MF1.0 - 66 - Stardust

''Mela leapt into the gaping maw of the void and felt it pull her away from the world, from her husband, from her unborn son. Away from everything she knew, and towards absolute uncertainty.''

The entirety of existence lay open before her, planets and moons twirled, they whipped around aliens suns, spun then shot off into the distance.

''She watched a sun explode, destroying the solar system it had sustained and protected, and in its way. Rainbow stardust filled the void and surrounded her, twisting her up in a storm.''

''The stardust formed into flowers and faces, impish grins and pixie kisses stole glances and touches. A baby’s laughter rang out like a bell as a new star formed.''

''She felt very small, and the death of her world seemed so insignificant in comparison to the wonder in front of her. At the same time, it gave her hope, her world was dying, but there was so much left in the universe that was alive.''

She felt content, then she felt nothing.

She opened her eyes, and found herself wondering if she had. The darkness surrounding her wasn’t simply an absence of light, it was an absence of…oh.

She felt herself come to rest against something, as though she had been floating. She felt warm hands on her insubstantial shoulders and looked up. Who she saw did not surprise her.

‘Do you know where you are?’ the cold lady asked. She looked like she did in all of the stories, long black hair entwined with precious metals and stones, a long deep purple robe and a silver mask covering her face.

‘Yes, my lady, I do.’

Death looked to the endless blackness in front of them. ‘A lot of your kin went to my sister. You’re one of the last to come, your world is dying alone.’

‘Others…went into the void?’

The mask nodded. ‘Most do, most prefer to take the chance.’

She felt a pang of regret. ‘My lady, my husband, is he?’

‘I have no seen him yet, Mela, he made it to safety, such as it is.’

‘And my child?’

‘His future is uncertain.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">She should be afraid, she knew she should be trying to bargain, or begging to become a ghost, she knew she-

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Are you ready?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Is anyone ever truly ready?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">Death nodded. ’Yes. Many.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">She looked to the blackness. ’What…what is…?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">The lady shook her head. ‘I do not know, I am simply the gatekeeper. May my father’s blessing be with you.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">She turned to look at the void. ‘My lady, could I ask one thing of you.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Mortals always ask for boons, I rarely grant them.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">She bit her lip. ‘My husband knows I love him, he knows my last thought will be of him. My son…could you tell him that his mother loved him?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘I can do this.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Thank you, my lady.’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">‘Are you ready now?’

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">She reached out to the void, it didn’t radiate fear or despair, it felt…it felt like home.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">She said her last silent goodbyes and stepped through into the infinite.