Nova's Dawning

The next morning was the big day. We would all start the boarding process, party through the afternoon, and at sunset we were scheduled to set sail. Once we had set sail the talent show would start. I was really looking forward to the show, but fate would have it that I would never see the opening act.

That morning Sam, Mo, and Osiris took their bags and headed off in Sam’s car to get all the last-minute details straightened out. I was going to take Osiris’s car and meet up with them during the afternoon. Winter was in full force, it was the week before Christmas, and I was wearing so many layers of clothes. I was thick, but winter in Canada was still something I had never really experienced to that degree.

I was going to meet up with Bee and Oren at our place and then we would carpool in Osiris’s car to Violet. Bee texted me around eleven telling me how excited she was. I decided to call her, because I was so overwhelmed with excitement.

“Hey, what’s up?” She answered the phone.

“I just wanted to check on you, see how you were doing?” I asked, putting the last of my bags in Osiris’s trunk.

“I’m good. Oren just met me at the hospital, so probably going to head over to our place in like a couple hours, maybe later, not really sure, but I’ll be quick packing. I already know what I’m going to take with me.”

“Oooh, what?” I asked, and she went on some tangent about what dress she was taking with what shoes and I only wish I had listened more.

We got off the phone and I went to get coffee at the place Osiris and I loved. The same baristas were there, talking to me and wishing me luck on my trip.

“Bye Amanda! Bye Kevin!” I said to them, not knowing it was the last.

I headed over to my apartment to see if there was anything left to pack, but I really had moved most of it to Osiris’s. Bee and I hadn’t really talked about officially moving in with our significant others, but if things hadn’t ended up the way they had, we probably would have.

I sat there for a little bit, getting bored. I thought about grabbing food, but I wanted to be there when Bee got home. Campus was closed or I would have popped into their cafeteria.

To think about how I laid there, unaware sometimes makes me wish I had just fallen asleep and missed everything, but I stayed awake, and as the minutes turned to hours I grew concerned.

I decided to channel Bee.

I grabbed a few of her things, actually in a good mood. I’m sure I was probably humming and relaxed, as I covered myself with things from my best friend.

I slipped into her head and I could see they were driving in this direction. It was getting dark and their headlights came on. They were laughing as she dug around looking for something in the floorboards. She looked up and there were suddenly headlights right in front of them. The smell of the snow was replaced with the smell of burning rubber and the sound of the radio was replaced with the sound of crumpling metal. I could almost feel the flames and she reached out her fingertips, a fire that started singed them, like mine had been before.

She saw Oren’s damaged body and screamed, giving her everything to heal him. He began to give out a sigh of relief, but she collapsed before his eyes were all the way open.

I sat up, in shock. My face was covered in sweat and my heart felt like it was in my throat.

As soon as I could feel my legs I bolted out of the door, heading towards the hospital, where I knew they would be soon.

I didn’t want to speed, but at the same time I was riddled with fear. It was clear to me at that point, that this whole time, this was what my senses were trying to warn me about. Not my death, not even Selene’s death, but Bee’s. She had felt a looming presence and it occurred to me that it wasn’t a ghost, but Death himself. I hit my hands on the steering wheel in anger as I pulled into the hospital. I could hear the codes over the speaker, and I felt horrified as I raced down these too familiar halls.

When I found her room, she looked horrible. She had on a neck brace, IV’s, casts, and the Doctor’s nearby were talking about surgery.

“Is she going to make it?” I asked to no one in particular yet to everyone who would listen.

“We hope so. She’s saved so many lives.” The doctor’s didn’t sound hopeful, but I was soon ushered out of the room.

I dropped to my knees no longer being able to bear the truth.

Thinking of finding the truth made me think of Michy, and I don’t know why, but at the time I thought that maybe she could help me find answers.

I was right, they just weren’t the answers I was looking for.

On my way out of the hospital I saw Jack helping Thea sit up in her bed and for a second I felt a tiny bit of hope that things were going to be all right, but it faded fast as I knew the cruise was going to be leaving soon.

I should have called Osiris but I wasn’t trying to take my eyes off the road, not until I knew if this could be fixed, if I could save her.

I should have just let it work out the way it was meant to be, but I wasn’t one to give up.

It took me a few minutes to reach Michy’s lair, and when she opened the door and saw my expression her face dropped.

“Star, whatever you’re looking for you won’t find it here. I promise you that no matter what, nothing can change what has happened. Fate must work itself out.”

I didn’t even bother asking her how she knew, but there was one question that I had on my mind.

“How long have you known this was going to happen? How long have you known Michy?” I was yelling at this point, distraught with the feeling of hopelessness.

“Since you threw me out of your head. I saw it as I was leavin’.”

I sat on my favorite table, beside myself. “So, there’s nothing I can do? Nothing at all?”

She shook her head slowly. I could feel her sympathy but by then I didn’t know what to believe, and I refused to believe that my best friend was going to perish.

“No,” I said, standing up, “There was something I could have done, if you had told me the truth Michy. Don’t you think I would have deserved that much, but now you’re just going to let my best friend DIE. WHY?!” I was belligerent, but she still stayed calm.

“I promise Star. If I felt like there was somethin’ I could have done, I would have. I swear. Ya can’t change Death’s plan.” She said it slower as if to reassure me, but I felt torn.

I shook my head now, my tears flowing faster. “No! You told me there were paths and that there were options and I can’t believe that there is nothing. No...” I started to get closer to her and she took a step back.

“Star, I told ya death visi-”

“I know death visions can’t be changed, but how come mine did, huh?” She looked at me with an unmoving glare, her green eyes duller than they had ever been.

“Because it wasn’t a death vision, Star... You’re gunna have to let this go.” I took another step closer to her and she realized I had backed her into a corner, fear now seizing her face. “No, Star, no don’t you won’t like it!”

“Michy, tell me the truth!” I grabbed her arms and we were sucked into a darkness, worse than I had ever known before.

It was here where things began to click, and my story unraveled.