Every Soul a Star

by Wendy Mass

  “Ten more minutes till second contact,” he announces. “And what does that mean?”

  “Totality!” the crowd yells.

  “Right! And when that happens, you can take off your glasses. You won’t hear from me again until it’s time to put them back on.”

  He steps off the podium and hurries over to us. A bundle of energy, he squeezes my shoulder before joining Mom at the scope. It’s getting darker now by the second. The sun is slipping farther behind the moon. The clouds are still fluffy, which means they won’t block our view. Our dances must have worked!

  Kenny and Melanie are scrambling to check things off their list. The air is dark like dusk, but it has a greenish-yellowish cast that is totally unfamiliar. I know I’m supposed to be following Kenny’s checklist, watching for changes all around me and scanning the sky for stars. But it’s like I’m in a dream or something, and I can’t think straight. I’ve imagined this moment my entire life, and now it doesn’t seem real.

  Suddenly it’s dead quiet. The birds have completely stopped chirping. Tiny balls form a glowing circle around the black sun like a necklace of pearls.

  “Baily’s Beads!” people around us exclaim.

  And as I watch, breathless, the beads fade into one thin circle of light. Gasps go up from around the field, and I hear people shouting about the moon’s shadow passing over us, but I don’t see it. I’m too busy watching the last bit of sunlight shine like a beacon through the deepest valley of the moon. It looks like a huge diamond engagement ring hanging in the sky where the sun used to be.

  And then that last bit of light winks out. Totality! Everyone whips off their glasses. A flash of vivid red swirls around the outline of the moon, glorious in its contrast with the dark sky around it. This is the only time I’ll ever see the sun’s chromosphere, the thin atmosphere normally hidden to us. A second later it is fully engulfed by the moon. And then the main attraction arrives. The pearly white corona suddenly streams out from behind the dark moon in all directions, pulsing, looping, swirling, glowing, a halo of unearthly light. I feel like I could die from the beauty of it.

  “Great Galileo’s Ghost!” Kenny yells.

  Then two things happen at once. The sounds of screaming and clapping and crying fill the air.

  And someone slips their hand into mine.

  BREE

  7

  The only other time in my life I’ve gotten up this early was the day the new shoe store opened in town and the first twenty people in line got a free pair of sandals. I had expected there to be roosters crowing at the crack of dawn, but apparently that’s only on farms. I hurry to dress, grabbing whatever’s nearby. I run my brush through my hair and then tie it back in a ribbon. Slipping on my sneakers I notice they’re almost as dirty as the ones Ally loaned me when I first arrived. I bet Claire wouldn’t even recognize me. I barely recognize myself. Melanie is just starting to stir as I slip out the door of the cabin. The eclipse is this afternoon, and I have a lot to do before then.

  First stop—the labyrinth. I’ve tried every day since the day I met that old woman, Stella, but I haven’t been able to step inside. Today I’m determined to change that. With the huge crowds of people here now, I figure this might be the only time I’d be alone.

  But when I arrive, I see a woman in the center of the labyrinth, her head bowed. She’s wearing a long black robe and a black shawl that even goes over her head. Doesn’t she know white is the new black? She’s saying something, but I can’t hear. I move a little closer. It almost sounds like she’s chanting, or praying. I turn to go because she’s freaking me out a little, but manage to step on a twig. It cracks loudly under my foot. She lifts her head but doesn’t stop chanting. I debate running off but force myself to sit on the bench and wait for her to finish. I might not get another chance for a while.

  A few minutes later the woman threads her way back out of the labyrinth and heads toward me. I have no idea what I should say to her, so I just say an awkward “Hello.”

  “Are you here for the eclipse?” she asks with an accent that I don’t recognize. She lowers the shawl from her head and drapes it around her shoulders. She’s younger than I had suspected, not older than twenty-five or so. It’s hard to tell under all those clothes. She must be hot, too.

  “Yes.” And then since she’s still standing there, I add, “My family is actually moving here. We’re going to be taking over the campground once the eclipse is over.” This is the first time I’ve been able to say those words without feeling like throwing up.

  “You are a lucky girl,” she says. “This is a very beautiful place.”

  Rather than commenting on my luck or lack of it, I ask her where she’s from.

  “Egypt,” she replies. “My family sent me here. My brother went to the last eclipse, and my sister will go to the next.”

  I blink. “You came all the way here from Egypt? Your family must really love eclipses.”

  She smiles. “We have never seen one.”

  “But I thought you said —”

  “We come to pray during the eclipse. We pray for the sun’s return.”

  “But you don’t see it at all?”

  She shakes her head. “I will keep my eyes to the ground.”

  Ally will NOT believe this. In defense of the eclipse I say, “But it’s supposed to be really cool.”

  She laughs. “Yes, I have heard that. But this tradition goes back to the Prophet Muhammad. If he can miss it, I can miss it. It is for the greater good.”

  “Well,” I tell her, “I’ll tell you what it was like after, if that’s okay.”

  “I would like that,” she says. “Now I will leave you to your own task.”

  “I’m Bree, by the way,” I call after her.

  “Bellana,” she says.

  I watch her head back down the path and wonder what “my task” is supposed to be. Maybe the labyrinth will tell me. I step up to the opening and take a deep breath. This time my feet actually obey me and I take a few steps inside. But then they stop again. This is really starting to bug me. Why can’t I walk the darn labyrinth? What am I afraid of?

  I turn around and walk back out, staring at the circle of rocks before me. Ever since I saw the moon through that huge telescope, things have been so weird. Our parents had asked me and Mel about our night in the shed, and I’d wanted to tell them about seeing the moon, but what could I say? That in that one minute, I saw what they see? That the universe really is full of mysterious and amazing things? That we’re on this piece of rock hurtling through space for this really tiny period of time and we better make the best of it? Which means whether or not my lip gloss matches my pocketbook really doesn’t matter? How was I supposed to explain I got all that from looking at the moon through a telescope? They’d think I was crazy. And they might be right!

  Well, no use sitting here anymore. I get up and go to the next stop on my list—the Art House. I have decided that I’m going to ask my parents if taking care of the Unusuals can be my job. It might help my case if I’ve actually spent some time in them. The Art House is empty when I get there, and I’m shocked to see that three walls are now completely covered! I guess with all the people here now, it shouldn’t be that surprising, but it still is. I wouldn’t have thought so many people could paint. No two are alike, even though a lot of people have painted different things in the campground.

  I’m about to leave when one of the squares catches my eye. It’s of a group of kids sitting inside a small, brown room. A big silver object in the middle takes up most of the space. I run up to the wall for a closer look. The kids are all laughing. I can see a rain-streaked window behind them, with a sliver of moon. One of the girls has shiny brown hair and blue eyes and she looks happy to be there. Is that me? Who painted this? Melanie’s really good at art, maybe she did it. I have to force myself not to touch the scene with my fingers. Only one person has their back to the viewer. Jack. And he had said something about liking to draw when we were up there that nigh
t. The fact that the moonlight illuminates Ally’s face so she looks like an angel confirms it. He did this, for sure.

  I take one last look, then hurry off to the next Unusual—the stream where people pan for gold. People are starting to mill about now, and excitement is thick in the air. I’ve been noticing things like air lately, how it feels and how it looks at different times of the day. And the sounds of the campground, the birds constantly chirping, and the squirrels and chipmunks scampering through leaves and up trees.

  When I get to the stream it’s packed with kids dipping their pans in the water and bouncing the gold nuggets in the air. Kenny must have put a ton of nuggets in there, because no one is coming up empty. The Star Garden is next, but when I get there a few guys are loading the telescopes on carts. I haven’t had my iPod on all morning, and I suddenly feel the need to take a break from all this nature. I put on my earphones and settle down on the slope to watch them. One of the guys slips on the still dewy grass and almost drops a telescope. I jump a little. I guess I must already be feeling a little territorial.

  After listening to one more song, I head over to the Sun Garden. I haven’t been there since I first got a tour of the place. As I wander through, I let my hand trail over the tops of the different sun dials. I wonder who made all these. The memory of making one in third grade out of a pencil and a paper plate comes floating back to me. I remember bringing it home from school and setting it up in the backyard. I’d keep running out to make sure it was still keeping the right time. Then a few days later it rained, turning the plate into mush. I threw it in the outside trash can and haven’t thought of it since.

  I want to stand in the big sun dial and see what it’s like to tell time by my own shadow, but a guy and his son are in there, and I don’t want to bother them. As I turn to leave, Melanie comes running toward me. “There you are!” she says. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”

  “Looks like you found me.”

  “Mr. Silver called. Our experiment was a success! We’re going to be written up in some scientific journal! Can you believe that? We’re famous!”

  No, I really can’t believe it. This is what I’m famous for? I didn’t even do anything, not really.

  “Aren’t you excited?” Melanie asks, her smile slacking a bit.

  “I guess so. But I didn’t really do anything. I just read off some numbers and tried to keep Ryan from throwing up on your data.”

  “That’s important stuff!” she insists. “We were all in it together, and we all played an important part.”

  I think about that for a second. Written up in a journal. Me. Us. It’s crazy. But not crazier than being here in the first place. I smile. “You’re right. It’s pretty cool.”

  “Hey,” she says, “I almost forgot.” She reaches into her back pocket and hands me a folded piece of paper. “This fax came for you while I was in the office today. It’s from Claire.”

  I hurriedly unfold it. Life without text messaging has been soooo hard. Melanie heads over to the sun dials while I read the typed letter.

  Hey there Breeziest Bree!

  OMG, I miss u soooo much. come home! it’s totally not the same without u here. Lara is soooo not u! she doesn’t understand any of my jokes! and she has this, like, weird toe on her left foot that she never shows anyone—did u notice how she never wears sandals? but i saw the toe when we were getting into my hot tub yesterday. it’s like, all bent. she really should get that fixed.

  ANYWAY, i wanted to let u know i started this class that’s taught by that lady who led that modeling thing we went to? her name’s Lulu, but i bet that isn’t her real name. anyway, she called my house when i was in Florida and invited me to take it. i’m sure if i got invited to take it, that you would have, too. all of the B-cliquers are here and they’re so obnoxious and I really, really need you! it’s kind of expensive, but my mom said that she would pay for you to take it with me if your parents will let you. it’s just for the summer and my mom said you could stay here for that long. so you have to say yes, say yes!! the class is reeeaaallllly good!! let me know as soooon as possible!

  Love your bestest ever buddy,

  Chocolate (egg)Claire

  My throat tightens when I finish the letter. I can hear Claire’s voice so clearly and picture her at her laptop, probably out by the pool when she wrote this. And then she took the time to print and fax it, and that was really thoughtful. I feel bad for thinking it, but part of me is glad that Lara has a freaky toe. I fold the letter back up and head over to Melanie. She’s standing in the center of the large sun dial, twisting left and right, trying to cast the strongest shadow. It’s late morning though, so her shadow won’t be very long. I don’t even know how I know that. As much as I try, I can’t seem to squash down that inner-geek again. It’s threatening to take over. I shiver at the thought.

  “Did Mom or Dad see this?” I ask.

  She shakes her head. “It came in while I was helping Kenny with the flyers for the eclipse. Why?”

  “No reason.”

  “You’re not thinking of going, are you?”

  “You read my letter?”

  She hops out of the sun dial. “How could I not have read it?”

  “Easy. You just . . . oh never mind, it doesn’t matter.”

  “You think they’ll let you go?” she asks.

  I shrug. “Maybe. If it’s just for a few weeks.”

  She looks down at her sneakers and doesn’t say anything.

  I sigh. “This could be a really good opportunity. Mom was worried it was a scam, but Claire says it’s really good.”

  “I know,” Melanie says. “It’s just that, well, what if something happens and you’re not here?”

  “Something like what?”

  “You know, during the night. While I’m sleeping.”

  “You haven’t had any night terrors since we’ve been here. And if you do, Mom and Dad aren’t going anywhere.”

  “I guess,” she says, still not meeting my eyes.

  “Don’t worry, they’ll probably say no. I’m not even sure I’ll ask. C’mon, let’s go have breakfast. Or lunch. Or whatever they’re serving.”

  “I’ll try to meet you there,” she says, cheering up a bit. “I need to finish helping Kenny. You haven’t seen Jack, have you?”

  “Not since last night sometime. He was with that weird old lady in the Star Garden.”

  “What weird old lady?”

  “The one who’s always knitting that red scarf. You know, the really old one with the white hair?”

  She shakes her head. “Nope. Well, if you see him, will you tell him the good news?” For a second I think she’s talking about my modeling class, and then I remember about the planet.

  We’re about to part ways at the path when she stops and says, “So you were in the Star Garden last night?”

  “Yeah, so?”

  “So what’d you see?”

  “What do you mean?” I ask, knowing very well what she means.

  She rolls her eyes. “Stars, planets, the moon, space junk. You know, what did you see?”

  “What’s space junk?”

  “Space junk is junk in space, like in orbit around the earth. Pieces that break off of satellites, or the Space Station, or rocket boosters. Nuts, bolts, astronauts’ gloves.”

  Usually when Mel starts talking about anything science-related I tune her out, but this is actually interesting. “So these things are just floating around up there?”

  “Not floating, more like zooming really really fast.”

  “Can any of it crash to Earth?”

  “You mean like a meteorite? Like Ally has?”

  “Huh? Ally has a meteorite?”

  She tilts her head at me. “That thing she wears around her neck all the time? You never asked what it was?”

  I shrug. I had figured that old pouch was some sad attempt at jewelry. When I don’t answer, she sighs. “Why are you so interested in space junk?”

  “I don�
��t know,” I say honestly. “I just think it’s cool, and kind of creepy.”

  “You should learn about it then.”

  I gaze at her blankly.

  She gazes back with the same “I can’t believe we’re related” look I so often give her. “When you’re interested in something,” she says very slowly, “it can be fun to learn as much as you can about the subject. Whether or not a teacher assigns it to you. You can learn about it on your own.”

  “That’s okay,” I assure her. “I’m not that interested.”

  She sighs again, then says, “You didn’t look through the telescopes last night, right?”

  I consider lying, but I’d probably mess up and name a planet that was destroyed by an asteroid or something. If that actually happens. “Right,” I admit.

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know,” I tell her, starting to get annoyed. What business is it of hers?

  She opens her mouth to say something but closes it again. “I’ll see you later,” she says instead. I watch her hurrying back toward the house that will soon be ours. I have a feeling she knew exactly why I didn’t look.

  Instead of heading to the pavilion to find something to eat, I go back to the cabins to find Mom and Dad. I knock and then go in, but they’re not around. In only a week’s time, they managed to turn their cabin into a duplicate of their office at home—books, papers, notes and computer equipment lay on every surface, including the floor. I pause before going back out, and consider actually picking up a notebook to see what they’re working on.

  But I can’t do it. A lifetime of not caring is too powerful.

  I hurry down the steps and almost walk right into Jack, who has his head down and is fishing something out of his backpack.

  “Hey, did you hear the news?” I ask.

  He shifts his backpack onto his shoulder, sticks a Twizzler in his mouth, and says, “What news?”