Sophia Stars (Short Story)

There was a ghost of a girl who lived far away from the dazzling cities, far away from the laughter of children, far away from the voices of people, far away from everything. Everything that makes sense to you, my friend.
She lived top of the clouds; in the mornings when the sun came out for the world she got his warmth before anyone else. The golden rays of sun touched her soul carefully so the mighty sun thought she smiled to him. There were times that the sun was too busy to come out for the earth, then the water falls off the heaven. It came down from clouds to earth laughing, playing, singing and filled oceans of earth with blue water. That time, the clouds she lived join in the parade of water and sang loudly from the top of their lungs.
In the nights when you dream on a comfy bed, or dance with the loud rock music or talks with your loved ones or working hard for your goals, she starts to sing. The songs nobody hear but only the stars, comets, and all celestial bodies listen through the entire night.
She sang for everyone. For the blossoms which never become flowers. For foundations which nobody build homes.  For   pictures the artist tier before it finishes. For lovers who never live together. For her mother she never actually had seen of …

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Everything started with a cry. The five year old started to cry before Mary even thinks of. She was panicked; she knew it was wrong, that they would never forgive her. She looked at newborn who was in a deep sleep, baby didn’t even cry for minutes after the birth, so everything was calm and went fine as she planned.  But now, the cry. She couldn’t possibly stay there more than a half an hour, maybe she was too late. If she actually wants to run now it was the time. She loved them more than anything. But she had no choice. She kissed crying boy hard, for a second the boy stopped his cry. He looked at his Mom with his tear filled big eyes. Then she looked at the newborn, the smell of fresh blood came with the breeze into her nostrils. Mary kept the gold chain with an elephant pendant on boy’s little palm and squeezed it. “Take care of your sister” she whispered her final words to the boy. And like that, she went, ran away from everyone she knew. She walked fast on that deserted road until she no longer hears her five year old son’s cry or her new born baby girls’ sound of breath.

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 “We can’t take more children in madam. Government isn’t funding us anymore. The public won’t feed nobodies children anymore, because it’s hard to feed their own kids’ time like this madam. Can’t you see madam we can’t let more children in? I feel sorry for those two, but there’s no choice madam, let them die, it’s for their own good”

“Shut up; just shut your mouth up. We are taking these two children in, that’s it. No more discussions. And if any one of you wants to leave. Just go. Just go…”

The madam, middle aged women with gray hair shouted to her crew. She looked troubled. It was a hard time for everyone in the country. No matter you rich or poor. She knew if she took that five year old boy and new born baby girl in, other kids meal would be worse. But how she let kids die, she loved kids; she just can’t let kids die while she’s here. That’s why she built this orphanage from her and his past husbands’ money. And turned their home which never heard child’s laughter in past into an orphanage.

Her crew, forty five year old male, Ben Thomas, who earlier was the manager of the states which her husband had was now the manager of the orphanage. When Mr. Scheter died, leaving his million dollar worth property to his wife, Ben decided to stay with Mrs. Scheter to help with her orphanage. He knew as a manager a man who knows the value of money that selling all property and keeping only the three story house with 40 acre land for the sake of children, in his own words for nobodies children whom even their parents didn’t want was insane. But something inside him wanted to help her, he honored his past master, he was a loyal servant for him for all these fifteen years. He knew that he can take his two years’ worth salary money   and disappear, make his career brighter. But if he went, leaving Mrs. Scheter alone with her crazy idea she would bankrupt, and everything his master saved for her would be ruined. So he ended up these past five years with this woman, the woman who couldn’t give birth to her own children but give life to nobodies kids. And in the bottom of his heart he loved this stubborn woman deeply, the mother of all the children.

 Except Ben there were five females who did all the household things and nursing of the children and the old military man who was the guard of the house since Mr. Scheter’s time.


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The girl wearing the gold chain with elephant pendant looked confused and looked at the big shouting boy.

“You little dumb witch, didn’t you hear me? Go get the ball”   

He pointed his finger to a pond which had surely made a magnificent scenery years ago,  but now with the time it had been a pond filled with mud.

All other playing kids gathered round her and the big boy. They knew what was exactly going to happen because this was not a new thing to them. Most of the time when all other kids were playing, this four year old girl who madam gave name as Sophia Stars sat under this big banyan  tree and played with her lips and hanging roots of the tree. She was born dumb, but she made weird noises somehow with her lips. So kids in Mrs. Scheter orphanage told that she was a little crazy dumb witch.

Sophia with her big blue eyes looked at the big boy and smiled without knowing what is going to happen. This time boy became angrier, he shouted much louder,

“You little dumb witch, didn’t you hear me? Go get the ball”

He didn’t stop shouting; he grabbed her small, fragile arm hardly and made her stand up. And then he kicked her thin leg with his teenage leg hardly.  And just like an apple falls from its tree poor Sophia fall. It was the funniest thing to all the children who were watching, they laughed and praised the big boy. With the compliment from his audience big boy’s courage grew. He again took Sophia by her arm and pushed her to the pond. This time Sophia made real crazy scream from her lungs but before she finishes the scream her lungs filled with mud of the pond.
With the fearful scream another boy jumped into the big boy’s side. The new boy was about nine years of age with the same blue eyes of Sophia. He managed to kick the big boy to the ground and the battle started.  And for the audience this part was brand new. They all knew that Max never comes to the garden to play and always stays in the library reading.  But here comes the crazy little witch’s big brother to save her. They all saw how rude was this big boy to little Sophia every day. But nobody wants to tell adults about this even to their friend Max. Till you’re not the aim they liked to watch how weak people suffered. After all there wasn’t anything wrong with the children, they were fine. It was how everything was at that time in the country; it was what they learn from the society.

Ben and the old military guard came running towards the fighting boys and split them. Ben was cursing loudly while guard hitting both the boys asses hard. If madam didn’t come on time doctor would get a chance to bandage both boys’ asses.
Ben held both the boys by his hands and was still cursing in a low voice. The old guard was panting now after hitting to the boys.

Anya, who came with madam rushed to Sophia and took her out of the pond, Sophia’s old pink dress was covered with mud. And her little pale face, legs and hands were all covered with stinking mud; it looked like that Sophia was a statue made from brown mud. No one sees any emotion from her face. Not even a tear. But when Anya held Sophia with her both hands, she felt that she was shaking. And heard her little cry, painful childish cry….
“Bring boys to my office, and Anya you give a bath to the girl”It was madam, without a word she turned back to go to the house by giving a look of sympathy to Sophia.


It wasn’t the first time that kids made fun of little Sophia. Whether it was in the large hall where they took their daily meals or in the long bedroom where they used to sleep, they try to entertain themselves using Sophia. She was different than them, I’m not saying that being dumb made them think that she’s different. But she was not an ordinary girl. She was something beautiful. She was kind. And she didn’t know how harsh world can treat to her. She thought every person in the world was just like mocking bird that comes to the Banyan tree.

To be continued...


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