“The Midnight Sky” - By Srividya Chitta, BA I Year

Picture Credit : Special Arrangement

The starry night’s light shone across the terrace and both of them were lying beside each other, telling each other how their day at school was while they were staring at the sky. 

“Aarya look here!!”, he called suddenly, pointing at a star.

A star that was distinct from all others, shimmering like a crystal, as if radiating all the light towards them. She looked at it in awe.

He whispered, “You wanna know who it is?”

She nodded in response. 

“It’s you Aarya”, he replied and said, “You shine brighter than anyone else”. 

Aarya’s face lit up with a smile and, “That’s me!”, she repeated.

She kept repeating as thick black clouds covered the sky and it started raining. The droplets on the window were reflecting the city lights onto her wet tinted cheeks. 

The memories of that day, when she was told that she was the brightest star, were resonating in her head. With her hands trembling in fear, wrapped around her knees, she kept looking out of the window, gazing at the midnight sky. Her eyes filled with tears but too scared to cry out. At that moment she had the urge to be heard, to be told that it’s okay to lose your shine sometimes and that it’s okay to fail despite having all the resources. But unfortunately, she was too good at it, too good at holding back those drops of grief, pain, and guilt.

She closed her eyes when it felt like she was taming demons in her little mind like she didn’t belong there. That moment when she placed, that piece of broken glass from the locked window she was sitting by, on the vein of her left hand with her palms shivering, but holding the glass firmly and only just a drop of blood she could see before she heard, 

“Aarya, Aarya come here dear, look who has come for you”.

She could sense the excitement in her mother’s voice. She opened her eyes and looked around the room. The window was there, right beside her without a single crack. That star shined brightly as the rain stopped and the sky was again clear. She realized it was dawn. The sun was out with a new morning. Her mind was yet menacing but her tears were dry. She slowly washed her face and went outside. She couldn’t believe what she saw. Yes, it was him, after 5 years. That night they were on the terrace again. And this time they were no longer in school. And this time he showed the very same star and said,

“Aarya, you see that?, that star there, it’s you. But remember stars don’t glow in the mornings, but they still do exist, they patiently wait for their nights. So, hang on lil one”.

Caressing her head, he said, “You’ve got many wonders to do, just hang on and believe in time. You matter the most. Okay?”. 

She nodded in reply and looked at him with a slight smile. 

Yes, she was finally heard without the need for a conversation. She felt safe at that moment. Nevertheless, she hung on and let the time do its magic. She did it. She became that star, sparkling like a diamond, right up there, above all.