EPILOGUE
It was a few days later—three to be exact—and Xavier was standing next to his mother staring down at a large slab of rock that he and his mother had found to mark a place in memoriam for his father. It wasn’t anything special, just something to show that he was lost, but would be remembered. In front of it there was a little plaque that said his name and the day that he had died on it.
Xavier’s mother cried, which was to be expected, beside him. One of her hands was wrapped tightly around his arm and holding him close to her side, for comfort. And beside her stood her parents who had no idea that she had been gone for the past few weeks, and Xavier and his mother were surprised to find out that nothing had really happened anywhere else. Surprised that there hadn’t been an alien invasion elsewhere besides Rosedale.
It was unbelievable in a way. Xavier still didn’t believe it and instead started believing that his grandparents had become senile or something because there was no way that there was only an alien invasion in just one place. But it was probably true because they—well Tyler—had only sent one Alien Spaceship home. But the Alien’s that Tyler sent away could have signaled for the others to leave as well. And that was the theory that he chose to stick with because he didn’t know what to think otherwise.
It was something that Xavier lulled over in his head for a while but stopped when he started to feel like he was going crazy.
Demetria and Tyler and their parents’ were there as well.
Demetria and Tyler were stood next to each other, their hands clasped together like they had been that morning at breakfast a few days prior.
“It’s okay, mom. We can go back home at any time.”
She nodded. She knew that but it didn’t stop her from staying for another hour after everyone else had left back to their respective houses, save for her mother and father, and Xavier stayed with her, next to her side and comforting her when she needed it.
When they returned home she went straight to bed, resting for the next few hours before she came back downstairs and started cooking dinner, which her mother helped with.
They ate it in a tense quiet, save for the few times that Xavier’s grandmother and grandfather started talking about moving from Glendale to Rosedale so that they could be closer.
Xavier thought that it was a good idea, but Eliza didn’t. She shook her head and told them that it wasn’t really necessary, but to them it was. She quit arguing after a few minutes because she knew that it would lead absolutely nowhere. Once her mother and father made up their minds, there was no way of changing them.
In only two months time everything seemed to return back to normal. Well, as normal as it could be. Xavier and everyone was back in school. Eliza went back to work as a chef. Demetria and Tyler became closer, but not sickeningly closer to where they thought that they were the only ones of any importance to each other and completely forgot that they were friends with Xavier, but sometimes being around them became too much and Xavier felt the need to be away from them for a while. And Xavier’s grandparents did move closer to Rosedale. So close that Xavier could walk to their house in only five minutes.
Xavier’s life was back to normal as much as it could be, as perfect as it could be. The only thing that was really imperfect about it was the fact that his father was gone, that was something that he had had to get used to. His father couldn’t cut his hair anymore for the first day of school. Which was something so small, but so impactful, and he missed it dearly. He missed everything about his father. He missed him more so each day, but he was glad to still have his mother and that was all that really mattered to him.
He still had the memories. They flashed through his mind like a movie on a projection screen every time he closed his eyes. Sometimes it made him feel a sliver of sadness, but most times it didn’t.
The memories made him feel closer to him somehow. Closer, but yet, so far.
* * *
Stargazing just wasn’t the same after that. Xavier did it alone most of the time because he and his parents’ had stopped doing it long ago.
He wasn’t as enthusiastic about it as he had once been, but he liked to think that someday that would change and his affection for the stars would resume and the affliction that he felt for them after his father's death would dissipate into nothing-ness and then he would be able to love them once again.
He longed for the day that that would be true. He didn’t like looking up at the stars and feel his heart thrum a sorrowful symphony of pain against his ribcage.
The cold nipped at his skin and caused Goosebumps to appear on his skin. His nipples grew uncomfortably hard under his shirt and he could see his breath mystified in the air around him. And it reminded him of a time when he was younger watching the stars with his parents, and he was over the moon with excitement.
Under the night sky, the stars twinkling above with a shimmering glow and the cold ghosting across his skin, he closed his eyes and let himself forget all thoughts, and relaxed. He fell asleep a few minutes later, the cold nipping coldly, but invitingly at his skin. And he dreamt of nothing. His mind was a blank canvas. The slate had been wiped clean and would be painted another time.
Xavier was just too tired for dreaming.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have to start by thanking my awesome family: Jennifer Dobbs (my mother) who always encourages me, Cynthia Shelton (my grandmother) for her amazing encouragement as well, Adrian Moran (my stepfather) for being there, Ocean Dobbs, Star Dobbs, and Brooke Wilbanks (my sisters) for just being there and giving all their support.
And I’d also like to thank anyone else who has ever supported me. Thank you all so much!
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THE MOON AND ITS STARS
A SHORT STORY FEATURING
XAVIER, TYLER, AND DEMETRIA FROM THE RESURGENT
THE MOON AND ITS STARS
Tyler, Xavier, and Demetria were outside lying by themselves under the dark sky. Snow was falling gracefully down on them and melting into water, from the body heat, on their skin.
Xavier sighed and his breath came out as a puff of smoke. The ground beneath him was blanketed in a thick layer of white. It was cold, but it was relaxing, and an almost relief from the day that he had had. His mother had turned into a complete “helicopter mom” and it was something that he would have to get used. Especially since she wasn’t like that before. She used to be carefree and fun, but now, all she did was worry.
She had made it here full job to worry about him. It was a wonder that she hadn’t quit her job as a Chef. Xavier was sure that she would if she could. But she was the sole provider for them now that it was just her and him. Xavier tried to help out as much as he could, but he wasn’t exactly making enough at the Record Store where he worked with Tyler after school. He made just enough to help with the bills, but it wasn’t nearly enough for them to not have to worry about things.
Which is something that he and his mother did constantly.
Demetria giggled from beside him. She was giggling at a snowflake that had landed at the bridge of her nose. It melted into liquid almost as soon as it had landed, and it trailed slowly down the side of his nose almost like a tear, or rain.
She wiped her nose with the palm of her hand that was covered in purple knitted mittens that her mother had made for her.
Denya had turned into something of a helicopter mom as well. She wasn’t as bad as Xavier’s mother, but she was pretty close. She was really protective over all of them. And she was very adamant about them keeping warm because of the cold.
Xavier’s face wrinkled involuntarily as the snow fell. It fell coldly on his face, solid for not even a fraction of a second, and then it was liquefied and running down his face in a trail of water.
Tyler sucked in a deep breath of air and let it out slowly a moment later. “The moon looks more beautiful than ever,” he said. “It just looks more vibrant than it normally does.”
&nb
sp; “Yeah,” said Xavier, cranking his head to the side. He intensified his gaze on the moon and stared up at it for a long while. “It does.”
“You two are ridiculous,” said Dem-etria, staring up at the moon as well. “The moon doesn’t look any different than it normally does.”
“Well, that’s because you don’t see what we see,” replied Tyler. “You’re just not as observant as we are. It looks a thousand times different than it normally does. It’s brighter than usual,” he said. “The craters look more defined than they ever have and the shadows look darker than they ever have before.”
“Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”
“It’s not that simple, Dee. I don’t want a picture,” he said. “I just want to enjoy this moment and take it all in.”
“Same,” whispered Xavier. He was enjoying the moment. Just looking up at the stars and the moon, squinting his eyes every now and again because the snow got in his eyes and blurred his vision. It was a simple moment. But to him, it spoke volumes. And he enjoyed immensely. “It’s just a beautiful night. It’s a little chilly, but you can’t deny the fact that it’s beautiful.”
“You two are way in over your heads. One of you has an obsession with the stars and the other with the moon. And when together, the two of you spit sonnets about how beautiful and enduring they are. What is up with you two?”
“Nothing is wrong with us,” said Xavi-er. “Maybe something is wrong with you.”
“Thank God we don’t have school tomorrow. I was looking for an excuse to just be able to sleep all day. That was possibly the only good thing about that Alien Invasion, or whatever it was.”
Xavier and Tyler shrug their shoulders in reply. In a way, they kind of agreed, but not fully.
If Xavier could go back in time and do it all over again, just for the freedom of being able to sleep whenever and for however long he wanted, he wouldn’t. It wasn’t worth doing, just for sleep. The fear and anxiousness that he had felt was never ending and he still felt trapped and scared sometimes because of the events that had gone on when the Aliens had sucked up almost all of the inhabitants of his town.
Nothing was worth the loneliness and depravity that he had felt back then.
He pushed himself to his feet, wiping off the white flakes of wet snow that he had accumulated from laying in a thick blanket of it.
Demetria and Tyler looked up at him with curiosity flickering in the irises of their eyes.
“Let’s have some fun,” he said, getting their attention.
“What did you have in mind?” said Demetria.
He didn’t reply. Instead, he bent forward and packed a ball of snow in his hands, then threw it at her. She shrieked, jumping to her feet and wiping the snow off of her in a frenzied rush for relief. Well, almost relief.
She glared at Xavier. If looks could kill, the look that she was giving him, very well could.
In a flash of movement, she and Xavier raced to make a snowball as fast as they could.
Demetria packed one as fast as she could into her hands and threw it at Xavier, missing him as he dodged quickly to the side, throwing his own and hitting her in the stomach, eliciting another shriek out of her.
“I hate you,” she said.
“No you don’t,” he replied. And with that, he packed another snowball into his hands, but instead of aiming for Demetria, he threw this one at Tyler, who was still laid out on the snow-covered ground, looking up at the stars and the moon. It hit him in the side of the head, knocking him out of a trance and pulling him with full force back to reality.
He didn’t shriek or anything. He just pushed himself to his feet as fast as he could and pointed a menacing death glare at Xavier. “Oh,” he said. “You’re on.”
He scooped a handful of snow up in one hand and chased after Xavier at full force. He chased Xavier around the house a couple of times, and when he got close enough, he tackled Xavier to the ground, pinning him down and stuffing snow in his face.
Xavier chuckled.
Tyler laughed, rolling onto the ground beside Xavier and looking back up at the sky. He let out a small breath of air.
“Okay,” said Xavier. “That was fun, but I’m officially done with snowball fights.”
“Awww,” whined Demetria. “It was just getting good.”
Xavier replied with a shrug of his shoulders. “We should head inside. We’re probably going to get sick,” he said. It was more of an observation more than anything else. He stood to his feet and held a hand out for Tyler. “Come on, I’ll make us all a cup of Hot Cocoa. I know how much the two of you love my Peppermint Hot Chocolate.”
Tyler nodded, taking Xavier’s hand and letting him pull him to his feet.
Without another word, they all made their way to the house. Eliza, Legan, Denya, and Aria and Cadence greeted them from where they sat on the couch talking.
“Hey,” said Xavier. “I’m making Peppermint Hot Chocolate. Do any of you want some?”
They all nodded and gave a low hum in reply. It wasn’t much, but it was good enough for Xavier. He made his way to the kitchen and took out eight mugs, and got out eight peppermint logs, then busied himself with the task of making the Hot Chocolates.
Demetria and Tyler offered to help, but he respectfully denied. When he was done, he handed Demetria and Tyler their mugs, then went and handed his mother and everyone else theirs.
Eliza took a sip of hers, humming in content at the sweet and savory beverage. “Thank you, sweetie,” she said.
Xavier gave a nod of acknowledgment, then returned to the kitchen, taking a seat next to Demetria and Tyler, where they sat at the kitchen island sipping at their mugs of Hot Cocoa in a slow manner.
“Thank you,” said Tyler. “For the Hot Cocoa.”
“You’re welcome,” said Xavier. “You’re welcome too, Demetria.”
“Yeah, thanks,” she said. “It’s all right.”
Xavier’s expression morphed into one of mock hurt. “Excuse you,” he said. “But you’re sipping on greatness right now.”
“No,” said Demetria with a shake of her head, stirring her drink with the peppermint stick in her hand. “I’m drinking warm chocolate in a mug.”
Xavier shrugged his shoulders. “You’re not wrong,” he said. “That’s exactly what it is.”
“Come on,” said Tyler, standing to his feet with his drink in hand. “Let’s go upstairs and hang out for a bit before I have to leave.”
Xavier nodded in reply, standing to his feet as well.
Demetria did the same, sidling up to Tyler and taking his hand in hers. Together, they walked up the stairs one-by-one, bumping into each other and giggling at one another.
“Here we are,” interrupted Xavier, stepping in front of them so that he could open his bedroom door and let them inside. They hurried in, taking up space on the floor by the window. The curtains were closed, but pale moonlight still shown through the small open slit in the curtains.
“So,” he said, taking a seat across from them, careful not to spill his drink on the floor. “What now?”
Demetria laid her head on Tyler’s shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. “I’m tired,” she said.
“Go to sleep,” said Xavier. “You can take the guest bedroom if you want.”
“Yeah, I might do that. I’ll just have to ask my mom if I can stay.”
“What about you, Ty? Fancy a sleepover?”
Tyler shook his head. “Can’t,” he said. “It’s a school night, so my mom and dad definitely won’t let me. Plus, they want me in their sights at all time. They won’t even let me go to the grocery store alone, any-more. They’re so paranoid that something bad might happen if they aren’t around me for too long.”
“Understandable.
Demetria yawned, covering her mouth with the palm of her hand. “Okay,” she said. “I’m going to go ask my mom and dad if I can stay, and if they say I can, I’m
probably just going to head straight for the guestroom. I’m too tired to speak.”
“You do that,” said Tyler, giving her a “goodbye” peck on the lips. Only their lips touched and nothing else.
There was a moment of silence after she left. Tyler sipped at his Hot Chocolate and Xavier stared absentmindedly down at the floor. Then after a moment, he looked up at Xavier, who was staring back at him. His eyes held a glint of almost confusion.
“You all right?”
“Yeah,” said Xavier, his eyes trailing down to the long, almost, but not-quite, faded scar on Tyler’s arm. It was a long gash from where the others had cut into his skin. It was a sickly pale color, almost a ghost white. And it stood out the most on Tyler’s tan skin.
You couldn’t help but notice it.
“Are you all right?” said Xavier, pointing a long finger at Tyler’s scar.
Tyler looked down at it and nodded. “Ah, yeah,” he said. “I barely even notice it. Half the time it’s like it’s not even there. You know?”
It was a rhetorical question. But Xavier still felt compelled to answer.
“Yeah,” he said. “I do.” Xavier finished off the last of his Hot Chocolate and set his mug back on the floor. He took in a deep long breath of air, filling his lungs to their full capacity, then let it out slowly. “I should go to sleep as well. Like you said, it’s a school night and it’s almost one in the morning.”
Tyler looked at the clock on Xavier’s bedside table. It read: 12:45 in bold red numbers. “I guess you’re right he said. Goodnight, Xavier.”
“Goodnight, Ty,” replied Xavier, as Tyler left, walking down the stairs to rejoin his parents where they sat lounging in the living room, talking about anything and everything.
Xavier changed into something comfortable, then threw himself lazily into bed and covered himself, haphazardly, with the comforter.
The Resurgent Page 14