Chapter One
I stared up at the night sky, though there was very little to see. The city lights tried their best to drown out the stars’ own light, and almost succeed except for one. One star refuses to allow its light to fade. The Evening star or wishing star as some liked to call it, but to me it was the one constant thing in my life. No matter where I was I could always count on looking up into the night sky and seeing it. Being on the streets means that there isn’t a whole lot a guy can count on. You were lucky enough to stay in the same place more than once, so one constant thing could give someone a bit of cheer after a dreary day. Before you start crying and making a big fuss over my state, I just want to tell you don’t. I’ve always been on the street ever since I could remember. No one takes care of me, I take care of myself, and that’s just how it’s always been. I bury my face deeper into my thin scarf as a cold gust of wind smacks directly into me. “Getting colder out.” I murmured, not for the first time noticing that summer was drawing to an end and winter was coming in at full force. “Better find something warmer soon.” I had seen too many frozen in their sleep to not take the chilling warning seriously, but for now I made it my main goal to reach shelter. I jogged the short distance I had left until I left the developed part of town and entered the slums. This was the type of place that got worse the further you went. Thankfully, I didn’t have to go very far and veered off into an alley. My pile of blankets underneath a makeshift roof made with cardboard boxes
and a torn tarp. It wasn’t much, but it was home for the moment at least. I snuggled deep under the blankets, trying to find a comfortable spot on the rough ground. I hear voices and go rigid for a moment until they fade in the distance and I know they have passed without noticing me. I feel relieved, but soon that feeling is replaced with deep longing that they could have seen me. Even the briefest moment of human contact would be nice, but I know I shouldn’t wish for so much. “At least I have you.” I say softly, looking up at the Evening Star. “And no one can take you away. Good night, Star.” I close my eyes, but suddenly I realize that there is a bright glow shining through my eyelids. I open them slowly. “Aah!” I roll away from my blankets, knocking over my shelter but I didn’t care. I rise to my feet and spin on my heel to face the thing that had startled me. A girl. She stood there, her head cocked to one side in a way that reminded me of a puppy. Her lips were creased into an amused smile. “Who are you!?” I demanded, forgetting what little manners I knew. She didn’t seem offended by my rudeness, if anything her smile only grew wider. “I’m a friend.” She answered, sweetly. As if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I don’t have friends.” I told her, and I admit it was hard to admit to that. “You have me.” She insisted. I shook my head in
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bewilderment, something was seriously wrong with this girl. “I don’t even know your name!” “Star.” She answers simply. “Right.” I say a bit sarcastically, looking over her clothes which consisted of a white, short skirt and a light, blue hoodie that had dark, blue stars running up one side. She even had a silver star hair clip in holding back a patch of platinum blonde curls. “You seem to be a bit obsessed with them.” I observed. “And I know your name!” She says excitedly, as if she’s proud of it. “Your name is Jack!” Great, the crazy girl was lucky enough to guess my name. I definitely have to get rid of her. “Look, I don’t care who you are, but you can’t stay here. You have to leave. Now!” For the first time she looked genuinely hurt. “But I have nowhere else to go.” She whimpered. I sighed, “Fine, I’ll take you someplace where you can stay. Come on.” I trudge off towards the exit of the alley and turn left down the main street which would take me back towards the better part of the city. I knew about a girl’s home that wasn’t too far from here.