Zoro; The Message From The Stars

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A shriek along with the clasping of claws on Mira’s window made her jump. She lost her balance and spilled some of the coffee in her cup. “Ouch! That hurt, didn't it? My little feathered friend.” Mira let out. She played her favorite song on the stereo as she settled on her dining table to watch the sunset. It was the fifth time that week that an owl would crash into her closed window. It would then leave behind a little red stone that had a luster like a ruby. Mira quickly formed the habit of collecting and storing them in a jar. While her husband Zoro was an explorer of nature, Mira loved collectibles like sea shells, stones, and ornaments. Mira wondered why an owl would leave stones by her window just as much as she enjoyed her new muse.

She was starting to think it was the same barn owl visiting her at dawn. At first, Mira found it fascinating. She began to engage in bird-watching as Zoro did. He was very particular about owls. “Owls are star bearers Mira. Each of us has one.” he'd always say. He would sit with Mira for moments of unending in that same spot telling her the wonders of nature and make-believe stories about existing worlds and the afterlife.

Zoro always believed that life on Earth wasn't the end. “Look at the bright stars Mira. It's where souls go to live when they leave Earth. It's a whole euphoric city of stardust and nostalgia. Everything is real over there. Everything you can ever imagine.” Zoro would look into Mira’s brown eyes and smile. She'd cup his face in her hands and kiss his cheeks. Mira loved to trace the lines of age on the edges of his eyes. “Someday, I'll go there,” he'd add.

“Perhaps I’d come with you to this city of fantasy. Sixty years on earth is a lot. Another sixty in some sort of paradise wouldn't hurt.” Mira would always tease. Even in death, Mira kept those beautiful moments she cherished alive. A tear ran down the creases on her face. More memories of Zoro came to her like a revelation. She remembered the night Zoro peacefully left her in his sleep. That night, Zoro had finished telling her one of his unusual stories. Mira recalled saying, “I really hope you make it to Fantasyland someday.”

“When the owl delivers a star, you'll know.” Zoro smiled. “It's got five teeth.” Those were Zoro's last words before drifting into a sleep he never roused from.

Mira’s fascination for the owl had grown into curiosity. The way it looked into her window as though it was searching for something made her inquisitive. She placed her coffee on the table and walked to the window. The owl just stood there and stared back at Mira. Mira felt something she didn't want to feel in its orange eyes. The owl then backed off and flew away leaving another stone on the window stool. Mira opened the window and picked up the stone. It felt so warm. It was the fifth stone she had picked up that week.

She just stood there pondering for minutes before going to drop the little stone in her jar of collectibles. Mira didn't quite feel the same after the incident with the owl. A feeling she almost recognized was rousing inside of her. She was still holding on to the glass jar when she noticed something about the stones. They looked like they would fit.

Immediately, Mira emptied the jar filled with shells, clamps, and stones. She then picked out the red stones and placed them on the table. Mira’s prediction was right. They did fit. When she finished putting the stones together, Mira froze in awe. She was surprised to find that the stones were pieces that formed a five-toothed star. Her mouth was wide open the whole time. As soon as she put the pieces together, a soft glow began to emanate from the star.

Before her was the most beautiful thing Mira had ever seen in her sixty years of existence. The soft tune on her stereo, the star, and Zoro's memories put Mira in an emotional state she had never felt before. She picked up the stars and closed her eyes. All she could see was Zoro’s peaceful face. She held on tightly to the star and began moving with her eyes closed. Mira started to dance to the music. Soon, she felt a presence. It was almost as though she could feel an embrace. Zoro's favorite peach perfume smelled in the air.

Mira began to smile, still dancing with her eyes closed. She didn't feel fear or anxiety. Mira knew Zoro had come to tell her that he was safe in fantasyland. He had said that the owl would come bearing the star. Tears slowly ran down her cheeks and she danced until dawn gave way to daylight. Slowly, the star in her hand diminished into stardust. “See you in fantasy Zoro,” Mira whispered amidst tears.