Young Writers Society

With a log fire crackling, Emma slept silently. Belle sat, waiting, for the old, oak, grandfather clock to sing its deep, midnight carol. It's sides were chipping and faded of color. As Emma rolled in her sleep, the old pull out couch croaked like the toads on lily pads in the stream behind Belle’s old house. Where the stars shined until morning and the only light, was the moon and a candle. Crickets filled the outdoors and your head. Here, in New York, the stars stayed hidden behind a dark curtain of sky, afraid of the bustling lights of the city. And the cars honking their horns played through your head like a hamster running on a wheel, continuously.

When the clock sung its melody, knocking Belle from her daze, it chimed deep and rich, filling the loft of the apartment above the busy streets. Belle jumped off the couches arm and crept along the wood floor. She slipped her feet into slippers, wiggling her toes into the end. She eased open the bay window and climbed through, stealthy as a leopard. Belle’s feet landing on the metal fire escape, she pulled down the ladder to the rooftop and slid down the window, cringing at the creaking sound the frame made. Hand over hand, she climbed up the rungs to the roof.

Sitting on the edge of the roof’s platform, Belle dangled her legs over the cars running below her like ants finding they’re homes. She felt powerful, like she could crush them with a small tap but at the same time weak, like the dark blanket above me could fall and crush everything below. She worried about the death of everything below the blanket but at the same time, she prayed for the blanket to lose its grip and slip revealing the stars to those who survive.

One sacrifice for a world of beauty for the lucky ones. Some people would get to see the beauty she once saw every night. Feel the warmth it sent coursing through her veins when she lay under the stars until hours past her bedtime and until the sun peeked over the horizon like a recently hatched chick peeking over the egg shells. Belle couldn’t see the stars or the sun on the horizon. She could see a dimly lit moon hanging over the city like a light hanging in the basement.

“Belle.” Belle heard a quiet whisper from behind her.

She turned to see Emma standing behind her.

“Emma!” she stood up and walked towards Emma, “You’re supposed to be asleep!”

Emma wiped her eye, “So are you.”

Belle walked Emma towards the fire escape, “It’s different.”

Emma ducked under her arm and stood rooted with Belle standing between her and the ladder. “I want to see what you come up here for.”

“Fine.”

Belle pulled her to the edge of the roof and Emma attentively sat down on the side. Belle silently closed her eyes and laid down next to Emma. She could hear Emma kicking the side of the roof and opened her eyes to see Emma mesmerized by the world below. Belle sat up and pulled her arm around her sister.

Emma smiled at her, “Just like home.” She said.

“Just like home.” Belle replied.

The two sisters sat at the edge of the building until the sun peeked over the horizon and they climbed back down the ladder and into the room before anyone else realizes they were gone.