A Possession of Stars

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For my favorite children: Cosette and Noah

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A Possession of Stars

By John Ezra

Copyright 2010


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Chapter 1

The waves twisted in on themselves, like mouths, hungry in the ocean. Cosette

watched over the side of the boat. Shining little lights glimmered on the surface of

the water. She looked up at the heavens and could not decide whether the starswere reflected in the water, or the water reflected in the heavens. Though she

feared the water, she liked to be near it, and was always amazed by it's royal

beauty.

The moon graced her father's oddly white cheeks as the boat floated calmly up

and down the rolling waves. "Papa," she said with one finger dangling in the cool

water, "Papa it's cold. The water is cold and we are cold. Where will we sleep?"

She was too young to see in her Father's hollow features and the dusty eyes the

sickness that leads to death. He had told her if he turned white like the summer

sand and she did not feel his warm breath on her cheek, then she should feed himto the little silver fishes that followed the boat. She cried and asked why she should

do such an awful thing?

"Because they are hungry little princess. That is why they follow us," he said,

"And your Papa is a hardy meal that will last them for days and you know, I always

enjoyed a feast." Though her Father tried, like all Fathers do, to make light of those

things too heavy for a child, she could feel the stone in her chest and the warm

sadness in her heart. She began to cry, and though the rain was splashing on her

face streaming in all directions down her cheeks, dripping in sheets from her chin,

her father somehow found the stream that was made of tears and ran his thumb

across her cold skin wiping it from her face. "It will be alright Cosette," he said,

then closed his eyes with a sense of relief.

To check for his warm breath, she put her cheek up to his mouth and felt his

rough stubbled cheek. She felt no breath, but the wind was blowing across the boat

causing her long hair to drape over his mouth. She pushed the strands of black hair

behind her ear and pressed her cheek against his cracked lips. This time she felt his

warm breath, and smiled. "You will not feed the fishes tonight Papa, I will row the

boatyou look so tired." She pushed the hair out of his eyes and positioned hishead on the sail that was folded neatly beneath him.

He formed his lips, eyes still lightly closed, as though he would say something.

She knelt again turning her ear towards his mouth but only a puff of air escaped.

His name was Isaac, but she called him Papa.

"You rest Papa, you can tell me stories after the rain."

Cosette, set out the oars like she had seen her Father do many times and lightly

disturbed the water. She looked far in the distance where there was a tiny spec of

land, lit by the moon, and seeming to glow in the darkness. The Island stood steady

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as the boat climbed and fell on the tall round waves. She knew her Papa would be

alright, if they could make it to the land, but the work of rowing the small boat was

so hard, and without purpose. With each stride forward, the ocean returned two

strides backwards. It made her tired and before she knew it, she was asleep on her

father's lap leaving the oars dancing and loose, slapping against the rolling waters.

Cosette was awakened to her father's voice, a trembling week voice, that was

not his, at least not a voice she had ever known to be his. "Cosette the oars! Whereare the oars?" His hands were pushed hard on his hollow cheeks, like he was afraid

that at any time his head would escape his body. She sat up, her vision blurred by

the sun, and felt a coldness, with pressure, surrounding every inch of her body. She

realized that she lay in three feet of water. She looked at her father pacing, causing

small waves to splash against his knees. The ocean was a mere foot from the edge

of the small wooden craft, waiting to swallow the boat whole. "Papa, the water,

we're drowning."

He looked down astonished as if he hadn't even noticed the water that had

filled the boat while they slept. "Oh dear!" He said, and knelt feeling through themuddied water. He pulled up a iron pot, handed her a tin cup, and they began

shoveling the water back into the ocean. "How funny it would be if we drowned in

a boat," he said and laughed, coughed furiously.

"You should not make jokes Papa, or speak, it makes you cough so awful."

"Me?" he said still fighting off the deep chested coughs. "Not speak?" He

laughed even harder and had to stop panning the water from the boat to catch his

breath.

After a half an hour he stopped and fell back into the water with a splash. "It is

no use," he said, "see, the pitch is not holding, the water comes in through the boat

as well as over the side.

"The oars, Papa, it was my fault. I only wanted to help."

"Don't think about it little princess. Done is done as done can be."

He stood, coughed again and rubbed his hand furiously on her head messing

up her hair and making her laugh.

"Right now we have to get rid of the weight or we will sink before noon.

Throw the bag of clothes over the side and the salted pork and anything else of

weight. But not the sail!" He smiled, his blistered skin seemed to resist, and

Cosette could tell he was tiring of the gesture. "We will have to make due with

only our water."

Cosette noticed him pick up the large book that was wrapped in seal skins and

swipe his hand over the covering with a splash of water. "Not your book Papa,

you've worked so hard, and so long. We can't throw the book."

"Don't worry dear, the book will not be lost as long as you remember it." He

lifted the large book to throw it over the side Cosette took his arm.

"But the endwe don't know the end."


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"It's very simple. The book or us." He tried to smile but Cosette knew his

smiles and it was not a smile at all. He threw the book, it spun through the rain, the

seal skin unraveled revealing the silver lock and the leather cover with an etching

of the world on one side, then flipping again, an Island on the other, then it

splashed into the ocean. Cosette felt sick inside.

He pat her on the head gently and stooped to look her in the eyes. "You know

it all, you can finish it one day for me. You will do a better job I'm sure."After removing most of the water a glow could be seen on the horizon; a

shining shadow behind the curtain of clouds. Isaac had taken a bucket of black

pitch and was spreading it thick on the old wood stern with a horse hair brush

where the water was slowly seeping threw. He looked worse than ever and she

could hear his labored breath and coughing over the sounds of the roaring ocean.

"Papa, what should I do, should I row with my hands?"

He smiled at her, "No dear, just get some rest. We will have a long day

tomorrow when we reach the islands."

"You never told me, what Islands are we going to."He looked around and pointed, "That one up ahead, that is the Island we go

to."

"I watched all night, it seems no closer," Cosette said pulling the sail over her

head protecting her face from the rain, "And how will we get there without our

ores or our sail open."

His shoulders sank a little and he took a breath. "Get some rest dear."

Chapter 2

He had not been well lately, not just in health, but in his mind. She could tell

he was not well when he bought the boat with money that could have been put

down on a new home or at least covered the market bill. She knew how much

money they had at all times. She kept track of it, counting each coin he spent and

each note of pay from the Market. She was not accustomed to keeping up with

their bills, but lately Mr. Weaver had been at the door asking for her Father andleaving notes on the door. She felt the need to become more aware of their

condition. Mr. Weaver was the landlord, owning many of the red brick buildings on

Gasberry. He gave Cosette a knot in her stomach every time he stood at the door,

looming tall, thin with boney shoulders and a large hook nose. Her father said he

looked like a bird, the kind that feeds on small animals and that made sense to

Cosette. His sunken eyes under his furrowed brow and balding head would stare at

her as she walked past his office each day. He'd always scratch his long fingers

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together, the universal sign for money, though he was behind glass, she thought she

could hear his fingers, like sandpaper scratching in her ears.

The rumor was that he had a large offer on their little red brick apartments, but

couldn't take it until the tenants contracts were out, which in their case, would be

two years. With each month that passed, there seemed to be less and less money in

the jar that her father kept under their bed. He had been working just the same,

even putting in late nights on weekends. She couldn't understand where the moneywas going, she spent most of the time with her Father, and didn't seem to be

spending lavishly. She suspected Mr. Weaver was up to something, but she couldn't

put her finger on it until one day she came home early from school to find the door

unlocked. She was the one that locked it each day when they left, and was shure

she had not left it unlocked that day. The only other people with keys were Mr.

Weaver and Grothel.

Grothel was Mr. Weaver's workman, everyone called him Groth, and he was

much disliked by the tenants. Mostly because he was the one that would come in

the middle of morning and clean out a tenants house of all their belongs if theymissed more than two payments. He'd then change the lock and take the

belongings, no matter how personal they were, and put them for sell in the market

to pay for their missed rent payments. He looked like a bug with eyes beady and

gray, dusty clothes and wild short spiked hair. When she came home to the open

door, she knew it was Groth, it would be bellow Mr. Weaver to do his own dirty

work. She checked the jar, which she had counted the night before, and found five

dollars missing. The exact amount they had set aside for rent. She told her father,

and he told Mr. Weaver, but the matter was quietly swept under the rug when Mr.

Weaver showed him how much he owed. It was obvious to Cosette that Mr.

Weaver was trying to wiggle out of his contract by making it impossible for them

to pay their bill. Her Father, Isaac, began hiding the money at his brother Saffron's

house but it was too late, they were behind, and they barely had enough in the first

place. Isaac seemed oblivious to the notes of debt pilling up in the corner, and

when confronted by Mr. Weaver, he used his rare charm, telling grand stories of his

adventures and insisting that he stay for dinner, leaving Mr. Weaver wondering

why they came in the first place. But charm only went so far with men of means,

and soon their door was locked by Groth with a chain, and as was the usual

process, all of there possessions went up for sale at the market. Isaac bought back

his ivory pipe he had made from hand for a large sum. He was very proud at the

price, bragging to everyone of how much he paid, how much his own creation was

worth. They went to stay with Uncle Saffron, a kind hearted brother, who spared

no expense in cooking lavish meals for Cosette and Isaac of large crab, prawns,

and lobster, which were very rare in the winter season.

Though they had no home, the routine of their life remained the same. At night

he would write in his book, and before she slept, in their bed he would read his


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work from the night aloud, until Cosette was asleep. Then early in the morning,

before the sun was up, they would pack a small breakfast of sweet potatoes and

bread to take with them to the beach, less than a mile from where he worked at the

fish market. He carried with him a small bag of tools he had invented for mapping

every foot of the sand and water of the shore in hopes of finding a treasure that he

had lost before she was born.

Cosette couldn't remember a time that they didn't go to the beach. It was asnormal as sleeping or waking. She was very comfortable there. It was almost more

like home then the apartment they had lost. She would never go near the ocean's

water though, for it had frightened her from a young age, being so vast and her so

small. But, she very much enjoyed the sand, where she played with the translucent

baby crabs, giving them names and building large two story apartments with

buckets and paper cups. To Cosette, The lost treasure was like the beach, it would

always be there, and would always be lost. So, she was shocked the day her father

told her to say goodbye to her crab friends because he had found the treasure but

she could see no treasure in his hands. No large chest of Gold, or ruby necklaces,only his small bag of tools and maps like always. So she thought the treasure was

too big for just one man and a little girl and they would get it later with Uncle

Saffrons's Mule and cart.

After the beach he was strange and didn't go to work as usual. Instead he took

Cosette all through the city spending money as if he were a rich man, buying two

scoops of ice cream, and a pound of crispy sardines. His eyes were tired and

watery. Cosette worried that he was too tired, and it's easy to spend all their money

while sleep walking. His face seemed pale, odd for a man who worked in the sun

all day. Though it was cool, the sweat beaded on his forehead like a morning mist.

He told Cosette that he was not a gambling man, but he had a special feeling

that day, so he placed ten dollars on the dog named Bermala. They lived off the

Bermala Islands, and he thought it was pure luck to bet on a dog named for such a

beautiful place. The dog came in first and he took away a hundred dollars. So he

bought Cosette a silver-fish necklace and a stuffed eagle with a star on its chest.

She loved the necklace, it reminded her of the sardines she would eat at her Uncle

Saffron's house on the weekends. He said they must buy a boat. They went to the

harbor, and there they met a young man named Emilio. He sat in the sand mending

a tattered sail. "My good boy," Isaac said, "I come with an offer that you surely

cannot refuse." Emilio talked with Papa for quiet awhile. They sometimes fought

with angry words, and sometimes embraced each other, but finally Papa walked

away with a little sailboat. It was not perfect, the sail was patched and the lettering

on the side of the boat faded. It read, the Possession of Stars, and Papa liked the

name very much, "Because, it is our possession," he said, "And we go to the stars."

He threw both hands flat in the air and jumped like wings would sprout from his

back and sail him to the moon.

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"What will we do with a boat Papa? You know I'm afraid of the water," Cosette

said.

"That's what boats are for! People that are afraid of the water."

He said that they would take a adventure, like the ones in he was writing in his

book. When Cosette asked where they would go he told her it was not the

destination, but the getting there that was the true adventure. She was worried

because his cheeks were hollow, and his skin so white. He had lost so much weightin the last few months that she worried she would wake one day to a skeleton

beside her. But she had never questioned her father's adventures and he had never

taken her anywhere, that in the end, she didn't want to go. Though he was ill, a

child like excitement she had never seen, was bright on his face, and she wanted

nothing more than to see such a freedom in his eyes. So she shared his excitement

that day and gather the provisions for the trip while he made small repairs to the

boat and re-painted the faded words, possession of stars, a bright golden orange

with black outlining.

There first morning out, the clouds turned light green, like the stomach of afrog, they drooped towards the earth as if they might fall. It began to rain and he

dropped the tattered sail and began to row. Heavy drops of rain landed on their

heads, and the horizon was dark in a cloud. "Cosette My dear, don't you worry,

your father has seen much worse in his day." He fought against the waves, his back

arched. Cosette knew he was in trouble, because he did not smile. He always

smiled and when he did not, she knew they were out of money, or something bad

had happened.

She watched him row the oars deep into the cresting ocean, his face red and

shoulder length hair blown wild in the swirling wind. She could see a small speck

in the vast ocean, but after a day of rowing it seemed no closer. "Papa, why do we

not use the sail?" Papa smiled at her as the rain began to pour. "We will use it dear

to cover you while I fight this beast of waves." She curled up in the sail, and

looked to where she had seen the spec of land, there was nothing but black misty

clouds as big as the ocean itself.

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When she awoke, the boat was carrying water again and her father sat on the

bow bent over crying in his calloused hands.

"Why do you cry Papa? She said patting his burnt back.

"I cry because we left our home and I don't know where we are."

"That's ok Papa, I like new places."

"Me to Cosette, me too."

Cosette stood and walked threw the foot of water towards her Father. She was

surprised at how weak she felt, dizzy like waking in a sleep. Her vision was blurry

and her Father's face seemed to glow and smear in the bright light of the morning

sun. She steadied her self and sat beside him placing her hand on his hand. It was


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cold, as if no warm blood flowed threw it. She looked at his face, his eyes were

shut and he swayed gently with the rocking of the boat. She wanted badly to lay

back down and drift into sleep, but she wanted her Father to speak. She was afraid

if he was quiet for too long he might be quiet forever. "Papa," she said.

He opened one eye, squinting. "Yes dear."

"You must tell me a story. Tell me of how you met my mother, and of my birth

and the treasure waiting for us at home. You must finnish the storyyour book ofadventures."

His eyes opened wide, like he was startled awake. "Of course, how foolish of

me. You must know the story." He cleared his throat and put his arm around her

shoulder and pointed out to the black storm on the horizon. "This," he said, "This is

nothing to fear, I have see storms that would swallow this one like a crispy

sardine."

Cosette laughed and a deep warmth filled her chest, watching him come to life

again, animated and limber. He loved his stories, and never missed a chance to tell

them. Cosette loved it when he told his stories, and couldn't imagine a worldwithout them.

The familiar spark returned to his eyes as he told of a long voyage across the

ocean, through many black storms and sea monsters three times the size of their

boat. "Much like this time," he said "I did not know why I traveled, but I traveled

far."

In the great sea of Conosh, he crossed a water beast that demanded his back

molars to let him pass. "The teeth of men are considered a great prize among the

Ocean's kingdom, and you can loose them either dead or alive, so I gouged them

out with a fishing hook." He pulled the corner of his mouth back, showing the

missing molars. "It was the most pain a man can feel, and a man can feel much

pain," he said.

He told her of the frog that jumped from the ocean. He was surprised to see the

frog because frogs did not live in the ocean. The frog told him he escaped from a

hungry birds mouth and fell into the salty sea. "He was the fattest frog you have

ever seen because he had so many fish to pick from. I poked his belly and told him

no wonder the bird dropped you!" The frog agreed that he was overweight, but

he said it was no problem for a frog. "We stretch like balloons, and it's only for a

season."

"We both laughed from the gut, and that day became great friends."

He described, in perfect detail, the sunrise he awoke to the morning he found

his wife, Dorcas, the fish Princess. It was purple, with a hard yellow rim, the sun

was a glowing orange and the colors seemed to drip into the sea. She was

swimming in front of the boat with a huge fin like a large dolphin, bobbing up and

down, playing with the current and cutting through the waves. Both Isaac and the

frog were dying of thirst. So the frog jumped in the water and called for help.

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"Please ma'am, could you help a frog and his fishing buddy?" She was very kind

and said she knew of a spring, but she could not bring the water up; she must bring

them down.

"Think of that Cosette. Can you imagine going to the bottom of the ocean for a

drink?" His smile returning, "I thought she would stink like the fish I butcher all

day at the marketbut no. She smelt like a lily in the spring, right after a rain fall,

fresh and clean.Isaac had put the frog in his pocket and they both traveled, with the fish

women, to the bottom of the ocean, but halfway through the journey, he ran out of

breath; his face bright red as he exhaled the last of his bubbles. The Fish lady

quickly clasped her lips over his mouth and breathed warm air into his lungs.

"That is when I fell in love Cosette, when she shared her breath with me. I was

dying and she gave me lifetwo times I mind youfirst with breath, and then the

spring water, she spat the cold water into my mouth until I was full. How could

you not fall in love." His eyebrows clenched together into a serious look. "But she,

did not love me."Isaac chased Dorcas for days, with the frog at the bough watching. The frog

would sound off with a croak when he saw something that looked like her, then

point with his little leg. Isaac would set the sail to steer the small boat after her.

"We were always far behind though." He paused. "I was so fool heartedly in

love with her, and the frog so caught up in the adventure, that we again found our

selfs parched in the burning sun, and dying of thirst. So the frog swam out again,

this time past sun down. Even though he was as weak as me he didn't stop until he

found her once again. She was kind and pure and came to our rescue once again

leading me to the underground spring. This time though..." he smiled a big toothy

grin, "...she felt the same foolish love as she breathed the life giving breath into my

lungs. I guess it takes twice to fall in love with a scraggly man as myself, but love

is strange like fire. Who really understands it?"

"Oh papa, youre easy to love, Mamma was just playing girl games with you."

He laughed. "Oh you might be right dear. She did like her games."

"What happen to your frog papa?" Cosette asked.

"The dear frog, he never made it back to the boat after fetching the Fish

Princess. You and I owe him our life you know. He was such a brave soul: first

escaping the birds mouth, and then saving my life."

"I know papa. I sure wish I could thank him."

"Maybe you will meet one of his children someday. Then frog would tell me of

his thousand children. I cannot remember their names and what a shame, he was

such a good friend."

Isaac knelt down in Cosette's face.


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Chapter 3

"The years with your mother were wonderful but all too fast. And the

Kingdom of the the Deep Ocean... you just wouldn't believe how beautiful it was.

There are no words..."

"How did you breathe in the ocean?""Hermy, my octopus, he would go to the surface, fill with air, return and attach

to my faceover my nose and mouth. I could breath with him for an hour or

more."

Cosette Laughed, "Ew, Papa, I don't know if I could do that."

"It was quiet comfortable once you get used to it. And there was no use for my

mouth. The creatures of the deep ocean do not need words, they speak a language

of the mind that travels by water."

Isaac gave Cosette the rest of the water and an awful wave swept across their

cold bodies. He pulled the sail over both of their shivering bodies. "That brings me

to the treasure," he said looking down. "I want you to have it."

"Yes of course Papa, we'll spend it when we get back and buy a big house on

the shore, a small door for the baby crabs, boiled lobster every night, and... and

your own writing room, on the roof, where you can look out and see the sunrise."

Isaac laughed, with thin and labored breath. "No dear, it's not that kind of

treasure."

"What do you mean? What kind of treasure is it?"

"It's here, in my pocket." He pulled a stone from his pocket and held it up to

the light and said, "does that look like any pearl you have seen at the market? See

the cloudy light blue color, the large size and semi transparent center. See how the

light shines through it in a beam?" He rolled it in his hand gazing at it fondly then

handed it to Cosette. She rolled the stone in her hand, pinched it between her

fingers and held it to the light. It was a pretty light blue stone that reflected the

light, but she could see that it was no pearl, it looked like many other stones she

had seen on Bermala, but she went along with her Papa as she always did. She put

it back in his open hand and he slid it into his pants pocket.

"Where is it from?""It is from your mother, a gift, she gave it to me the last time we made love."

"What is it to make love?" She asked.

Isaac laughed hard causing a fit of coughing that bent him over.

"Oh, Cosette... to make love..." He could barley breathe but he still held a great

smile on his face "...to make love is to give yourself totally to another person. And

the greatest love is when you have all of you to give, for there is only so much that

you have."

Cosette gave him a confused look.

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He laughed, "Yes, I feel the same way. I wish your mother was here to talk to

you of love." He rubbed her head gently, looking her directly in the eyes. "Just

remember, you are a infinite being, and the price for what is infinite, is

everything."

"Yes Papa, I know what your saying, I'm almost thirteen you know."

"Of course you are," he said with a smile.

"So tell me when did she give you the pearl?"He sighed. "We made love for the last time in the deepest ocean by the Island

of stars, it was so passionate so real, that we became water. I needed no air and

forgot the land, bubbles boiled around us and currents made way for our dance.

But, we fell deep into the ocean, far bellow the blue water and into the black. And

once a man goes too deep in those waters, he can never return to the surface. We

new this, and I was not afraid. I thought it a kind gesture from death itself, to let

my last breath be in the arms of the woman I loved. You know, death is not so kind

to others.

"What happened?" Cosette asked."Your mother, she kissed me. With a breath she pushed a pearl into my mouth

and I began to float towards the surface. She staid in the darkness. I watched her

face fade in to the blur of the deep. I somehow knew it would be the last time I

would see her. I tried to fight, to swim back into her arms, but I was week. I had no

strength in me. In that last kiss though, the stars stopped in their place, not a one

moved or even shimmered. Even to this day they hold still in the sky above where

we kissed and there is no time in that place. No ticking clocks. No greying

whiskersno time."

"How is that possible Poppa? How do the whales know when to go home.

How do the fish sleep? How do you know when to eat or wake? How can anything

live if there is no time?"

"That is a grand question. Too grand for me, a lowly fish monger. I only know

what happened, not the why."

"Did you see her again?"

"No, I didn't see her again. I didn't even believe she was true."

"What? How could you not believe in her, after all that you had been through."

"Well, after that last kiss and the pearl, I woke on the shore of our home

Bermala, a thousand miles from the Island of stars and the deepest ocean. I thought

it had been a dream at first, but then remembered the pearl. I looked for the pearl

and found it in my pocket, but it didn't glow or shine, it looked like a common

stone found in the streets of Bermala. I was filled with a burning anger and threw it

as far as I could into the ocean's waves. I felt betrayed by my own mind, by the

frog and the Fish Princess. It was all a dream and I had played the fool. So I went

back to my life on Bermala, butchering the fish at the Market, emptying their


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bellies on a bloody stone slab. I felt more alone than I had ever felt before. But one

day it all changed by one dying fish."

He stopped and took the iron pot and began pouring water over the side.

Cosette noticed that it had resin again and was back to her Father's knees but she

said nothing. He continued talking as he splashed the water over the side. "One day

in the Market, I noticed a large beautiful blue and purple fish with razor sharp fins

and large swollen lips like ripe grapes ready to burst. It wasn't like the other fish, Iknew it from somewhere. I dragged it on to the bloody slab with my hook. Then I

instantly recognized him and I was horrified that he was on my slab.

"Who was it Papa? Oh tell me."

"It was your grandfather, Bluefish: King of the Deep Ocean and the father of

the princess, Dorcas, Your Mother."

Cosette grabbed his arm tight. "Oh no! What did you do."

"Well I cried. I was overtaken with emotions. I had spent many a night with

him drinking and telling stories of adventure. He had given me away to your

mother and blessed me with his sword. I cried big sobs. then I heard his voice..'Stiffin your gills' he said 'I don't have time for tears'."

"He was alive?"

"Yes he was but he didn't have long."

Isaac told her everything about the old fish. Isaac had never heard the king's

outward voice and it was hard to understand, sounding like their Uncle Saffron

when he gargled his vinegar in the morning, and he also repeated himself several

times.

Isaac pulled the great fish under the bench so no one would see them. He held

the large blue fish with both arms barely abel to surround it, when the King asked

if he still had the Pearl. Isaac was confused for a moment, he had put the pearl and

all of his past out of his mind. But he remembered and told him it was close by.

"The Sea, The sea, you must return the pearl to the sea." The king said, fighting for

breath. Isaac told the king that it was in the sea, that he had thrown it into the ocean

after the last kiss with Dorcas.

"No. No. Water," He said.

"Yes, you need water," Isaac said.

The King jumped and landed and with a loud slap echoing through the Fish

Market. Workers stopped but saw nothing and returned to their work.

"No. Water. The ocean is only water. You must return the pearl to the sea my

man. The pear! The pearl she knows where she belongs, you find it. It will lead you

with your protection."

Isaac Promised the King that he would find the pearl and return it to the sea.

He then covered the King in a blood stained blanket and raced, as fast as he could

with the two hundred pound fish, to the water of the harbor.

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"No! No!" The king said, and with it's great weight flopped his tail and

knocked them both to the hard ground. It's huge oval black eyes rolled and from

under the blanket looked at Isaac as they both laid on their backs. "Cut me open,"

Bluefish said.

"No, I will not!" Isaac said and tried to pick him back up slipping on the wet

stone.

"Cut. Cut me open now!"Isaac fell to his knees and placed his hands on the sticky fish belly. "What

about your Kingdom? I can't let you die like this. you are royal, you deserve so

much more."

The King slapped his tail and his gills slowed almost to a stop. "The Kingdom

is gone. Gone. No More."

Isaac averted the gaze of the King's eyes, "My wife? Is she..."

"Gone, No more. I'm sorry my man. They're all gone, all my daughters, all my

wives. Gone."

Isaac told Cosette he couldn't help but cry again and he laid his head on theKings white belly.

"Stiffin your gills my man!" The king said and began choking for breath. "Cut

me open!"

Isaac looked into the the kings eyes which were beginning to dry out loosing

their thin moist covering. "I can't!"

The king took large heaves between each phrase "This.. is your wife last wish.

I must see it comes to pass. It my promise. Now Cut me open my man!"

Isaac looked at King Bluefish and remembered his jolly laugh causing his fat

bulldog checks to tremble like red-berry jelly. Now he trembled but not with

laughter. He put his hand on the wood handle of the knife tucked in his belt. But he

could not move, he felt his own hand trembling like the fish that laid before him.

He pictured the King on his octopus throne, which curved and moved, modified to

whatever position the King took. His jolly and nobel way of speaking, that made

all of those around him feel the presence of royalty. It was quiet a controversy

when the Princess Dorcas announced her love and plans to mary Isaac. There was

to be no intermarrying of humans and fish in the Deep Ocean Kingdom. The rule

had stood for thousands of years, and though there were decedents from man in the

Kingdom, there origins had been long forgotten. The council warned the King that

humans were the root of all evil, and to welcome them into the blood line could

disrupt land air and sea forever. But the King loved his daughter deeply and

blessed the marriage saying: kingdoms fall for all kinds of reasons, some for greed,

some for lust, Some for blood, gold and steel, then they are forgotten like bubbles

of air that float to the surface and are gone. But if a kingdom falls because of love,

It is never forgotten, and is never far away.


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Isaac lifted the rusty stained knife from his belt and there on the beach

carefully sliced the thick blue spotted skin of the king. He could hardly see from all

the tears in his eyes. The King's eyes rolled back and his tail slapped against Isaac's

leg, the sharp fins cutting into his flesh. Isaac sliced until he reached the tail, fell on

his back and wept. What had he done. First he had disrupted the Deep Ocean

Kingdom by marrying Dorcas, now he had killed the last survivor, the King. His

mind reeled and a heavy saddens sat in his stomach. He said to Cosette he hadcursed the day he was born, to cause so many troubles, to loose so much. He

thought of his wife, what would she think to see him slice the belly of her father.

"What shame, what cursed shame!" He said, he yelled in the small boat then told

her of that he threw the bloody knife into the harbor.

"But, then I heard it," he said regaining his smile, "The cry of a baby beside

him." He was crying and wiped his eyes, "It was coming from inside the King. I

jumped up dug my hands into the belly of the king, clasping each side of the

wound and spreading it open and I saw the baby inside." He patted Cosette on the

head. "I looked at the king in confusion. The king still heaved slowly, eyes rolling,and now twitched uncontrollably. He formed his swollen lips one last time. 'Your

Child my man.' His eyes stopped moving and the twitching ceased, he was gone."

Isaac pulled the small baby from the King's stomach and noticed the octopus in

the stomach that must of provided air to the child and from the looks of it, shielded

the baby from the knife as he cut.

Cosette had tears in her eyes, looking down at her feet.

"It was you Cosette. I believed again. In your mother, the Kingdom the pearl.

That is why we have spent all our days at the shore. I was searching for the pearl. I

had to honer the Kingdom's demand, your mother's wish. And, here we are." Isaac

threw his arms up and looked around at the empty ocean. "We're on a quest in the

ocean, looking for the sea." He laughed slightly but Cosette did not. "It was after

that meeting with King Bluefish that I decided to write my book, and I promised

my self to finnish it before I die. It will be a great treasure to you and your

children."

"But it's gone Papa. You threw it in the ocean. You will have to start all over

again."

He took a deep breathe, she could hear his chest wheeze, "Sometimes you have

to loose something before you can find it."

"That doesn't make sense Papa."

"Life is not science Dear. If you try to make it all make sense, the less sense it

will make."

He looked down to see the water seeping and bubbling through the patch on

the stern, the empty bucket of pitch tar floating in the water. He looked at the spec

of an Island that stood steady in the distance, but still too far to reach, and lifted the

sail from his lap and Cosette. The life in his limbs left once again and he looked

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like an old man, back crooked, hoisting the sail. He then took the pot and relieved

the boat as of much water as he could before resting next to Cosette, who was

looking out at the tiny Island.

"Cosette," he said.

"Yes Papa."

"Take the Pearl dear. It's yours."

She took the light blue stone from his calloused hand."It's really beautiful isn't it?" He said.

Cosette glanced at the stone and looked away quickly, "Right Papa. It is. But

Momma gave it to you, I don't want to take it from you."

"You must, " he said and looked around at the boat, the seeping water. "We

need to loose some more weight or we're going to sink."

"There is nothing left Papa."

"I know dear." Isaac looked Cosette in the eyes for a moment that seemed to be

outside of time, as if it was under the same stars that had stopped in the sky after

the kiss. He looked down at the stone in his hand then back at Cosette."Cosette. You must take the pearl to the sea."

"The sea? But you don't even know where it is."

"I think I've found it. It's been in front of me all along. Now take the pearl."

"What? Papa your making no sense. Your sick."

He patted her head lightly as he stood. "Your mother. I loved her very much

and I trust her and her Father, they would not lead us wrong. And, you can trust her

too. Take it to the sea and you'll be alright."

Fear gripped Cosette's heart, she felt something wrongthe strange look of

peace on his face. "Papa what are you doing. I trust her and her kingdom, now sit

down with me before you fall."

"I can not my dear. Now I go to join her."

"No Papa!" Cosette said, grabbing his waist.

"I must, and I love you more than the ocean, that is much love my dear."

With his last breath he pushed himself backward, out of Cosette's grasping

arms, into the black and twisting ocean.

Cosette cried out, fell on her knees, and watched as he sank into the sparkling

bubbles of air, under the dark cloud's reflected light. His arms were outstretched

and his eyes where wide open looking at her. She noticed her necklace of silver

fish, sparkling and clutched in his hand, she touched her neck where it had been.

"A gift for you papa." Tears ran down her cheeks, "Goodbye."

Chapter 4


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Cosette awoke in a bed of white sand. She pushed herself up on one elbow, her

head was heavy, eyes unfocused. She still felt the sway of the sea the shore moving

slowly left and right. The warmth of the sand soaked through her skin to the very

marrowof her bones and she thought she had never felt something so good, so

comforting. She laid down and felt a sharp pain of guilt drape her insides, for

feeling such a desire to lay in the sand, with her father dead, but she could not help

it, her body demanded she enjoy the warmth after so much cold, so much sadness.The sand stuck to her body as she rolled being covered in a thin blanket by it's

abrasive grain.

She finally sat up, rubbing her eyes and shaking the sand from her legs and

arms, a dank musty smell attacked her nostrils and she winced covering her mouth.

As far as she could see there were fish, some still, some half eaten, some twitching

and spinning in the sand. It was then that she felt the sticky wetness against her

legs, and looked at the dead tuna pressing against her leg, eyes sunken, mouth

open. she screamed. She jumped and ran for the lush jungle, breaking branches and

larg leafs, not caring where she was going, only caring to flee the scent of death.She could hear the thud of her racing heart in her ears as she blindly broke through

thick brush and branches, only her hands, falling forward on the edge of her toes,

frightened desperately as though a army of dying convulsing fish were inches

behind her when suddenly there was nothing to fall against and she ploped face

down in the brown dirt. She stood, looked behind her impulsively, wiped the dirt

from her face. Then she saw the beautiful small cove, heavily shielded with great

walls of lush green jungle. The small circle of ocean was peaceful, separated from

it's vast ever expanding horizon that caused her to feel so small and helpless. She

walked slowly to the beach, afraid that she might see more piles of fish, but all she

found were tiny translucent crabs scuttling sideways through the white sand. The

little creatures gave her a small peace that she had not felt since they left on the

adventures, and she sat in the midst of them watching their busy daily routine. She

forgot for a moment that she was lost and alone and enjoyed a moment of comfort.

One crab stood out, odd shaped and dragging a large claw too big for it's body, as if

God had been tired and accidentally put the wrong claw on the wrong crab. She

placed her hand in front of the struggling crab's path and it unknowingly crawled

up in her palm. To young to know fear of the dangers of this world, the crab sat

gently, seeming glad for a chance to rest. She brought the crab near to her face and

studied it's odd claw. "You my friend I will call Ego, because one day your great

claw will be your pride, and you will brag to all your friends of it's huge size and

usefulness in crushing clam shells, and your head will grow larger than your claw."

She took a piece of seaweed laying beside her, broke of a small piece and gave it to

the crab, who with great speed lept from her hand and under a rock. "Fine." She

said, with a mock disgust for his greedy action.

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She had the need for water, but she did not know where to go. The jungle

looked lush and wet, even a drop from a leaf, would be enough to satisfy her, she

thought. She followed a sent of water that was strangely in her nose, went up

through a trail, and down a sand bank that lead to a almost perfectly round pond so

clear she could see the sucker fish on the bottom. A stream fed the pond running

over a great rock down from the mountain that loomed above the clouds. She ran

to the water, suddenly realizing her thirst was greater than she thought, fell on herknees, splashed her face and cupped the cool water sucking the coolness in her

throat. She felt alive again, strength seemed to follow the water through her body.

Even though she had never swam she wanted badly to jump in the cool water and

wade through the ripples. But then she thought of the surrounding pressure on her

chest and legs. She looked at her blurry reflection and saw a fear in her face that

she had never seen, but then she realized behind her reflection was her Father,

sinking slowly in the dark ocean, eyes open and aware, hands arms surrendered to

the motion of the current, her small silver fish necklase clutched in his hand. He

looked so lonely, death looked so lonely. That no one can go with you when youdie frightened her. That you were alone, without the ones you love to comfort you

and to hold your hand. A leaf fell and tiny ripples erased the image. She jumped

back from the water, fell on a mossy log, and cried deep sobs.

A cocoanut popped against the log with a hollow thump and she awoke not

knowing if it had been hours or days. The sun was sinking into a bed of cotton

clouds, blue and purple, casting a pink glow over the sheltered pond. Her stomach

growled and she took the hairy cocoanut in her hands. When she would visit her

father at the fish market he would often scale the tall cocoanut trees. She thought

he looked like a monkey with a lame leg, and would laugh each time. He tossed

two cocoanuts down the sliding down with both feet turned in pressing against the

tree to slow his decent. Then taking his knife from his belt he crack a nut with one

loud pop from the handle of his knife. Most of the buttery milk would spill out on

the stone walk, but there was always enough to quench her thirst. She took the

large cocoanut in both hands and slammed it against the mossy tree, the vibrations

tickled her hands, but the cocoanut didn't crack. The sky darkened without

warning. Large rain drops began to fall and she ran under the branches of a

especialy large bush beside the water fall. She tried cracking the cocoanut on the

large rock that supported the rushing waterfall with no luck and in frustration

tossed the nut in the pod with a splash. It was then that she felt a cool wind blow

against her face, coming from behind the water fall. It was dark and cool, and she

could see an entrance to a cave. It was just large enough for her to crawl through

and though the thought of entering it such a small space was not her idea of fun, it

sure looked better than enduring the rain. She laid down at the ase of the waterfall

so as not to slip and fall into the pond and slowly crept towards the cave. A loud


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pop came from across the pond and reverberated in the cave. Startled she slipped

on the wet rock and slid towards the pond. Her nails dug into the rock and she

looked in the direction the noise was coming from. Something was there. Through

the blur of the falling water, she couldn't make it out, but it was small, around two

feet, and upright like a monkey on it's hind legs. She slid down the rock in a shot

and without thinking ran towards the mossy log where she had seen it. She slid in

the muddy sand landing with splash and a thud. From the corner of her eye she sawthe creature sprint, after a great leap, into the jungle. The wash of rain and the night

sky made it impossible to make out, but she was sure of one thing. It was like

nothing she had ever seen. The foot prints were tiny but wide, like a monkey but

less like there long finger feet and more like a human foot, yet round. She sat on

the log, the rain drizzling from the trees and saw a cocoanut laying on the ground

beside her. It was cracked open, filled to the brim with white mile pelted by the

rain drops. She dropped to her knees and swallowed the milk with one large gulp,

then chewed around the corners, scraping the chalky meat with her front teeth. She

looked around for signs of the creature, a little embarrassed of her manners. Sheheard nothing, so devoured the cocoanut in a way, as her father would say, not

befitting a lady.

When she had finnished the cocoanut she curled up in the mouth of the cave

and slept a deep sleep. Dreaming of her life back on Bermala. There were clouds of

smooth silky smoke in her dream, smelling like a musty strawberries that had been

left out in the sun. She walked through the smoke slowly moving with her hands

watching it curl and loop around her fingers. It made her smile. She separated the

smoke with two hands like spreading a curtain and there was her old friend Serian,

sitting in his velvet red chair, large ivory pipe hanging from his droopy lips, with

rings of smoke puffing from the end. Serian was a odd looking man, his chin long,

and cheeks wide, pouty lips and large glassy eyes. His smile was subtle, you would

hardly know he was smiling if you didn't know his face when he was not smiling.

He was the owner of an exotic tea leaf and tobacco store called The O'l Puff &

Drip. He was usually asleep with a dusty book on his lap when she came to get her

Father's Redbonette tea and dried honey comb pipe tobacco. She would purposely

drop a box of tea or a book on the ground to wake him because she enjoyed his

conversation and commentary on whatever book he was reading at the time. She

honestly didn't know how he made a living, there were never other costumers when

she visited and she would rarely see people enter the shop from her apartment

view.

Most of the walls were covered with ornate dark stained wood that contributed

to the musty smell and fog of dust, which seemed to soak in any light that entered

through the stainless windows. One wall was painted white with a strange mural of

and wiry old man reading a book in bed, a pen in his mouth, a ragged room, paint

chipping and cracks spidering the walls. Over his head an umbrella shielding him

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from the drips falling from the ceiling. She told him the mural was sad and asked

him what the old man was doing, and why didn't he fix his roof or the chipped

paint and cracks. She thought the old man must be ill, or unable to walk. But

Serian told her that it was a picture of man at his best and most noble, forsaking all

earthly goods and pleasures, accepting poverty for the love of his calling and

passion. He also said, most men work their entire lives thinking they need

something more, one more of this and one more of that, where in reality they needvery little to be truly happy, and in fact are most happy with very little. And then

there were his books, lining every inch of wall space, sideways and stacked high

with no order or care to where they were placed. He was reading the philosophy of

war, ad he told her his thoughts on the book so far, as he always did, talking slowly

and precisely, snapping his 'N's and D's. He was very serious about the way one

talked and communicated their ideas. A word without a thought is a waist of the

human mind, both the speakers and mine, he would say.

He told Cosette of a great battle against two hundred men won by only one

soldier. He was a very small man, only four foot tall, and though he had been inmany battles, no one would ever attack him, because they couldn't see him. So he

would usualy just swing his sword wildly until the battle was through and then

head home where he lived alone on a farm. The two armies stood on apposing

sides a cannon blasted and he shot out from the back and raced toward the

apposing army not even on a horse. His own soldiers were shocked, and filled with

great pride at his fearless action, following him they drew their swords. But then

they saw the reserve army behind the 200 men that was a thousand strong. So the

horn was blown, and they all retreated to the hills. But the small man continued,

swinging his sword with a great yell from his mouth that could be heard from the

hills. Seeing that the men had fled to the hills the thousand strong reserve went

back to their camp because they were not needed. But the 200 on the front line

stayed to watch the spectacle of the little man charging them alone. They laughed

at the small man and when he reached them they were laughing so hard that they

dropped their swords and held their guts falling to the ground. So the small round

man swung his sword like a mad man and killed them one by one. The mens eyes

were clamped shut laughing and could not hear the difference between laughter

and screams of death until it was too late.

He was a great hero in the cities in towns around his kingdom. The other

soldiers would let him ride alone to honer him, but he never seemed to pay much

notice to the cheering crowds as he road down the street, So returned to his farm

where he lived alone.

One day a young soldier who admired him greatly came to visit the little hero

to learn the secret of his bravery. The young man saw him sitting on his porch

smoking a pipe and went before him to learn of his great Battle. He stood before

him and said, "I have come to ask the secret of your mighty bravery." The little


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man said nothing. The young man said it to him again, but the little man said

nothing, just smoked his pipe. The young man finally got right in front of his face

and asked him again. The man said nothing and did not acknowledge him. The

young man finally waved his hand in front of the little mans face and snapped his

fingers by his ears. "Why he's deaf and blind!" he said, and he went to tell the other

solders that he not only slay the 200, but he did it deaf and blind. This amazing feat

lifted him to almost a god like status in their eyes, and they sent the priests to honerhim as a saint. When the priests arrived he was still siting on his front porch

smoking a pipe. But, this time the little man heard their horses as they arrived and

went to great them with a cain to help him along. The priest said, "I thought you

were deaf and blind."

"Blind yes. I still am. But I have recovered my hearing."

The priest bowed and told him they had come to honer him and he asked why.

They were astonished by his humility. They told him it was for the battle against

the two hundred. For you went before them alone and slay the entire two hundred

single handed without the other soldiers with you. The little man had a confusedlook on his face and said "You mean I was alone?"

Serian eyes popped open and he laughed so hard he nearly fell from his chair.

Cosette just stood there, she didn't understand what was so funny. She told him

that it was a awful long story for such a short ending?

Serian regained his composer with a few sniffles as he pushed his glasses back

on his long nose. "I'm sorry I should finish the story. You see the little hero had

been standing to close to the canon when it first blasted. The gunpowder blinded

him and the great noise deafened him, so he ran, in pain and in fright. Thinking the

other soldiers were charging with him, he just did what he always did, figuring as

always that no one would see him and no one would attack him. But his wild

swinging sword killed the 200 laughing enemies without him even knowing

Serian laughed again, but this time without the snorts and squeaks.

"That is funny I guess," Cosette said with a giggle. "And..what is the moral of

the story? (Because Serion always had one)".

Serion fixed his glasses again, tapped his pipe. "Sometimes what you believe,

is of greater value, than the present reality around you."

Chapter 5

She stayed by the pool of water for days. There she found red berries that were

sweet and filling, and if it was a good day, brown bananas would fall from the trees

which she would mash and mix with herbs and sea salt for a delicious dinner. She

would walk and sometimes crawl everyday deeper and deeper inside the seemingly

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endless cave with tunnels and great underground streams that went for miles in all

directions. She found a dried and empty crab shell that worked well as a bowl and

a small shell that scooped up the bananas like a spoon. She made a bed of palm

leaves, and a pillow from sand wrapped in a large leaf tied with many vines, and a

table with two turtle shells and a scrap of bark. She liked her small collection of

home goods and quaint surroundings, the protection of large trees and bushes from

the sight of the mighty ocean, which made her feel she didn't matter to the busyworld on the other side. At night she would star at the stars that never moved or

glimmered like home. No shooting streaks through the air, or bright flashing

planets far of in the universe. She thought of her Father's story of the last kiss,

when the stars stopped in the sky, and thought she must be in that place, but

laughed at the idea knowing her Father was prone to exaggerate some times.

At night she would lay the stone, the one her Father thought to be a pearl, on

the table beside her bed and during the daytime she held it tight in her hand, though

it was uncomfortable and hard to travel the caves and jungle with. It made herhands sweat in the heat of the day. It was special to her, the only thing she had to

remind her of her Father, except the boat on the shore, which she didn't like

remembering anyways, and rarely traveled to that area because of the smell of fish.

So at all times she feared loosing the pearl, and grasped it in her hand tightly, afraid

it would slip and fall in a hole or crack in the cave. She had a vivid dream. Blown

by wind, it fell from her table in the night, and rolled into the deep pond, she

awoke and swam to the bottom, lifted the pearl, but it was heavy, like a bolder.

Fearing she would loose it forever, she would not let go and drowned by the weight

of the pearl. When she awoke from the dream she was shaking, and moved farther

from the pond under the shade of a berry tree. To alleviate her mind, she hid the

pearl in a small shell she had found and slid it into her pillow. But then she dreamt

of a naked snail slipping into her pillow, seeing the nice empty shell and making a

home of it, taking the shell and the pearl into the forest. So she would have to sped

the rest of her days pulling helpless snails from their homes, in hopes of finding the

precious pearl again. She laughed.

One morning while exploring the cave she found a cavernous break in the

rock. She climbed through and saw the glow of light. There was a large rock that

blocked the entrance so she she crawled up on the round rock and through a small

hole, just large enough for her head and shoulders, then it opened into a large room

where light flooded every crevice. Their was a round hole in the top of the room,

with vines, some hanging freely some clutching the cave walls. She could breathe

in the cool open room and she felt safe being further from the the sight of the

ocean. Their were natural tables made from broken stalagmites shooting up from

the floor. She came to the cave often and began filling it with cocoanuts and brown


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banna's but it was difficult climbing over the large rock carrying suplies. One day

she was cutting the thick vines that crawled up and down the walls when she found

a large entrance, she followed it and found that it lead out to the pond. The

entrance had been covered with vines.

She soon made this her home. She heaped fruits in the corner, and brought her

bedding and the small sand pillow. She would explore the cave each day and go

deeper into its halls each morning, careful to mark her path with stones, as herfather had shown her one time on a hike through the jungle. She found a place in a

crawl space that was a off shoot from her room, perfect for the pearl, a round

indention one and a half feet tall and the same wide. It was the perfect area for her

pearl. She placed the pearl under a small leaf and covered the larger hole with a

rock to keep it out of sight. She carved her name on a wall with a shark tooth

beside the hole, so that she would know where to find it, but not give away it's

exact area.

Wen she finished, she crawled back to her room to admire her work. She could

see inside the tunnel and the indention from where she lay on her bed. She stoodand began preparing her bananas for dinner when she heard a strange noise, like

nothing she had heard before in the cave. It sounded like small claws tapping from

somewhere deep in the cave, fast and moving towards her. She thought it might be

the creature that left her the opened cocoanut, but didn't want to take any chances.

Who knew what kind of creatures roamed this cave. So she took the shark tooth in

her hand and hid behind a stalagmite . The sound got closer and more huried. She

heard it climbing over the large rock that blocked the entrance. Fear struck her

heart and her hand began to shake. The sun was on the decline and only muted

light and shadows remained in the cave. A round shadow, as big as the cave itself

appeared and she scooted farther behind the stalagmite. It stopped. Their was the

sound of a sniffing nose. Before she could make out what it was it darted across the

floor towards the small entrance where the pearl was hidden. She crawled on her

knees to her bed where she had a view of the opening. She knew if the creature

was abel to go in the hole, it was not as big as it's shadow made it out to be. She

pulled leaves over herself to hide and peered into the hole. There was just enough

light to see the creature, her heart settled, and she smiled in relief. It was a small

furry animal. The animal looked up at the carving on the wall and Cosette became

nervous. It made an etching, it's teeth running togather. It looked like animals she

had seen in a book at Serians Tea Shop, an animal called a hedgehog, or possibly a

porcupine. But it looked fuzzy instead of spiky, like a short haired dog, a shiny coat

that glistened in the low light. It was almost perfectly round with a little triangle

snout that jutted from the ball of hair. Its feet were hidden underneath its round fat

stomach which giggled with each step. The animal's eyes were black and small,

two shiny marbles embedded deep in it's fur. She watched as it climbed the wall

where she had carved C-O-S-E-T-T-E and she got angry. Why would a porcupine

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want my pearl, she thought, and how would it know exactly where to look. The

animal climbed with incredible agility to the name on the wall. Cosette saw from

the side view the sharp claws that poked out from its little round feet. The small

animal sniffed the name with a wet nose then it's teeth chattered as it bit against the

stone where the name was carved. The teeth, small, and like a necklace of pearls.

With it's beaded teeth the animal began chewing at the rock. She had heard of

animals marking their territory, but how would the little creature know she hadcarved their. She tried to get closer to see what it was doing and dropped the shark

tooth with a clang. The creature stoped. Descended the wall, going slowly to were

she lay. She pulled the leaf over her head and felt and heard it sniffing the leaves,

then it stoped. The round fluffy ball then returned to where it had been chewing

and climbed to where she had hidden the pearl. When it came to the indention and

saw the rock blocking it, it made a angry squeal that hurt Cosette's ears. It pushed

hard on the large rock still squealing. Cosette realized then, that the hole may be

the animal's home, since it was the same exact size as the hole. The creature began

chewing on the large rock and dust filled the room.She wanted to charge the rodent, and scar it with her shark tooth. But it's claws

were so sharp, and it's jaws obviously powerful. She worried that the furry creature

would cut her and she didn't know how to fix wounds as her Papa did. She had

seen Papa at the fish market wrap men's hands and fingers in a cloth after they

bled, but she was not sure of all the details. So she decided to make a offering of

peace to the creature and move the rock, it was the right thing to do. She had stolen

the small animals home and thought of how she would feel if it had done the same.

But she had to secure the pearl first.

She walked towards the small entrance, her hands up in the air, moving slowly

so not to startle it. The noise was so loud and echoey that the creature did not hear

her foot steps. She got on her knees and climbed inside, slowly reaching out a hand

to show she would not hurt it, but the creature was startled, falling from the wall

and squealing. It hurt her ears and she covered them ."Calm down!" she said. It

kept squealing, baring it's shinny teeth, hunched up on its back legs, eyes darker

than before. It's hair was standing straight up, and it moved backwards, further into

the dark. She took the rock from the hole, set it on the floor, and before she could

remove the pearl, the animal jumped 4 feet in the air and landed in the hole, filling

it completely, it's head and snout disappearing into it's fat and fur, looking like a

cocoanut. Cosette slamed her fist on the rock, and told it to move, but it did

nothing. "I try to help you, then you take my precious pearl, how dare you." She

poked the creature with a fingerhard. It growled, but did not move so she took

the shark tooth from her pocket and poked the furry animal harder, careful not to

break the skin, but it would not move, nor show its head. She finally decided the

creatures long claws and round feet had no way of picking up the pearl stone

anyway, and why would it want a little stone when it can eat the whole cave. She


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went and took her leaves and sand pillow and decided to sleep in front of the

creature in case it woke; then she would grab the pearl stone and find another safe

place for it.

Chapter 6

When she awoke the next morning, the sun streamed in through a hole far

above the cave and covered the room with an orange glow. She immediately felt

the warmth and leaped from her bed and crawled a few feet to where the creature

had slept. It was gone. She looked around, she could not see it or hear it. She was

excited it had left, all had gone as planned and she reached into the small pocket of

rock for the pearl but found instead, an oval egg. She lifted the egg, not like the

hard chalky goose eggs she was accustomed to, but soft and wet. The pearl was

gone. The fur ball had traded this worthless egg for her precious pearl. She cried,

her tears filling the cave with a hollow echo. she squeezed the egg hard in her hand

ready to smash it against the stone. Her heart felt ten pounds heavier, she had lost

the one thing to remember her father with. She was sick with sorrow and dark

emotion. "I will kill your baby for taking my pearl," She said looking around,

hoping to see the little thief run from the shadows. She swung the egg towards the

wall anticipating the satisfying pop of the shell, but just as it was about to impact a

small whimper came from inside the egg, her heart stopped. She was breathing

hard and didn't know what to think. She was so angry, but the whimper was so

small and frail, helpless.

"forgive me," she said and sat the egg safely back on it's bed.

She was sad and slept the rest of the day.

Her dreams were filled with her father's dark eyes as he sank into the starry

misty water. She dreamed of her mother and how she must have hurt when she

knew her love was gone and could not return. She dreamed of the frog and his

thousand children, and how much love he must of had to have so many children.

She dreamed that she would never know this love, or the making of it, that her only

love, the pearl, would be gone forever. She pictured herself as an old woman,sweeping the cave and looking after Ego the crab and a small hedgehog creature.

She wanted to love, but besides her Father, she knew nothing of it. Was it

something you could touch in your heart if you could look inside? Was it as real as

the ocean? Or would it always be a ghost, like the shadows of her Papa in the pond,

like the longing that has no satisfaction. She wanted to know but she was alone

with no chance of returning to Bermala where people roamed the streets and old

men sat on benches feeding doves. Sleep came and went all day, but she didn't

know when she slept or when she woke, what was dream and what was real.

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The following morning she awoke to the orange glow that filled the cave,

familiar and warm. She opened her eyes, stretched her back and shoulders then

gathered her spoon and bowl, crushed red berries, green herbs and bananas for

breakfast. She watched the entrance to the small cavern where the egg was,

expecting to see or hear something, maybe the mother back for a visit. But it was

quiet. Before going to the pond for a bird bath she checked on the egg, it was in the

same place but had changed. Small patches of brown hair covered the shell. Shetouched it. It squeaked and she pulled her hand back in suprise. She touched it

agin. It squeaked and she laughed and her heart was warmed all over. Just the

thought that there was another life made her smile. Ego her crab was always shy,

and would only play with her if she held food in front of him, it hardly felt like a

fair relationship. She had played with the fish, her finger swirling, but they were

cold, and they did not allow her touch. She picked the egg up and held it close,

tucked in her arms, hoping it would be kind, unlike the mother.

She made a bed of sand for the egg beside her bed and soon it had grown to the

size of her fist. The patches of hair slowly disappeared, revealing a shiny blackshell, not soft like before, but hard like the stone floor.

She knew that they liked to chew on rocks so she took pebbles from beside the

pond and placed them around the egg. She also gathered extra berries and bananas,

just incase the little one had a sweet tooth like her. Afraid to leave the egg's side

she moved all of the things she had found on the island into the small cave and

filled a large lobster tail with water for bathing. The days passed quickly and she

could hardy distinguish one from another. She was happy and felt she had a

purpose in caring for the egg, changing it's sand and bathing it in the lobster tail.

One night during a dream about her mother swimming like a dolphin under

the deep waters, Cosette awoke to a loud sound of crumbling rock. It was dark;

only a little moonlight drifted in from the hole at the top. She thought the cave

might be collapsing so she grabbed the egg to escape. It was vibrating and

bouncing in her hand. An excitement filled her belly and she ran with it to the

moon light that drifted through the roof of the cave in one stream of golden yellow,

landing in circle on the floor. She tripped on the lobster tail and the egg flew from

her hands, rolled and bounced across the floor, then snapped against the wall. Her

heart sank and she scrambled to get on her feet. The chattering noise had stopped

and she hopping she hadn't broken it. When she reached the egg, she found it was

broken into hundreds of sharp shards and she burst into tears.

But then she heard a squeak and saw two glowing eyes staring at her from a

dark corner. It sounded like a pig, so loud she had to cover her ears. She couldn't

imagine such a sound coming from such a small creature.

"Come here baby," she said putting her had out and walking slowly towards it.


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She had just awoken and her eyes were still adjusting to the low light. She

walked closer and stooped down with her hands out. "It's alright baby, I won't hurt

you."

Her eyes adjusted and she saw the creature. It was no baby, it was the mother

back for her egg. Cosette fell back in surprise as the fur-ball squealed and bared it's

teeth. It was only a foot tall, but sounded much bigger. The fur ball jumped on the

wall and ran sideways as if there were no gravity. Cosette turned and looked whereit was heading, she saw two more much smaller glowing eyes tucked away behind

her bed. It was the baby and the mother was speeding right towards it. Fearing she

would lose her only hope, she lunged across the room and swatted the fur ball

down from the wall.

"You give me my pearl, I give you your baby!" She said standing in front of

the bed.

The fur ball crouched, hair spiked on it's back, and growled.

"Give it to me!" Cosette screamed.

The little creature squealed, reared back and dove straight at Cosette.Cosette fell back and kicked hard at the same time. The fur ball bounced

against the wall above her bed, then the celling, then plopped back on the other

side.

"The pearl, give it to me!"

She lunged at the fur ball, it reared up and slapped a claw, tearing the skin of

her thigh. She didn't feel any pain and scrambled to catch the creature. She swiped

back at the creature with her long nails and knocked a chunk of the little creatures

black nose off. The tiny black mass of flesh rolled down to Cosette's feet. The

creature let out a squawk that nearly knocked Cosette on her back.

"I will do worse. Give me my pearl you porcupine."

Cosette jumped at the wounded creature again but there was nothing there. She

turned and caught a glimpse of the light reflected from it's fur as it tucked it's self

into a crack. Then was gone.

Chapter 7

Cosette was shocked when she saw the pearl stone, but it wasn't a stone like

before, it was a true pearl, just as her father had described, milky and smooth,

shiny and slightly transparent in the center. She could hardly believe her eyes. She

wondered if it had always been that way. But if had--why had she not seen it? She

was even more surprised at where she found it. Loddged in the head of the baby fur

ball, just above it's two black beady eyes, almost like a spider. She laughed with

joy and thought it the funniest thing she had ever seen. The pearl had sunk through

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the soft shell when first laid and grew into the creatures forhead. She laughed so

hard that the little creature, small enough to fit in her hand, started to squeak with

her.

"You look like a spider," she said and picked up the puff ball, "a big furry

spider."

She held up the creature in the light. "I do not know what to call you, you have

to do something first, then I will know."She tried to pry the pearl from the creatures head, just to check if it were

possible. It squealed in pain. She left it alone and felt sad for trying.

"I will not try again until you are dead but you have to promise you will never

leave me. Do you understand? That third eye you have belongs to me, my Papa

gave it to me and I must return it to the sea." The little ball squeaked as if in

understanding.

"I could call you pearl, or pearly, but you do not deserve the name of my

precious pearl just because you happened to land on it. We will see what your

name will be in time. For now I will call you fur ball, if that is all right with you."She checked the little one's mouth and saw the tiny pearly teeth.

"You must of chewed your way through the egg. Are you still hungry?"

the creature yelped as if it understood. Cosette was perplexed, but didn't give it

much thought.

She sat it on her pillow and fed it the small stones from the pond. She first

tried to hold the stones because he was so small, but he constantly bit her fingers.

So she rolled him on his back, he took the stone in it's paws, chewing at a

incredible rate as he spun it.

"Oh my goodness fur ball, what a healthy appetite you have."

he also enjoyed the crunchy berries, but hated the banana's because the

gummed up his teeth, and he didn't understand any thing in his mouth that was soft.

He grew at a rapid rate. It was a chore in itself keeping his little cove stocked

with fresh berries and stones. It seemed like only weeks and he was the size of a

cantaloupe, no longer satisfied with stones, but instead climbed the walls chewing

for hours at a time. Cosette was surprised that the were as small as they were. But

realized later that they really didn't eat much of the stone, but more just chomped

on it, most of it turning to dust and shards, but he did eat a great deal of berries.

He became her constant companion, never leaving her side, sleeping against

her breast, cuddled under her chin. He seemed to understand very simple jesters

and even laughed when she did. Some days she would even forget she was alone

and lost in the great ocean, enjoying his company and laughing with ease. But at

night she would dream of home and awaken depressed in sad daze. He seemed to

know this and would allow her time alone, going out to the pond, laying on his

back in the sun until she emerged for her daily bird bath. Some times they would

play with Ego who had grown to be quiet a handsome crab living in the ocean but


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visiting daily for a meal of sea weed and silver fish. They were a team and would

spend most days playing on the beach, sliding down drifts on the backs of dead

jelly fish, and hiding from one another in berry bushes and under the sand. The fur

ball played a game with Ego, bitting his shell in a friendly manner, jumping around

the clumsy crab, which snapped it's huge claw at him. Sometimes he would catch

up and pinch fur ball and he would yelp, but then they played even more

vigorously.One day Cosette could not find Fur Ball, but figured he was playing with Ego.

When it came time for lunch she set their places and went calling for them. That's

when she found Fur Ball, stooped on his hind legs, nudging Ego with his nose. He

looked very sad, and Ego did not move. She ran to them and found the problem.

"Oh Fur Ball, he has shed his skin! Don't be sad, they all do. Just think how

funny it is. He is probably very embarrassed, hiding away in the ocean, naked as

the day he was born."

Fur Ball did not seem to understand and would often visit the empty shell.

Cosette still set a place for Ego hopping that he would return soon, both of themwatching the beach as they ate. "He'll come back someday and he'll be even bigger,

and snap your nose off." She joked.

One day after Fur Ball had eaten her fill in the cave they decided to go and

search the beaches for ego. He was full and walked with his belly dragging on the

ground. She poked him with a stick and laughed at his huge belly as the walked

through the tunnels. When they reached the waterfall Fur Ball slipped on a wet

stone and slid towards the pond. Cosette's heart sank and she dropped their bowls

and spoons falling to the rocks lunging to him reaching out but unable to grab his

fur. His eyes widened as his large claws scraped lines in the rock but he was too

heavy and finally splashed in the pond. His little paws kicked in a panic holding

him on the surface for a moment then he sank to the bottom.

Cosette screamed and ran around the pond seeing him on the bottom with

bubbles escaping from his mouth. She took a stance to dive but sopped. All the

sounds of the jungle seemed to disappear and the cool wind stood still as she saw

her Father's reflection in the smooth water once again. He was more white and his

skin looked translucent on the surface, eyes opened, dull and nearly void of life.

She could not move. She cursed her self for being such a coward. Her heart was

sick and she felt she might faint.

Then there was a loud splash, wakening her from her daze. It was Fur Ball

across the pond. He was kicking his feet and swirling around the surface of the

water. He gave her a playful look and a smile. He liked it and could swim as well

as the fish. She was greatly releaved, and scolded him for such a scare. He paddled

his large foot claws and drifted on his back then suddenly jumped up and dove

deep into the water. Under the translucent blue she watched him swim to where she

stood. He popped his head up for a breath.

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Cosette clapped her hands, "How can you swim with all that rock in your gut?"

She said.

He shook the water from his furry head and splashed Cosette in the face. She

laughed as he dove back into the pond.

When a school of silvery fish came around to the center of the pool, he jumped

and floped, then darted with great speed toward the fish; he slapped them with his

claws and sucked them in his mouth. Cosette jumped up stomping her feet as hechomped down mouthfulls of the little fish. He continued doing this until the

school of fish broke their form and spread throughout the pond.

Chapter 8

Over the following weeks it seemed all he did was eat. Cosette scolded him,

saying soon he wouldn't even fit in the cave. Though he was still not much bigger

than a cantaloupe, he became more round, and his stomach touched the ground. It

began to rain in that time So heavy that it was easy to find food because it was

knocked from the trees by the wind. Cosette began collecting a large store so she

wouldn't have to go out into the rain. But Fur Ball didn't help her as before. He

slept. Such a heavy sleep that she could not wake him. He snored loudly so she

made him a bed of his own with lots of leaves over his head. She kept expecting

him to wake each morning, but he didn't and days turned into weeks. She became

very board and home sick in the cave alone all day. So she tried to keep herself

busy building a roof over their bed to keep them dry from the rain, and decorating

the cave with shells and fish bones from the beach. But it wasn't the same without

the furry animal. She would sometimes lay beside him, act as if she were sleeping,

then prod him in the belly with a sharp fingernail. He would only snort, wave his

paws, then turn to his side and start his circular snoring pattern over.

Cosette remembered the little upright creature that had left her the cocoanut so

long ago and decided to explore the jungle, further than her and fur ball had ever

attempted. They had always gone along the beach and never into the thick trees

behind their cave. The big rains had stopped and it only drizzled during themorning and night so she thought that Fur Ball would wake any day, but he just

continued snoring as always so she decided to go alone.

She was used to adventures, her father had called everything an adventure, but

she thought only certain times were true ones, like when they followed the man in

the park all day, just for fun, to see where he might go. He was a regular figure in

the park, coming after lunch, then leaving at the same time every day. The old man

was hard of hearing and did not see them walking behind him. He first bought a

loaf of bread from the baker, and fed the birds in front of the market. Papa got


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angry and wanted to stop him because he abhorred those birds that pooped on his

head and in his lunch sometimes. Cosette reminded him of the adventure, that if

they gave it away they would never know where the old man goes, so he

reluctantly complied.

"I will speak with him later on the subject," he said.

"No you won't papa, he's cute, leave him alone."

Papa's anger was always cooled by Cosette. "Birds come anyway I guess.""Yes, to poop on your head," they both laughed.

The trip became more interesting as the day continued. The old man, they had

named "Mr. Wither," (just to have something to call him) went to the Double Tree

Cafe and ordered a bowl of cabbage and onion soup to go. They knew because they

asked the head waiter and he told them for a nickel he also told them that he had

ordered the same item every saturday but had squid dumplings and noodles on

sunday.

The old Mr. Wither traveled to the corner of Penatong Road and the cross

street Leazer. Penatong was a busy area with many shops and restaurants where itwas easy to get lost in a crowd mid-day. The street Leazer was quiet with nothing

but apartments. He sat on a bench, directed to the quiet street of Leazer, ben

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A Possession of Stars