec by telling him all of Denver's secrets:

"Hey you wanna go to Muse?" Star showed up to Denver's house unannounced.

"Can't. Me and Alec are going out." Denver smiled as he got ready.

Immediately, Star felt jealous. 

"You and Alec have been hanging out nearly everyday since you two met. That's kind of clingy ya know. Plus, we haven't hung out in a month." Star pouted.

"I think we've hung out enough. In case you forgot the whole Madame Zay thing. It's time I move on with life and focus on bigger and better things. Alec is good for me. I promise I'll go to Muse with you next weekend." Denver smiled.

Star felt blown off. It was the first time ever that Denver had ever declined to do what she wanted.

The next morning she found Alec's address and divulged all of Denver's past.

Including Madame Zay and the gay conversion camps.

"I think your making a mistake. Denver isn't the type you want. He's broken and will only drag you down." Star reassured him fakely.

Denver appeared out of Alec's room.

"How dare you!" He scoffed.

"He had a right to know." Star smirked.

"I already know. Denver told me everything I needed to know before we furthered things. And I still care about him, deeply. I'm gonna have to ask your fake ass to leave." Alec snapped.

Star got up, defeated. She had no friends and that same day her parents sent her to that private summer camp for "troubled girls".

Madame Zay moved out of Granada Falls and scraped together what little money the FBI allowed her to have and started a home for abused girls. She made sure to teach the girls about me so that my name would live on and my story would be told. The name of the school:

Aracely's Home For Girls.

"A place where all who are unloved are loved"

Through all of this, you've seen me at my highest and my lowest. Mostly my lowest. But I was able to change the lives of many beyond the grave. I was able to change the corruption of Granada Falls through Madame Zay. Though she pulled the trigger dooming me to whatever this is, I'll always be able to watch over everybody from the stars. And when they look up at the night sky, they'll see me twinkling bright and gain hope that one day:

Everything will make sense and be ok.