+sillyvi's silly drafts+

Six-year old Stella spends most nights in the beach, lying on the sand, looking up the stars and talking silently to them.

They haven’t talked back yet, but she believed they will–in time. ( Or maybe they have talked back but she could not hear or understand them yet?)  Stella thought this was because she was still very young, so she waited patiently to grow-up.  After all, there were many things grown-ups can do that kids like her could not.

While she waited,  she never faltered in her belief that one day they would talk back (or that she would finally understand what they were saying). Her many questions would be answered. They would tell her something special about herself and her life.

After all, her name was Stella which means “star.”  She was one of them.   She was meant to shine.

+ + +

Stella Claudia would look up the stars at night and silently ask the universe what it wanted from her. It spoke, but Claudia could not under was unable  to understand its language. She thought it was in the twinkling of the stars, but they formed no pattern. She thought it was the breeze, but it never whispered to her ear. She thought it was the waves crashing to shore but it never wrote anything in the sand.

That night, she was lying on the sand and looking up the sky again when someone approached her.   “Hello.” It was a boy her age. “Hello.”   She replied and sat up.  The boy didn’t say anything after that and simply sat beside her and looked up the sky too.  He asked her what she was doing and Claudia said “Trying to understand what the Universe is telling me.” Then she closed their eyes and the boy followed suit.  Moments later they heard their names being called.

“Stella Claudia!”

“Eric!”

They opened their eyes and the first thing they saw was a shooting star. “Make a wish.” Stella Claudia said.  And the boy did.  They both got up and brushed the sand from their clothes.  “Did the universe speak to you?”

“Yes,” the boy said.

“What did it say?”

“It told me to help you understand.”

His name was being called again so he said, “Till tomorrow,” before Stella could ask him more.

When tomorrow came , Stella found him already at the shore.  He was writing her name on the sand.

S T E L L A

The waves came and slowly S T E L L A disappeared .  The boy just wrote her name again.  She asked him why she was writing her name not his.   He said it sounded pretty.  He was silent again so Stella sat beside him and  began writing his name on the sand.  She thought he smiled at her. Together, they watched as the waves came and erased whatever they wrote. No matter, they just wrote again. When they grew tired writing, the sun was out and the stars appeared. And she remembered she had something to ask him.

“So the Universe spoke to you?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“It placed a thought in my mind.”

He explained he wasn’t thinking of anything last night when the thought, “Help Stella understand,” was suddenly there.

“How would you help me understand?”  He looked up the sky again, closed his eyes and waited but this time nothing happened.

“Maybe tomorrow,” Stella said.

+ + +

Sometimes, it’s the smallest things that hurt the most.

There was a brown leather suitcase on the passenger seat of the car.

It didn’t look like any of my things, but somehow I knew it was mine. I didn’t know who was driving or where we were going but I was ready to leave.

+ + +

There was an outbreak of pox in a rural village.

It was night in the fields and the village people sat in rows of classroom chairs. Someone was passing around a test tube–the cure– but curiously, a thumb-sized bee was inside it.

I was running and running until I ended up in an old house similar to my grandmother’s. My aunts and uncles where there, but the they said I could not go inside the living room. There was a fee, a peso, before anyone could enter.

I was running again and I found myself in the ruins of an old Church. There was a gaunt man who welcomed me.

+ + +

INT. SUMMERS’ HOME – NIGHT

The door bursts open in comes a delighted Buffy and Faith. An annoyed Jameson trails behind.

JAMESON
You almost broke my nose, blondie.

They dump slaying weapons at the wooden chest.

BUFFY
You  hit on my sister,  baby slayer.

JAMESON
It was a joke. And don’t call me that.

FAITH
It wasn’t a joke, B. Jamie’s a perv. I’d know.

JAMESON
Met a lot I suppose?

FAITH
(shrugging)
Been to the big house.

JAMESON
Do anything nasty with the roomies?

BUFFY
Ewww. No prison jokes in the house. I’ve got a minor, remember?

Jameson laughs.

JAMESON
Hey, you smell that?

They walk to:

INT. SUMMERS’ HOUSE. KITCHEN – NIGHT

Willow, Xander and Anya around the breakfast nook.

WILLOW
Cookies? I baked them.

JAMESON
Hmmm, Willow cookies.

WILLOW
I…I have a boyrfriend. You know, Oz.

JAMESON
(winking)
Lucky wolf. Woof!

An unnerved Willow leans over to Buffy.

WILLOW
He’s worse than a Buffy-obsessed Spike. How’s that possible?

BUFFY

(shrugging)
How’s it possible that he’s a male Slayer ? Same diff.

Faith follows Jameson’s movements by the fridge.

FAITH
Gay.  That’s my theory.

Jameson only chuckles and walks over to the platter of cookies.

ANYA
Gay? Hey you, don’t stand too close to Xander.

XANDER
Anya, remember our conversation? “Xander no like boys?”

ANYA
I still don’t like him near you.  He’s wearing a blue shirt that matches his eyes. You might get tempted.

Jameson looks at his shirt.

JAMESON
It does? What do you think Faith?

She props herself at the counter, arms crossed on her chest, trying but failing to look unaffected.

FAITH
Looks gay to me.

JAMESON
Really? Hmm… I’d better take it off then. And besides, it’s got demon stain.

He starts to pull his shirt off.

BUFFY
What did I tell you about a certain minor in the house?

JAMESON
—but since Dawnie’s lurkin about I’m just gonna get me some of those and take off.

He reaches tentativley for the cookies on the platter beside Xander. Takes a bite whilelooking drectily at Xander.

JAMESON
De-li-cious.

Anya socks Xander on the shoulder.

XANDER
Awww, Ahn!
(to Jameson)
Thanks man. A world of thanks.

JAMESON
Anytime.

~~~

INT. XANDER’S APARTMENT. BEDROOM – NIGHT

Anya and Xander in the sheets post-coitum.

ANYA
Xander, are you starting to develop feelings for this Jameson?

XANDER
Okay Anya…where did that come from?

ANYA
I’m well aware of  your  long-standing crush on Buffy. And you loss your virginity to Faith. So therefore, the idea of you falling for Jameson is highly likely.

XANDER
Ahn, the “so therefore” in your statement is very non-sequiturish.  It does not follow for  Xander no like boys. Jameson, boy. Therefore Xander no like Jameson. Xander like girls. Anya, girl. Therefore  Xander like you.

ANYA
Xander may like me. But Xander’s penis is drawn to Slayers! So please tell me as early as now. Are there butterflies in your tummy?  I won’t blame you. He has a remarkable physique and is oozing with sexuality.

XANDER
Ahn, there are absolutely no butterflies!

ANYA
You sure?

XANDER
Nothing’s happening down there—
(catches himself)
I mean inside! Inside my tummy!

ANYA
Okay.

A beat.

ANYA
How about chills? Down your spine? Do you have those?

~~~