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We lay on the grass, still damp from the recent rain, gazing up at the sky. The evening, cool and refreshing, embraced us with its crisp breath, while a gentle breeze, like an invisible conductor, softly touched our hands, occasionally lifting my hair and whispering its secrets. The sky, dark and enigmatic, grew more mesmerizing with each passing moment, its vastness adorned by an endless array of stars.
I was nestled in a warm sweater, with my home to my right, where a solitary lamp glowed through the window, left on by one of us before we ventured out. Its soft light barely pierced through the window and the twilight, adding a quiet, warm charm to the moment.
My thoughts drifted, and suddenly I wondered, could you, if you wished, reach out effortlessly to the sky, to the stars, and perhaps even bring a few down for me? I tried to imagine how you would pull them—those bright stars—toward yourself, shrinking them down, making them tiny and small, like precious gems, just as we see them in the sky, not the immense giants they truly are in the endless cosmos.
But what am I thinking? That’s impossible, even for a deity like you, Bill.
"Are you so sure about that?" I suddenly heard his voice.
Oh, I should be used to this by now.
"You think," as I turned my head towards you, I caught your subtle gaze, "you think I can't bring you a few stars? Fordsy, you should take that thought back."
Oh. But I didn't want you to think I was underestimating you. In the very first days of our acquaintance, during that fateful game of chess, you became, in my eyes, an almighty deity, yet I still can't fully picture you gathering stars as if they were tiny berries.
"It seems to me that even a being as powerful as you, in my perception, would find this task challenging. Stars, they're like little glowing pearls scattered across the boundless sky," I said, extending my hand as if brushing it against the heavens, "but in reality, they're vast, still remaining unfathomable and mysterious. That's their essence, their will, which cannot be tamed or controlled. Yet, in my heart, I hold the belief that if anyone could conquer this eternal mystery, it would be you, my Muse."
My voice sounded low and somewhat distant—that often happens when I say the first thing that comes to mind.
I’m writing about this trait now as if I’ve known about it for a long time. But no, it was my Muse who pointed it out to me. I often quietly and with a smile marvel at your ability to notice such seemingly insignificant and unnecessary details.
A voice pulled me out of the small whirlpool of my thoughts:
“Are you curious how I can do it?”
Perhaps it was just my imagination, but it seemed as if the wind changed direction the moment you spoke those words. Its gentle breeze now felt warm, reaching deep into my soul, as if nature itself held its breath, waiting for your words. Or maybe I’m exaggerating under the nostalgia of my feelings?
“It’s hard for me to imagine,” I replied. “Which is why it’s so intriguing, my Muse.”
How long had we been lying there side by side at that point? Honestly, I hadn’t been keeping track. Does it even matter?
Moments like these are fleeting if you measure their duration by time. We rarely get to be like this, without any reproaches or sharp words, simply lying in silence and gazing at the sky together.
After my words, I saw a smile shaped by your eyelids, and in that, if it can even be called a smile, there was something unseen.
Silence settled around us, as if the entire forest suddenly paused, immersed in anticipation of your decision, your freedom. The stars, shining in the night sky, seemed to draw closer, ready to respond to your will.
“Look at that sky,” you quietly said, “and imagine that each glowing dot is not just a random star, but a fragment of your deepest dreams. Each one lives and pulses, ready to respond to your requests and pleas.”
You raised your hand to the sky, and at that moment, it felt as if time itself had stopped. The stars twinkled brighter, as if acknowledging the power. In that instant, I realized that the boundaries between the possible and impossible exist only in our imagination, and that in your presence, those boundaries easily dissolve.
You pinched two fingers together, framing a white dot in the sky. I was amazed at how clearly you did this, considering I was looking from a different angle, yet somehow, I could see it just as you did.
Just as I blinked due to another gust of wind, the shining pearl was in your hand.
I was amazed at how you held it gently, as if it were the most precious thing in the world.
The light emanating from the star softly illuminated your fingers. For a moment, it felt as if I were on the border between two worlds: reality and fantasy, where everything is possible and boundaries dissolve.
My astonishment was beyond words—I widened my eyes, shifting my gaze between the star and you.
“You can take it,” you said, handing it to me.
I held it above my face, and the cold light cast a shadow on my glasses. It was neither cold nor warm, completely weightless, leaving no sensation on my fingers.
“Do you see,” you said quietly, “everything in this world is possible if you know who can take action and who has influence here. The stars are not just distant lights, but reflections of human hopes. I’ve come to understand this during my time here, and I’ve often returned to this thought. Oh, you were curious why I held it so carefully? Ford, this star is for you. What shall we name it?” I raised my eyebrows in surprise. “I don’t care about astronomers. Star Bi-Ord or For-Ill? The choice is yours, my partner,” and you reverently placed your hands behind your "head," crossing one leg over the other, closing your eye as if leaving me alone with my thoughts.
I gazed at the star in my hand, amazed by its ephemeral beauty and wonder. The world around me felt different—full of mysteries that could reveal themselves if only one believed. The star’s light softly enveloped my face, and in that light, I felt the presence of all the hopes and dreams I had ever held.
That evening was forever etched in my memory as one of the most tranquil and bonding moments between us.
I wondered why you had not uttered a single word while we lay in silence. You were certainly observing my thoughts and my attempts to find constellations in the sky, yet for some reason, you remained quiet.
I turned my gaze to you—you smiled again with your eye, as if giving a silent sign of agreement.
At that moment, I felt that we were not just friends or partners, but souls connected by an invisible thread stretching across the stars and space. The evening breeze gently brushed against us, filling the silence with the whispers of eternity, and I knew this moment would stay with me forever, a reminder of the divine power you possess.
The wind, alternating between cold and warm, blew stronger. Sometimes it sent chills down my spine, but my wool sweater held the warmth well. With each passing minute, the strength of the wind intensified, forcing me to come to terms with the thought that soon we would have to head home again. The lamp continued to emit its glow, but at that moment, it seemed dimmer. However, I couldn’t deny that the light from the tiny star might have overshadowed it.
I made a decision: when you were not around, I would write about tonight in my journal and find a suitable box for the star.
I glanced again at the shining gem in my hand and realized that you had not said a word about the stars because, instead, you preferred to look at me while I was not watching.