The North Star

Many moons ago well before the consequence of time existed, a young angel was facing a crisis like no other. The young angel Polly had come of age and would soon be inducted into the Guardians of the Heavens. Once she was a guardian angel, she would be assigned to one human being on earth, to watch out for and be that person’s protector.

Polly had watched the humans ever since she could remember, always wondering which person she would be paired with for all eternity. There were so many in desperate need of help. Through the fogginess of the cloud haze of the outer realm, she witnessed the humans make careless decisions. Time after time, reckless actions precluded a senseless outcome. Over and over so many people made poor choices. Preventable tragedies could be avoided, if only people could find their way in the darkness. Polly knew she could help if she were given the chance. There were so many humans and so few angels to watch over them. All of the humans could use the help of an angel, she thought. How unfair to be assigned to just one person to look out for and protect.

On the eve of the induction ceremony, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Polly made a decision that could not be easily undone, if it could be undone at all. She would run away. She would leave her home and all that she knew. She had no other choice. She knew she would have to be brave and stand alone in her plight. In her heart lived the conflict to do more, to be more, to help as many people as she could instead of only one as was expected.

She knew that she could not become a Guardian.

Polly didn’t know what would happen if she, an angel, asked for help because it had never happened before. The Guardians were in charge of answering prayers and pleas, and she was determined not to become one of them. She longed to be far away, in a quiet place, somewhere dark where she could use her angel powers and share her light for all to see.

Polly inhaled a fitful breath and stretched her wingless arms as wide as she could reach. She squeezed her eyes closed, imagined her wish to reality, to help as many as possible in her angel life. As she focused on her wish, she began to whisper over and over,

I wish I may, I wish I might,

Have this wish I wish tonight

The universe began to shake and shiver all around her. An angel was praying! Wishing for a chance to help all the humans of earth. For the first time ever, Polly felt a warm charge hum over her being. Light radiated from her core, and all the angels in the Guardian felt what she wanted, the one thing that she was wishing for.

Sirius, keeper of the Guardian angels heard Polly’s cries from his perch in the clouds. One by one, other angels from all around the Heavens joined Polly, forming a circle around her. The guardian angels watched in awe as Polly chanted her wish, over and over, I wish I may, I wish I might, have this wish I wish tonight. Polly felt their presence, drew strength from the other angels. She continued to chant with every fiber of her being. Such an earnest plea from the would-be angel created a spark. As the angels flanked her, Polly transformed into a translucent shadow of her former self.

Polly began to shimmer. Twinkling and shining she stood there wingless in front of all of the Angels. A new sensation overcame her, one of emotion and feeling.

Polly felt the salt in her tears stream across her light. She touched her face, felt the wetness. This is what tears feels like, she thought. She had seen humans drenched in their own sorrow the same way, then wipe their eyes to make the flowing water stop. Polly lifted her angel arm to her face, and rubbed her angel eyes, duplicating what the humans did when they cried. As she pulled away her hands, she noticed it. On her finger, an eyelash.

Polly stopped her chanting and began to laugh uncontrollably. “I’m just like them. The humans,” she whispered as the other angels gasped.

Sirius’ voice boomed throughout the Guardian kingdom and shook the universe. “Do not stop wishing Polly, that is the only thing that can save you now!” Hearing Sirius’ words the Guardian Angels panicked and lunged toward Polly, in part to help her, in part to stop her from transforming further.

One Guardian’s wings touched Polly’s light and turned her completely around so she was facing a new direction. Other Guardians began to pull and tug on her light. The harder they pulled at her, the brighter the light emanated from Polly.

Then it happened.

Polly’s light burned so bright, so powerful that a beacon of light shone straight up to Heaven. Seeing this, Sirius nodded once and young Polly, the would be guardian angel, plunged out of the guardian’s kingdom in a fire of breath and light.

The first falling star.

The Guardian angels watched Polly’s descent in horror, and begged Sirius to do something to save the young angel in training.

Sirius looked to Heaven for answers. “But she doesn’t want to be here, to dwell among us,” he said. The Guardian angels were distraught, in agony that one of their own would be banished for all eternity. Yet, they knew what Polly wished for, to help as many humans as possible, not just one, as was customary.

Sirius waited for guidance, all the while the Guardian angels were spellbound watching the comet trail Polly left in her wake as she seared across the galaxy in a collision course with Earth.

The fireball whipped through the atmosphere with speed and accuracy, all the while the guardian angels wept in shock. A piercing beam of light from Heaven struck Sirius on the head. In this light was the answer of Polly’s fate. Sirius did not hesitate, he let out of huff of air as he said “Polly air is your friend. Take your place in the night sky.”

The Guardian angels watched as Polly’s fireball collided with the earthly prairie. The fireball burst into a million pieces, but its light beam was pulled directly back toward the sky. In the new light, strange new flowers appeared, each sprung to life where ever fireball fragments landed.

In the night sky, Polly made a home. She became a star.

And that is how Polaris, or Polly air is, as Sirius said, was formed, close to Heaven, so the Guardian could keep a watch on her. The North Star, guide to sailors of the seven seas, shines the brightest of all the stars in the night sky. Visible to the naked eye, every person has a chance to glow in her radiance. Her light grows stronger and more luminescent with every birthday candle wish made, symbolic of the induction ceremony Polly sidestepped. Polly is the reason you make a wish when you find an eyelash on your finger. Why you kiss the clasp of a necklace and make a wish when it’s turned to the front, as the angels pulled on her trying to save her. Polly is the reason wishbones are pulled apart and the winner of the bigger piece gets a wish.

And lastly, whenever you see a dandelion growing, know that the first falling star touched the earth in that spot. Pick the flower and blow – make a wish – for one time, long ago, before the consequence of time existed, a would-be Angel called Polly wished to help as many people as she could.

And so she did just that, what she does best. She twinkles.

Just look up.

~

This bit of fiction is for the Vocal Mythmaker challenge that you can read more about here: