The Wished Star🔊

Once upon a time, in a small rural town named Maplewood, nestled between beautiful hills and a serene blue stream, lived a humble family of four. The youngest member of the llison family, a wide-eyed, wonder-filled little girl, Stella, was always fascinated with the twinkling stars.

Nights in Maplewood were pitch-black, uninterrupted by unnatural city lights. The dark velvet of the skies became a magnificent canvas for the luminous bodies, the stars. Stella would sit by her window, chin cupped in her hands and eyes fixated on the twinkling marvels above, weaving fantastical tales around them. But of these celestial bodies, one fateful star caught young Stella's heart- the brightest and the most enchanting one, Arcturus.

Every night, under the faint incandescent light from the old table lamp, Stella would write letters to Arcturus. She believed that the fancied star was her guardian, silently protecting her, and it held the magical power to bring her budding dreams to life. As the years rolled on, Stella's bond with Arcturus deepened, her faith never wavered, and her letters never ceased.

One fine evening, as the dark curtain was slowly drawn over the light blue skies, Stella dropped the day's letter out her window and wished on Arcturus. Each letter contained her hopes, dreams, fears and little secrets that she would only share with her mythical companion.

However, unbeknownst to Stella, her letters had an ardent reader. At the foot of the maple tree from where the letters fell, every night, was the pensive and melancholic boy, Alex. He was an orphan taken in by the old baker across the street, mauled by the ruthless jaws of life very early.

Drawn to Stella's letters by chance, he had found solace and inspiration in her innocent words of optimism and ambition. Although their lives were significantly different, they interconnected through those priceless parchment pieces. Meanwhile, a strange affection developed in Alex's heart towards the enigmatic girl, which he had only known through words from the heart.

At the ripe age of sixteen, an opportunity presented itself in the form of a scholarship to the prestigious city arts school, offering Stella the chance to pursue her dream of becoming an artist. But the city was vast and daunting, much unlike her beloved Maplewood. Daunted by fear, Stella penned down a special letter that night, seeking courage from her cherished star.

The next morning, as dawn unfolded the first day of her new journey, Stella found a letter delicately placed under the maple tree. Unfolding it revealed not her penned down thoughts but Alex's beautiful, encouraging words, complimenting Stella's radiant resolve, her dreams, and the strength he found in her letters. It was signed, 'From Arcturus, the Star Guardian.'

The heartfelt words from her 'guardian star' filled Stella with a newfound courage. She took the leap of faith, heading towards the city to fulfill her dreams. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and Stella started to blossom in the city's artistic environment, well on her path to becoming an artist.

Eventually, she returned to Maplewood, a successful artist, and pulled by the curiosity of Arcturus's earthly human form, discovered it was Alex. To her surprise, she found an incredible friend and a lifelong companion in the once melancholic boy. They spent the remainder of their days under the starlit night, sharing their extraordinary journey, guided by the star, Arcturus.

Through Stella's unwavering belief and Alex's compassionate understanding, we find the age-old phrase ringing true – 'In every stranger, there's a friend waiting to be found.'