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Title: To the Stars and Back

H.L. Hale


James kicked at the dirt outside of his small home on the edge of the city. His toe hit
something shiny and it bounced a few bumps to the sidewalk. The car was covered in dirt,
forgotten. He looked around quietly, picked up the small toy car and put it in his pocket.
--

James kicked a small tuft of grass at the end of his walk way. He started down the

street, where he had lived his entire life. He took a few steps down the sidewalk when he
heard a loud crash. He turned and noticed that the gate was still open, waiting to be closed.
--
He made his way down the street. The dog he had seen on every trip was still there.
The tree and bush he had seen on every walk were still there. Even the old woman he had
seen every walk was still there.
--
The dog was still dogging. The tree was still treeing. The bush was still bushing.
Even the old woman was still sweeping like she always had. He paused for a moment,
sighing and looking over the small red toy car. For a moment he thought he heard his
voice. The sound of the woman broke his daydream.
Are you alright, son? She asked in an elderly, caring voice.
I suppose so, James replied shyly as he looked around.
We heard about your brother. She said in a loving tone. Im very sorry
--

He tensed at her words. He knew those words, but they had never been said to him
before. He nodded without saying a word as the woman gave him a hug. He could feel a
warm spot springing up in his heart. She patted his back softly and smiled as she sent him
on his way.
--
He kept walking on his journey. He walked past the playground.
--
He walked past the cars and past houses.
--
He walked past the edge of the sidewalk on the end of town.
--
The sounds of the city were slowly replaced by the low hum of crickets and bugs,
chirping and singing, jumping and flying, like always.
--
He walked into the woods, the dark tunnel of the path slowly swallowing him up like
the mouth of a large green monster.
--
Watch out for that. He turned suddenly realizing that no one was behind him. He
looked down at the root. How could it still be there? James took a deep breath and kicked
at the root.
--
The root never moved. He pulled and pried, scratching at the dirt with his fingers.
He wanted to make it move. He pulled and tugged, huffing and puffing and losing his

breath but the root never budged. When he gave up he was tired, short of breath and
dusty. He took a short break, sitting on the root.
--
He stood up, finally. He walked down the path, gazing into the trees. Small points of
light were flickering in the black sky. James wondered how far away they might really be.
He knew from school that each was as big as the sun. He wondered how many people
were looking up at the same sky.
--
The quiet of the deep forest was pierced suddenly. It was the hoot of an owl in a far
off tree. He shivered slightly at the sound. He reached out to grab his little brothers hand.
There was nothing there.
--
James started to run down the trail. It had been so easy to be brave when he had
someone to be brave for. He ran and ran. He did not stop until he reached the clearing on
the hill.
--
He stopped and rested, bent over as he caught his breath and looked up. The moon
was bright and beaming down a soft white glow. He climbed up on the rock where he could
see the city below.
--
At night the small city lit up and produced a glow all its own. The people down
there were all busy. Cars and busses zipped up and down the street like small toys. He

sighed. He remembered the small car in his pocket. He smiled and pushed it gently across
the smooth rock.
--
He could almost hear his brother laughing as his favorite toy rolled across the rock
slowly. He thought for a moment he could almost see him, watching him closely from the
corner of his eye. James gulped and turned to look.
--
The darkness of night rolled over him once again. He felt lonely, tired, and scared.
He looked around some before looking back up at the moon. It was big and bright. He
knew people had been there. It made him smile knowing someone else had been so far
away and made it back. Someone could be all the way up there. He thought to himself.
--
He looked up at the stars, knowing his teacher had told him they were even farther
away than the moon. Each one was as big as the sun and it might even have planets. He
turned to tell his brother. There was nothing there but the small toy car.
--
It had been his little brothers favorite toy, and he carried it everywhere. He picked
it up and turned it over. He examined it closely for the things his brother loved most about
it. It didnt seem fair, he thought, that everyone just left it like that. It had been one of his
brothers prized possessions.
He remembered how they would climb to that rock together. How they would sit
and watch the cars buzz and hum up and down the street. He smiled when he thought of
how his brother loved seeing them.

--
He carefully tucked the car away in his pocket. He turned and kicked at the rocks as
he climbed down from his perch. Suddenly he saw lights in the woods. They were coming
down the trail towards him. For a second he tensed, he considered hiding.
--
Then they began to call. He was so happy to hear their voices, concerned and
familiar. His parents began to run towards him as he called back. His mother crying
scooped him up in her arms.
His father patted his head as they embraced him.
We were worried sick! exclaimed his mother in a broken voice.
Dont you leave like that again! his father said in a loving but firm tone.
James looked down slightly ashamed as their words pierced him. The feeling was
quickly replaced with the warmth of their affection.
What were you doing up here? asked his mother as she held him.
Remembering. James said.
--
He felt her hugging him tighter. He knew what she wanted to say. He could feel it,
even though she didnt say it. For a moment he forgot that they were in the woods, at night.
He wasnt afraid, or lonely at all.
--
They took him back up to the top of the rock. They stood beside him as they gazed
up at the stars. The moon was big and bright in the sky. James turned to explain the moon

and stars to his parents. He told them how the moon was far away, how you could only
reach it on a spaceship. He told them that the stars were even farther.
James looked down at the city below, there were fewer cars than before but they
were still going up and down the road. He pointed to the small dim lights, marching up and
down the small concrete pathways.
--
He wouldnt want them to stop. James said quietly.
He loved them didnt he? His father said smiling, remembering how his youngest
son would laugh and point at the tiny cars whirring around.
I found this. James said as he handed his father the small toy car. He saw his
fathers eyes water as he took the car and looked it over.
We were looking for this. His father said quietly. He looked at the car and could
hear the shrieking sound of tires in his head. His father looked back up at the sky quietly.
--
Can I keep it? James asked.
Of course you can. His father handed the car back to him and James tucked it away
in his pocket once again.
Do you think he misses it? James asked quietly as he ran his thumb across the
glossy hood of the car.
He might. His father said as they stood there looking over the sky and city below.
--
My teacher says you cant go to the stars. James said.

Thats nonsense. His father said as his mother sniffed quietly. Everyone goes to
the stars, his father asserted.
Why dont we know about it? James asked.
Because the ones who make the trip are having too much fun to come back. His
father responded as he stared up at the stars. They stood there for a long time, silently,
together, listening.
--
They stood until they were starting to get tired. They stood there staring up until
their necks were strained. They looked down, watching the cars move up and down the
street quickly.
--
His father and mother took his hands and they began to leave the large rock. They
walked with James on their dark journey through the woods. The path seemed wider
somehow, able to fit the rest of his family beside him. They were on each side, walking
beside him on his journey back.
--
On the way back the owl hooted once again. James was not afraid. He squeezed his
mothers hand firmly as they walked. They walked in silence down the dark path. Each
one was remembering.
--
Suddenly James struck the ground with a hard thud. He lied on his face in the dirt
for a moment. He turned to look. It was the root. He stared for a few moments in silence
as his parents kneeled beside him. He stared and stared at the root.

--
He began to laugh to himself quietly. He thought of how many times his brother had
tripped over the root. He thought of how many times he had told him to watch out. He
laughed and laughed as he thought of his brothers reaction to his fall.
--
His parents picked him up and dusted him off. He looked at the root lovingly. He
hoped that it would never move. He turned as they continued their journey through the
dark. They left the woods and made it to the edge of the sidewalk on the end of town.
They passed the places he had on the way. They kept walking on their journey.
--
They walked past the edge of the sidewalk on the end of town.
--
They walked past the playground.
--
They walked past the cars and past houses.
--
The street was dark and quiet. Even the animals and people were asleep. They
walked up to the stairs of their home and began to open the door. James ran back,
remembering to close the gate.
--
When they got inside the house was quiet. Everyone was tired. There were pictures
of their family lying on the couch. He could see pictures from adventures, dinners,
birthdays. He smiled as he thought of his little brother.


His mother walked over and sat on the couch. She began to put away the pictures in
a big plastic album. James grabbed on between his fingers and looked at it closely.
Can I have it? he asked as he looked up at his mother.

She smiled and nodded quietly as she cried. She sniffed and wiped her nose as she

began to put away the other pictures. James stared down at the photograph for some time.
He liked to see his brothers face. He looked up at his mother and put his arms around her.
He hugged her tight. He knew it was the only way to tell her what he wanted to say.
--

He told her good night and hugged his father before he made his way up the stairs to

his room. He could almost hear someone running behind him as his feet pattered on the
cold hard wood. He looked back unthinkingly.
--

He slumped and sighed, seeing there was nothing there. He walked past the open

door of his brothers room. He paused for a moment. He stepped into the dark of his
brothers room. Everything was where it had been before. The soft glow of the moon
beamed in through the uncovered window.
--

James walked over to it. He stood by the window at the head of his brothers small

bed. He could see the stars shining down and wondered where his brother might be. He
took out the small toy car and looked it over.
--

He sighed softly and placed it on his brothers table - Just in case he wanted it. He
looked up at the sky once more. He thought about what his father had told him. He
wondered if it was true.
He liked to think his brother might have volunteered to go. He always had loved
adventures. He loved to see the moon and stars. James turned back and went to his own
room. He turned off his light and got himself into bed. He tried to close his eyes but
couldnt sleep. He shifted and turned, then sat up as his father came in his room.
--
Do you think hes alright? James asked his father.
His father sat quietly on the bed next to him. A long silence punctuated the dark of
the room. He could hear his father breathing. He thought for a moment he could almost
hear his thoughts. Finally his father turned to him.
I hope so. He said in a loving tone.
I hope so too. Said James. Where do you think he is?
Probably on some adventure. His father said quietly. He always loved going with
you. His father patted him on the head softly as he stood up.
--
Can you open the window? James asked his father.
His father opened the curtain; James could see the same stars and moon that they
could see from the hill. He grinned widely as he thought of the adventure his brother might
be on.
I wish he could come back. James said as they stared out the window together.
Me too. His father said quietly. Me too.