"The Stars Have Eyes"

The world was gone as we floated through the vast, darkness of space, surrounded by what was left of Earth. It was cold, but we weren’t freezing, nor burning as the sun’s rays slipped past remnants and chunks of the planet. 

What does that mean? I tried to respond, but the sound of my voice was lost. Hello? I tried to speak again, but nothing came out. What's going on? 

I turned to look around. The Earth was gone. Nothing was left of it but fragments that floated away. It really was gone. Not a single soul left, but me and this woman. The sun was hot on my face as I quickly looked away. Basic science taught me that what was exposed to the sun would be instantly irradiated and burnt to a crisp, while what was in shadow would be frozen. The air would be sucked from my lungs and expand in my blood. But, I felt fine. And the woman floating before me seemed–albeit trapped in time–just as well. Her purple hair floated around her, unmoving. Her hands–with painted black nails–were faced outwards, as if she had been reaching out to grab me. And again, her eyes. There were no irises or pupils, and they glowed so vividly. They could light up a dark room, literally.

“They see,” the woman finally spoke again, her voice slicing through my thoughts.

I realized this time that her mouth didn’t move, yet I could still hear her voice. We were in space. Sound doesn’t travel in a vacuum. I wondered how she was speaking to me, and what she meant by ‘the stars have eyes.’ I had so many questions. How were we alive? Who is she? What happened? Why is it just the two of us in space? 

“Your answers will be questioned in due time.”

That voice wasn’t the woman’s. It was deeper. It sounded wise. I felt my brows lower. ‘My answers will be questioned in due time?’ Wasn’t the phrase ‘your questions will be answered in due time?’ There is no way any of this is real. 

I felt a jolt run through my body and I was back home, on the green couch of my apartment, sitting in front of the T.V. It must have been a dream, I told myself as I reached for the remote. I probably repeated the same thing–It must have been a dream–in my head twenty times before a knock came at the door. I just turned and stared. Three more knocks. A second passed and two more knocks, these two more aggressive. I jumped to my feet and stumbled for the door, still a little disoriented by my dream. It felt like I hadn’t completely woken up from it. I let another second pass before I leaned towards the door to see through the peephole. Nobody. I opened the door and there stood the same woman from my dream. Purple hair that fell around her shoulders, all-white eyes, and a shadow that seemed darker than any others in the hallway. My mouth gaped open slightly, but no words came out. 

“Could I come in?” The woman asked with a smile, her voice pleasant and strangely alluring.

Without a word, I nodded and stepped aside for her to enter. This was all so baffling and why was I letting her in!? It felt as if I had to. Like I was meant to. 

I closed the door behind the woman and followed her to the makeshift dining room. I had a sofa, though it was green–like Oscar the grouch-green–and a dingy yellow rug. She took a seat on top of the stained coffee table in front of the couch. I watched her get comfortable, one leg crossing neatly over the other. There’s a perfectly good couch, I thought, yet chose to stand, myself. I didn’t want to sit and be too close to whoever this woman was.

“Zita,” she began without any prompting, “my name is Zita.”

I opened my mouth to talk, but I couldn’t manage anything before she continued speaking.

“Everything you know is going to be erased. This goes beyond the physical world you live in, do you understand?”

I simply nodded. Truthfully, I didn’t understand at all, but at this point, I didn’t think she was going to let me speak, even if I wanted to.

“There are things beyond your understanding that you have been chosen to be introduced to. I do not know the reason why you have been chosen, however, I’m certain it is a good reason. Are you ready?”

She stared me straight in the eye… I think. I could feel her peering into my soul. I let a moment pass, unsure if she would speak again and cut me off. When the silence filled the room, I opened my mouth to speak. I must have taken too long or nodded the slightest bit, because she took this as a ‘yes,’ and continued again. I still haven’t gotten a single word out. This Zita woman was starting to bother me. 

“We don’t have any time to waste, come along. We have to get outside before the strike.”

The strike!? Next thing I knew, she had grabbed my hand and was dragging me outside, talking as we went. We moved so fast, her purple hair was in my face and I was struggling to not eat any of it. In seconds flat, we had safely gone down four flights of stairs, now standing outside under the stars. No moon tonight. 

“Whatever beings exist outside of your time and space has deemed this Earth void, and now it will be obliterated. Everything will be gone. Except you.” 

Once again, I had no time to ask any questions before buildings in the distance turned to powder. They crumpled before my eyes. A shockwave rushed through the city, throwing cars and frying anything in its way. I felt it pass by, like a warm breeze. Zita and I were perfectly fine, while entire cities were being leveled. I turned to her. What’s happening!? But my voice was drowned out by another wave, this one stronger than the last. I covered my ears and felt the heat on my skin. I saw Zita wince a little, but otherwise remain perfectly still. A third and final wave hit. I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing my hands hard against my ears. All was silent for a split second. Zita grabbed my hand. Hers was soft, but didn’t feel all the way there. Ghostly, even. The grip she had was strong, though. The ground cracked beneath us and, before I could even look down, we were projected away from the Earth’s surface with an explosion, like a bullet from a gun. I could feel intense heat against my back and neck. Balls of fire raced past us in different directions. Giant cracking sounds echoed around us. The wind nearly cut through my face, we were moving so fast. I closed my eyes again, unable to keep them open without drying out. And then, there was no wind at all. There was no intense heat or loud explosions. It was all still and calm. 

“The stars have eyes…” her voice began, just as before. 

Only this time, I knew she was referring to me. I don’t know how I knew, but I did. I felt normal. As much as I could for floating through space. I tried to speak, but no words came from my mouth. I wanted to see the Earth. I only saw the fragments that remained, floating through the void. I wanted to see the sun. There it was, a great ball of burning gas, just as I had learned in elementary school. I wanted to see the woman from before. There, floating through space, but stuck in time. 

“They see,” her voice repeated. 

I can see, I thought, realizing. Whatever I wanted to see, there it was. The stars that surrounded me, almost looking back. What used to be my home–my bubble, I can see what it was and what it is now. I can see myself now. A great ball of light, watching over whatever I wished. I want to see another Earth. There it is, with all kinds of people in all kinds of ways. 

“Your answers will be questioned in due time.”

I want to see the source of this voice. I want to see his name. Malachi. Another star. It’s in the place where Zita was beside me. I want to see Zita. In a new place, yet still, with the same pleasant smile and pure, white eyes. This is all so real. It can’t be a dream this time. Zita has a place in her existence. It is to lead souls where they are meant to go, where their story is already written. I also have a place in this existence, and it’s here, among the stars. I can smile at them and they smile back. Here, where I can see, understand, and record all. I know that’s my part, to record the memories of this existence. To guide the universes alongside the stars, using what we know and learned. To fizzle out one day and perhaps become something new, be it more stars, black holes, or simple elements to enrich my surrounding universe. Whatever is written out for me will come in due time.