Lexie and the Star Princess

By

Nate Burleigh

“It’s the light, Mommy?”

“No honey, it’s the first star you see at night.”

 With sleepy eyes, Lexie looked up at her mother, who sat serenely on the edge of the trundle bed in what used to be the nursery.

“Mommy,” Lexie tried to get her mother’s attention by pulling on her nightgown. Britta had drifted off into – another someplace – just for a moment. 

“What honey?” She asked.

“Do you really get your wish?” 

“I always do.”

“Why, Mommy?”

“Because, I always wish for the same thing.”

“What do you wish for Mommy?”

“If I told you, then it would not come true.”

“Why, Mommy?”

“I’m not sure,” Britta answered. “But I think if you tell, it just doesn’t happen, so I don’t tell.”

“Ok Mommy.”

“Now go to sleep, Lou. I love you.” Britta tucked-in and gave kisses to, the tired-eyed five-year old girl.

The next night, after stories, Lexie was determined to catch the first star. It was summer time, so the stars usually did not come out until after bedtime.  Lexie was set on wishing, so she waited patiently. She would hop up out of the covers every couple of minutes to check the sky.

Finally, after forever, she popped her little blonde head up to the windowsill and saw the first star that was twinkling in the dark-blue evening sky.  Ok, the words. Panic ensued and Lexie realized she had forgotten the words. She tried to remember.

“Star light, up above the world, and please give me my wish? No, that’s not it,” she said to herself.

She tried again. “Star bright, um, up on the world tonight, please make my wish come true.” That had to be it. So she closed her eyes and crossed her fingers. Nothing happened.

She tried one more time. “Star light, star bright, first star in the sky. I wish I may, I wish I might, have my wish come true tonight.” That was it, she was positive. So she closed her eyes tight and made her wish. And then she waited.

More stars started to come out. Lexie kept her eyes on her Star, the one she saw first.

Still no wish.

The moon came out and so did a tear. Then more tears. She put her head into her arms and sobbed.

“Why are you crying, little girl?” A voice said.

Lexie knew she was on the second floor of the house and usually when someone wanted to talk from outside they had to yell.  But, this voice sounded like an inside voice, soft and pleasant. 

 “Who are you? Where are you?” Lexie commanded.

“Up here.”

“Up where?”

“In the sky, silly,”

Lexie looked up and only saw her wishing star. Then the star started moving. It got closer, then closer still. Lexie nearly fell off the bed as the light came right up to her bedroom window.  

“Ow,” Lexie exclaimed as the brightness of the light hurt her eyes.

“Oh, sorry about that,” the mysterious voice said. Then the room dimmed.

Lexie was amazed as the light faded into the most beautiful, glowing, little girl. She sat, criss-cross applesauce-style in the air. Her white gown drifting back and forth under her radiance. Her flowing blonde locks of hair seemed to defy gravity as they floated in the air next to her.   

“Who are you?”

“I am the Star Princess. You wished on me tonight.”

“My wish didn’t come true.” Lexie bowed her head and another tear escaped.

“No, but the words, they were not quite right.” Then she told Lexie the words and many stories about children that got their wishes. She told her how happy it made her when she watched children play, and on rare occasions, she would come down to visit, but only to see the littlest children, because very rarely do they remember her, maybe in a dream, or in a moment when they go to – another someplace.

The next morning Lexie sprung up from her bed and looked out the window. Out on the lawn she saw her Daddy embracing her Mommy, his luggage and military bag lay on the grass at his feet.  

"My wish came true," she whispered in awe...

The End

Copyright © 2008 by Nate Burleigh

All rights reserved.