The Gifted Star

Estella Mendoza woke with a start. Her long brown hair was a tangled mess and caused it to cling to her skin and white shift with sweat. Her pulse raced and she struggled to breathe, it was as if she had just run ten leagues. Her bed sheets lay in a jumbled pile by her feet, and her feather pillow had been thrown onto the ground beside the bed. Estella could still remember the warmth of the fire from the torch and the touch of metal from the door handle. Quickly she put her hands on her stomach, but she couldn't feel the familiar bump of the foetus or any movement. Everything had felt so real. Estella rested against the headboard of her bed and looked out the window of her room to see the sunrise. It had been just a dream. A nightmare, actually, but those were coming more regularly all the time.

The first horrifying experience had caused her to wake-up screaming, waking the whole household in the process. Nonetheless, experiencing the feeling of having a spear pierce your heart and then watching as your blood flowed freely out onto the dirt ground, highlighted by a roaring fire, will usually do that to a person. Her parents had assured her that it had all been a dream, while her older brother, Aaron, had claimed that madness was taking her. After that night Estella had learnt to keep her dreams to herself, even though she was starting to believe her brother more and more.

A loud pounding came from the door, interrupting Estella’s thoughts and bringing her back to the present.“Es, you better get up or you’re going to be late for school again,” a man’s voice called from behind the bedroom door. ‘Think of a monster and one will come,’ Estella thought bitterly. Her only sibling had always made it his job to cause trouble in her life and never ceased to amaze her with the unlimited amount of things that he could do that would bring her misery. Only the day before had he snuck into her room and stolen all of her stockings. Thus bringing her the joy of wearing her tough leather boots without any protection. The blisters and abrasions from the previous day sent a shock-wave of pain through her feet as a reminder of this prank.

Estella stood up, grimacing through the pain, and walked to the door. She was greeted by the smiling eyes of Aaron, and instantly knew he that had done something horrible. Estella looked at him long and hard, trying to find any hint of what he was planning. It was evident to anyone who knew the two siblings that they were brother and sister. Both teenagers had the same olive skin tone, dark hazel eyes and wavy brown hair. However, this description could also describe almost half of Greenwater. Estella swore that everyone who lived in the town was related somehow.

There were no signs of evident mischief on Aaron, which only caused Estella more grief. She scrolled through the list of tricks that he had played on her before, only then did she realize what he had planned.

“What time is it, Aaron?” Estella asked, trying desperately to keep her voice calm.

Aaron's face broke out in a huge grin that reached from ear to ear. He composed his smile a little, and put on an expression as if he was thinking very hard on something, “Huh, now that you mention it, I believe it’s just after seven in the morning”.

The rage in Estella came to a boil and she almost strangled her tormentor on the spot. Throughout her school she had a reputation of being absentminded, easily distracted, and always late for class. She wasn't a horrible student and tried her hardest, but her efforts were ignored by the school mistress, Miss. Arana. The woman had despised Estella from the moment that she had set foot into the classroom. The feeling was entirely mutual, though.

Estella slammed the door shut and rushed around her tiny room, fumbling through her sparse possessions looking for any clean clothing that she could wear. School started at half past seven and she still had to walk there. Usually she would wake-up earlier but her nightmare had defeated her internal alarm clock. It only took her a few minutes to throw on a brown cotton dress, stockings, and her boots. She threw open the door once more and, once again, knew her brother’s game was not over yet.

Estella attempted to push by him, but he easily blocked her way with an outreached arm. She looked up at him with her most fearsome glare; the glance only made Aaron laugh.
“Aren't you forgetting something?” he questioned mockingly. She searched her mind once more, trying to move past her previous nightmares and all of the feelings they brought up. Finally she remembered the weekly routine; it was her turn to gather the eggs from the chickens that morning. Estella knew if she did the chore there would be no chance to make it in time for the beginning bell. She also knew that, as brother and sister, her parents expected them to wake each other if the other was not up in time to do their chores and make it to school or work. As per usual, Aaron had conveniently forgotten to do so in a timely manner.

Sizing up the situation, Estella decided to change tactics from strangling her brother to simple blackmail. “Aaron, I do not have time to gather the eggs this morning. Can you please do it for me?” she begged, knowing that he would take the bait.

Aaron smiled triumphantly, thinking that his sister was at his mercy, “What would you do in return for this wonderful favor?”

Estella made a show as if to think for a moment about her answer. She finally responded, “I won’t tell mother and father about your participation in that incident with a certain fire that burnt half of the mayor’s precious apple trees”.

The instant the topic of the horrible accident was mentioned, Estella knew she had won. The gloating smirk had disappeared from her enemy’s face and was replaced by a frown. Aaron had nothing to say except to step to the side and let her pass. It was a daily battle between the siblings, with both giving land each day. Despite the pain it could cause on days, the fighting almost helped Estella forget the terrible dreams she had been having and bring in a fresh sense of normality. Almost.