Two stars

 

 

A girl suffered from an unknown disease for a long time. Her condition made her parents desperate with worry. They took her to famous doctors, but even the best of them failed to provide a certain answer. They only shook their heads, they could not find the reason she was ill. The girl lost her appetite. She was fading away by the hour. Days, weeks, months went by. The girl never smiled now.

 

Once, during the night, a fresh wind touched her curly hair and she woke up. She could hardly find the strength to get up and close the window. She looked into the deep night sky and noticed a tiny star. The girl felt that she was not the only one awake at this hour. The thought made her calm and she quickly fell sleep. She hadn’t slept so good in a long while. She saw extraordinary dreams. Upon waking up she called her mother. “I saw stars eating oranges,” she said. “I want some oranges, too.” Her mother was surprised. She rushed to the grocery store to get some oranges. It was unusual to hear her daughter finally ask for something.

 

The next night the girl woke up again. “Let’s see if my star is OK,” she thought. She drew back the curtains and immediately saw the same star. It seemed to have gained some weight. “You know, I’ve come to like oranges, too. They are very tasty!” the girl said. “Mom says they’re full of vitamins. And tomorrow she will get me more! Do you have oranges for tomorrow?” The litle star blinked in a reply. “Then it’s alright. Good night, my little star. Sweet dreams,” the girl whispered and fell asleep.

 

The girl’s parents could not understand the sudden change. Their daughter gradually got better. Every night before falling asleep she waited to see her star light up in the sky. Then she felt calm and fell asleep with ease. Her parents did not understand this ritual but did not interrupt, because they saw that it was helping.

 

Eventually the girl started looking healthy again. Her cheeks blushed, and her lips were once again curled in a smile. Her little star was shining bright in the sky now. The girl was shining as well, radiating light from the inside – the kind of light that attracts people. She began meeting new, interesting people and she acquired a very special friend. The girl felt so happy by his side that two nights in a row before falling asleep she could only think of him, having forgotten to check on her star. On the third night she was woken up once again by a gentle breeze: “My little star! I’ve completely forgotten about it!” the girl exclaimed. She ran to the window and drew back the curtains. Two stars shone in the night sky. Her star was no longer alone. “Who is it beside you?” the girl wondered. The star gently blinked at her and kept silent. Two stars shone brightly side by side, as if holding hands.

 

The girl smiled. She seemed to guess whom the second star belonged to...