Memories

“Look up at the night sky, my dear. See all the twinkling stars shining so brightly? Stars twinkling with brilliance and hope. And the big moon, of course, giving us light even in the darkest of nights. Oh, Hei, you'll never be alone, even if you feel you are the loneliest one in the world, just look up at the night sky.”

Hei couldn't sleep.

Again.

Lying on a sturdy branch high amongst the trees, he could see the moon looming its white face at him. Peeking amongst the leaves, making its presence known.

His mother's words had popped into his head. 

“As long as you look up at the night sky, my dear, you'll never be alone.”

A reminder that seemed to comfort him. It was as if he could see his mother's warmth and comfort in the moon. It was as if he could see his father’s bright hope in the stars.

As if they were really there all along.

Hei stared up at the moon, memories swarming inside his mind. Memories clear as the night sky above him. Memories of that fateful day once upon a time.

Everything was so clear, as if the events had only just happened.

He could still remember hearing the fear in his mother's voice and the way she tried to push it down when she spoke with Hei.

He could still remember the grip on his shoulder as she led him through a path. A road to safety that they didn’t make through.

(He could still remember how his mother cried out for him to, “Run, run!”

How he didn't want to leave her side but was too terrified of the archangel coming towards them to stay.)

He could still remember how he found his father, but not before the angels had found him first. How he witnessed the brutality of the “angels”.

“I love you, always remember that!” His father had told him, trying to keep him away. Trying his best to keep his dear son unharmed.

He could still remember how the angels shouted and screamed at his parents.

“Disgrace! Disgrace! You have broken our sacred law!”

Hei remembered how he ran, ran for his life to escape those heartless villains. He remembered how they caught his eye, slashing him but he did not care. Hei remembered how he ran for dear life away, away, away. 

He ran for his life.

The memories overwhelmed him, deepening his sorrow and despair.

Alone in the forest of trees, he cried. He cried for his family, his dear family who had truly done nothing wrong. No one was there to hear his cries. He was all alone up in that tree.

The moon was glowing persistently through the leaves and branches, glowing down on Hei. He couldn't help but look up at it as he cried, somehow seeing his mother's comforting smile in it. 

“You'll never be alone, my dear. We love you so very much. And you can do anything you will ever wish for, because I know one day, you'll be brilliant.”

He somehow saw his father’s shiny grin in the stars, encouraging him. Letting him know he was still there.

“We love you, Hei. You're amazing. You're special. You deserve all the happiness the world has to offer.”

Peering up at the clear night sky, somehow Hei felt comforted.

Like he truly wasn't alone.