And sometimes dreams come true.
With shaking hands, Up closed the book. The sky was
clear, and the stars were bright tonight. He looked up at
them, tracing patterns he’d memorized as a boy, when the
vastness of space had been just a dream. He wondered
where she was now, among the stars without him. He
wondered if he’d ever reach them - reach her - again.
The tears came once more.
Taz watched the Earth fall away beneath her as the
Bright Eye climbed into the stars, her forehead pressed
against the viewscreen in her new quarters. Her face was
dry – she’d vowed that there would be no more tears – but
her heart was in a thousand pieces. She’d made her
decision, she’d hardened her resolve, and she’d done it,
she’d left him, the man who was her everything. He was
falling apart, and she couldn’t keep watching it happen,
knowing she was powerless to stop it.
“He’ll do better, if I’m not there,” she told herself. “He’ll
pull himself up without me to depend on. He’ll have to.”
She knew it was a lie.
“I’m sorry, Up,” she whispered into the glass. “It’s me.
I’m just not strong enough.”
One last, rebellious tear rolled down her bruised cheek
as the starship took her away.