Lost girl

Hello, kids! You must be wondering who this person is greeting you suddenly! Does it really look out of the blue? I’m sorry, kids; I did not mean to scare you all by any means. 

Oh—where are my manners? Let me introduce myself. I am the one and only moon. Yes, the moon you see when you look at the sky. The moon which shines in the dark. I am the guardian of everything and everyone you see in the sky at night. Well, I am not the only guardian. The sun is the second one. We are like co-parenting everyone in the sky. 

Well, enough of this long introduction. Today, I am here to tell you a story. Oh, I am so happy! I am finally getting a chance to share stories with you all. I love sharing stories with children. You may ask why? Well, because they are the best listeners. Aren’t you kids? You will listen to my story, right? I won’t tell you what this story is about just now. I will let you explore it slowly. I know you all are so smart and patient. So, if you want to know this story, read it till the end. I am sure you will learn something important from it. Let’s start now, shall we?

We will start with our main character first:

 “Ammy.” Now, Ammy is a little young girl just like you all, living in a little cottage in the middle of a forest. She is sweet and loves to play with her only best friend. Ammy has no other friends. But don’t worry; she is happy because she has her best friend.

Now, you may ask, what is the name of her best friend? Well, that is certainly a good question. But, my friends, to know that, you must read this story till the end and please tell me about it too. Okay? Well, to know that, you must read it till the end and guess the answer. But for now, we will call her Ammy’s best friend, okay? So, one day, just like any other day, she was playing in her house with her best friend.

In the evening, they decided to go and pluck some fruits from the trees. They both went in the evening because the weather was great. As Ammy went and started plucking some fruits, she saw some rabbits playing together. They were all happy. Ammy thought about how nice it is to have each other. They can always take care of one another.

For some reason, it affected Ammy’s heart in some way. She is happy with her friend, but what if she had more friends? Wouldn’t that be nice? She felt tears in her eyes, and she quickly tried to shake off that feeling. She thought it was a betrayal. The mere thought was a betrayal to her friend. That is when she turned back to look for her best friend. Ammy thought if she saw her friend, everything would feel normal again. She wouldn’t have the feelings she should not have. What is there to be upset about when she has her best friend? 

So she turned but didn’t see her best friend anywhere, and it scared her deeply. She cried for her friend and looked here and there. It kept getting darker, but Ammy didn’t stop looking for her friend. Suddenly, it started raining, and a storm followed the rain. Unfortunately, Ammy had to stop and go back to her cottage. She was really worried about her friend; she didn’t know what to do. She was afraid of the storm but didn’t want to stop looking for her friend. She cried and cried and fell asleep on her sofa just like that. 

Even while sleeping, she cried for her friend. In her dreams, she was walking somewhere dark, and she walked and walked. She didn’t reach anywhere. She was walking in a circle; she kept coming back to the same place. She realized she was looking for something, for someone. But she didn’t know who or what. So she cried out loud, but there was no voice to answer. She got scared and suddenly woke up, sweating. 

It was midnight, and the weather was fine again, almost like it had never been bad. Too silent to have a storm. Putting her fears aside, she decided to go and look for her friend in this bright moonlight. She called for her friend. She shouted and cried, and she kept walking. She didn’t know where she was going; she didn’t know if this was the same route they took in the afternoon. 

Now, my friends, here is a pause. Why? Because you will meet other interesting characters here. Make sure to tell me later which one is your favorite, okay?

Sage: “Yaa!! Who is shouting in the middle of the night here? I am trying to concentrate!”  

Jade: “Why do you even bother? All you do is sleep.”  

Theo: “Yes, you shouldn’t try.”  

Noah: “Hey, you should not discourage him like that. He is trying his best.”  

Jasper: “That’s right! Would you feel good if we made fun of you?”  

Hope: “Well, I don’t care what you all do; just keep your voices low, please.”  

Jacob: “You all need to be quiet; this young girl is looking for someone. She has been crying nonstop.”  

Noah: “Yeah, she looks like she’s not going to take any rest for a while. Poor young girl.”

Jasper: “Shouldn’t we help her?”  

Sage: “Yes, at least then I will be able to concentrate.” (looks worried but doesn’t show it)  

Hope: “Let me try talking to her first.”  

“Hey, little kid?” Hope says.  

Ammy looks confused; she thinks she is hearing some voices but isn’t sure where they are coming from.  

Sage: “Hey, kid! Look up, above your head.”  

Ammy is still confused, so she looks here and there for a second. And that’s when she hears the loud sound of screaming.

Ammy: “It feels like this sound is coming from above my head. That is strange.”  

Theo: “Heyyyyyy!!” He shouts too loud in excitement.  

Ammy finally looks up and is surprised to see seven colorful stars staring at her. Each one carries a different expression on their faces.

Ammy can clearly see they have different personalities just by their expressions. A few of them seem genuinely worried, some confused, and one of them is smiling without any reason. The one smiling is Theo. He is an energetic star full of positivity. Then there is this specific star which looks quite mad at her, as if she stole his light and peace. That is our other friend Sage. He looks quite serious but has a soft heart.

He may speak harshly, but he doesn’t mean any of it. So, my young ladies and gentlemen, should I introduce the other five stars as well? I’ll take it as a yes because without them, this story is incomplete.

So, let’s start with our eldest, Jacob. He is the eldest and the funniest of them all. Our second eldest is Noah. His mind is sharp, but the same goes for his hands—he breaks almost everything he touches. I have already mentioned Sage, but let me introduce him properly. He is the first of the eldest but acts like the second. He doesn’t speak much but shows his affection through his actions.

Next is our Hope. Just like his name, he is the hope of everyone. He is bright and a positive person who spreads positivity too. Following him, we have Jade. He is a fragile soul but the kindest. He is never mean to anyone, but if you make his brother cry, he will make you cry harder.

Now we have the two youngest: Theo and Jasper. Theo is creative. He is outgoing but also doesn’t like noise without a purpose. He is the softest of them all but can be the opposite in no time. You are safe as long as you are not a bad person; he can sense that easily, I remind you.

Now, our last and youngest star. He is the heart of every brother. He is the cutest but can also fight off demons. He can become your friend if you are genuine and sincere, but if it is the opposite, it will not end well.

I think that’s enough for the introduction. We should move back to our story right away!

The moment the stars call Ammy with desperation, she looks at them. Ammy acknowledges their presence and starts speaking to them.

Ammy: “Yes?” (she says, keeping her thoughts aside)

Noah: “Hey, little girl, are you looking for someone?”

Jacob: “Why are you asking her? Isn’t it obvious?”

Noah: “Oh yeah, sorry! My bad. May we know who you are looking for, young lady?”

This interaction seems like something out of a book she read, but she doesn’t say this aloud.

Ammy: “Oh, yes, right. I am looking for my friend. She has been missing since afternoon, and I can’t find her. I have been looking for her for so long.” (There is sadness in her eyes, and it is clearly visible to each of them.)

Sage: “Oh, so that is the reason for all this noise. Here, I thought a volcano erupted in the forest.”

Ammy gets a little angry, and as a result, tears start to make their way to her eyes.

Sage: “Hey, don’t start crying now. We will try to help you find your friend.” (The rest of them smile, and Sage gets embarrassed.)

Ammy (surprised): “Really? Are you sure?”

Theo: “Of course we will. We would hate to see you cry like that, little girl.”

Ammy smiles (she feels grateful and thinks they are sincere about helping her).

Jade: “But for now, I think you should go and sleep. It’s almost morning; we will help you find her tomorrow, okay? It is dangerous so late in the forest.”

Ammy: “I can’t just sleep!” (Ammy refuses.) “I can’t leave my friend here. You yourself said it’s dangerous here.”

The stars look at each other with worry. They don’t know what to tell her to assure her friend’s safety. That is when Jasper says,

“Little girl, we mean you should rest for a while. And if we find her, we will let you know. Also, we won’t let anything happen to her. I am really strong, okay?”

Ammy is hesitant but nods because she can feel the sincerity in their promise. It is harder to look for her friend in the midnight, so she decides to accept their offer.

Ammy: “Okay, because you all are promising, I will go. But please let me know as soon as you find her, please.”

Sage: “We will. It’s the right decision. You should go and take some rest now.”

Ammy goes to sleep a little. She is worried but somewhat relaxed too. She doesn’t feel completely helpless now.

Meanwhile, the stars are discussing their strategies to find Ammy’s friend.

Noah: “Hey, I know we decided to help her, but does anyone know how she looks?”

Jacob: “Who?”

Noah: “Her friend, obviously.”

All of them are tense now.

Sage: “What are we going to do now?”

Theo: “Little girl would be so disappointed; we promised her.”

Jade: “I wish I had used my brain.”

Hope: “Hey, it’s not your fault alone; we all are to blame.”

Noah: “Yes, you are not at fault here. But there is something we can still do. At least until the time we have.”

Everyone looks at him with wide eyes.

Noah: “I think we should all search for a girl who looks like she is alone and lost. It’s not common for anyone wandering in a forest alone, right? And if we find someone, we will ask if they are lost or looking for someone.”

Jacob: “That’s right! And we all know how this little girl looks and her name too. We will mention her name and her beautiful hair. I’m sure her friend will recognize Ammy in no time.”

Jade: “What an idea! You both are intelligent. I did not expect that from you, Jacob.”

Our young stars need to learn; they need to have knowledge to use the power they have been given by their ancestors. For that reason, they must attend their lessons. They do not have any options; they are obliged to follow rules and regulations. These rules and regulations are ingrained within them. The moment they decide to leave any important lesson, they will be pulled back like puppets. The Sun is their guardian, and the Sun has all the power to send them back too. Under the Sun, they cannot move as they please.

I mentioned the Sun is co-parenting with me, right? That is what I meant. Learning magic is crucial in some other ways too. As they grow older, they might lose their light, and if they don’t practice magic to maintain it, they can be banished.

To maintain their shine, they need magic. All that shining requires strong magic. The stronger the magic is, the brighter and more powerful the star becomes. They shine naturally now because they are young.

Now, let’s see what Ammy is doing, shall we?

Ammy wakes up in the late afternoon. As soon as she opens her eyes, she checks the time. It shocks her because it is late. The next thing she does is search for the stars, but she cannot see them. The sky is clear blue and windy too. There are birds flying with their friends, which reminds Ammy of her loneliness. She thinks about how lonely she is now without her friend. She shouldn’t have thought of having too many friends. Now she has lost her one and only friend too.

She shakes her head and decides not to think about anything else for now. She calls the stars one by one—Sage? Theo? Noah? Anyone? Someone, please answer me. Ammy keeps calling for them, but it is of no use; she doesn’t get any response.

Ammy decides to use different strategies, like running to the same place she met them. She even climbs the ladder to the top of her home, but no matter how far she looks, it is just the sky and some birds flying in front of the shining sun.

It makes her really upset, and she feels betrayed too.

Ammy: “How dare they betray me? They promised they would help me. They promised to look for her, but they are not even here. Why is everyone so cruel? My dear friend would never have done that, but now she is gone too. The truth is she betrayed me too, in a different way. That is far worse than the betrayal I just experienced.”

Ammy sits on her porch, thinking about the days she used to play with her friend. Her friend, who had silky and colorful hair, made her unique and beautiful. She misses how she used to read stories to her friend and how they used to play with their dolls.

Just like that, evening takes over, and slowly but gradually all the stars start appearing in the sky.

Noah: “Hey guys, are we on time?”

Jacob: “I think so.”

Sage: “We came as fast as we could.”

Jade: “Yeah, we didn’t have any option.”

Theo: “Yeah, but look, she seems a bit sad.”

Hope: “Little sad girl.”

Jasper: “Should we say hello or something?”

Hope: “I hope she is not too angry or sad. Let me try greeting her.”

Hope: “Hey! Ammy, we are here… How are you doing?”

Ammy gets up in surprise because of the sudden sound. She looks at them and then sits back down, not making eye contact. They already notice that she has been crying.

Sage: “Hey Ammy, we are here again to help you.”

Hope: “Yes, we will help you in any way we can.”

Ammy is so upset that she is not thinking straight. Upset and angry, she raises her voice at them.

Ammy: “Liars! You all are liars. You promised me you would help me find my friend, but you were not even here. I should never have believed in strangers in the first place.”

(Ammy regrets everything the second she stops speaking.) She finally looks at them, regret on her face. She can see how her words have affected them. All of them feel a bit sad because Ammy believes they betrayed her. She thinks they are nothing but mere strangers; however, they set this thought aside and try to talk to her with smiles on their faces.

Jacob: “Hey, I promise we did not lie about a single thing. It’s just that we have some rules, some restrictions we cannot go against.”

Ammy: “Restrictions like what? Do you really want to lie more?”

Noah: “Please, Ammy, hear us out. We did not break our promise. We did not lie.”

Jade: “Yes, we are not allowed to show ourselves in the sky from morning to afternoon. It’s mandatory for us to attend our classes so that we can learn magic to enhance our powers. To be powerful, we need to take these lessons.”

Theo: “Yes, it’s against the rules and our family. We forgot to tell you because of the short time.”

Jasper: “Yes, we tried searching for her, but then we had to go back under any condition.”

Ammy feels like she has been too harsh on them. There is no reason for them to lie, so she decides to give them a chance.

Ammy: “You promise you are not lying?”

All the stars: “YES! We never had this intention.”

Ammy finally smiles.

Ammy: “Okay, since we have this issue, and you all are sincere about helping me, I want to make the most of it. To do that, I will change my schedule. You are giving me your time, so I need to do the same.”

Jasper: “What do you mean?”

Ammy: “What I mean is I will sleep in the morning, and then as the sun sets, I will start finding my friend with you all.”

The stars get worried because even if they are with her, it might not be safe for her. So they mention their concerns.

Noah: “But it will be dangerous for you in this dark forest. I don’t think it’s a good idea to put you in danger.”

Hope: “Yes, what if something happens to you and your friend comes back? She will be really upset. Don’t you think? She might think it was all because of herself.”

Theo: “Yes, it will break her heart.”

Everyone laughs except Jacob, who is busy scolding Jade. They all continue their search for Ammy’s friend.

Now, my dear readers, there is a twist here—a small twist. Morning is not in favor of the stars, you see. They can’t help Ammy in the morning by any means. Morning is their—or more like Ammy’s—enemy at this point.

Now you may ask me why they are unable to do anything in the morning for Ammy? Let me add that from noon onward, or as long as there is light in the sky, they cannot help her. Stay with me, and you will find the reason.

The reason is that they all must go and study magic. They need magic to keep up the name of their family. Shining is not a problem; they have enough power for that already. But they need power and knowledge to gain anything they desire. Their family is known for being the best and most powerful stars in their history. Their family, KIM, is a name with reputation and power.

Ammy is surprised that they are all so worried about her safety, and she is also aware of the dangers in the forest.

Ammy: “I know, but I cannot give up. What if she never comes back? There’s no point either way; I have to try my best. I’ve been living here for a long time, and not much has happened, so I guess it will be fine this time too.”

Sage: “But—”

Ammy: “No buts! She is my friend, and I have to do my best. I appreciate that you all are helping, but if I just sleep and wander alone, it won’t be of much help, don’t you think?”

Jasper: “Well, you have a point there.”

Ammy: “Okay, now let’s start.”

The stars have no choice but to obey her wish. They all look at each other in defeat and start searching for Ammy’s friend. They continue searching for a long time. Ammy faces minor issues like bugs and other small annoyances, but nothing major. The stars don’t have much trouble; it’s easy for them to move around in the sky.

Sage: “Everything feels okay for now. I don’t sense any wild beasts or anything. I can see many animals are just sleeping, and the ones that aren’t aren’t interested in Ammy.”

Ammy falls often but gets up by herself. She bumps into things here and there under the bright moon and starlit sky, but no matter what, she keeps going. She doesn’t rest for even a minute or two. They have been searching for a while, but they have not even covered half of the forest. The stars can easily move ahead and far, but they are more worried about Ammy. So they maintain a safe distance. The forest is quite big to cover easily.

Ammy feels dehydrated and hungry, but she has not packed anything to eat. She does have some water, which fills her belly for now. Ammy and the stars are trying their best, but the moment Ammy takes a second to sit on a tree, the sun starts rising.

Ammy looks at the stars and sees how each of them has started disappearing. She can tell none of them want to leave her alone. At last, Noah says, “You should go back.”

Sage: “Yes, it might be almost morning now, but it’s still not safe.”

Jacob: “We will try to stay here as long as we can. Hurry, go back now. We will watch over you.”

Ammy starts running. Finally, after running so hard, she sees her home from afar, and when she looks up at the sky, she can clearly see they are going back with heavy hearts. To make them feel better, she smiles and waves her hand. She knows they tried their best and kept her safe.

Ammy walks slowly and tiredly to her home, and suddenly she feels something. She feels like someone is following her. She didn’t notice before because she was paying attention to the stars. But now, as she walks slowly on her own, she feels the presence of someone following her, which definitely scares her. But she doesn’t want to show fear. She gathers her courage and carefully takes out the metal water bottle she has with her.

As she hears the sound more clearly, she turns with her water bottle and is about to hit a bear.

Ammy: “A bear!”

Ammy shouts, “Aahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Ammy: “Please don’t eat me! I am not even tasty!”

Ammy tries to protect herself with her hands because her legs have given up any energy they had.

Bear: “Oh honey, I am sorry. I did not mean to scare you at all.”

Ammy is puzzled. She is not sure if she is dreaming or if she has already entered the afterlife. A bear? Talking to me?

Bear: “Hey, are you really okay? I am sorry, dear.”

Ammy thinks, I’ve seen enough, I guess. Stars can talk, and now a bear too? What a strange life.

Ammy gets up with all the courage she can muster.

Ammy: “I am not scared; I was just looking for—”

“—for the cap of my water bottle, you see?” (Ammy says nervously.)

Bear: “Water bottle?”

Ammy: “Yes, a water bottle, ma’am.”

Bear: “Oh, don’t ma’am me, dear. You can call me Hanna.”

Ammy: “Oh, I see. Then hello, Hanna. You can call me Ammy.”

Hanna: “Hey, Ammy. You are so pretty! But tell me, what is a young girl doing in this dense forest?”

Ammy: “Actually, I was trying to find someone. And you?”

Hanna: “I thought someone was following me because I heard footsteps. Is there any reason you were following me?”

Hanna: “Actually—”

Ammy: “You don’t wish to eat me, right?”

Hanna: “Oh no, absolutely not, young girl. I might look scary, but I have some principles and taste.”

Ammy: “Oh, I see. That’s really unique of you, I guess.”

Hanna: “Thanks, dear. However, what actually led me here is my child. His name is Sparkle.”

Ammy: “Sparkle? What a unique name!”

Hanna: “Oh yes, because he is the reason my life sparkles. My little baby. However, his habit of going here and there scares me the most. He is still a kid, and he goes after anything he finds interesting. I have lost him again, and I am so worried. I thought he was here because I followed his scent. Can you please help me find him?”

Ammy: “Of course, I will!”

Hanna: “Thank you so much, Ammy.”

Ammy smiles in return. They start looking for Sparkle.

It has been hours, but none of them can find Sparkle. Hanna gets really scared and worried. Ammy doesn’t like to see her like that because she understands the pain of losing someone you love dearly. Ammy decides Hanna should take a break because she looks too tired. She resolves to go find Sparkle alone.

Ammy: “Hey, Hanna, let’s do one thing for now.”

Hanna looks at Ammy innocently and worriedly; her face and eyes show that she is crying inside. It breaks Ammy’s heart even more.

(Determined) Ammy says: “See, it has been a few hours already; let’s take a break now. You look so exhausted that you can’t do anything right now.”

Hanna: “No, dear, I cannot stop. What if something happens to my baby while I am resting? I will never forgive myself if something happens to him.”

Ammy: “Of course I understand the pain. I know how it feels when you lose someone so dearly. I am aware of it too well. But someone taught me that if I don’t take care of myself, then I won’t be of any help to myself or anyone else. So please, take a rest now at my place. Eat something, sit for a few minutes, and then you can join me later. I will continue my search for him because I have had plenty of water already. So, I am feeling really good, but you are not, so please.”

Hanna: “Oh baby, you are so little but have so much wisdom. I will do what you said. Thank you for your help. I really appreciate it.”

Ammy: “No worries, Hanna.”

Ammy guides Hanna to her house, and as they get closer, Hanna smells a familiar scent. But she thinks she might be imagining it because she is too tired.

Ammy: “Here, Hanna, please sit on the chair. I will bring water, okay?”

Hanna: “Thank you.”

Ammy: “Here is water and some bread. Please have it; it will make you feel better.”

Hanna: “Oh, it feels good to have something in my stomach after so many hours. But Ammy, does your room always smell like that?”

Ammy: “Like what?”

Hanna: “Like smoke?”

Ammy: “Smoke? Wait, what?”

Hanna: “There is smoke coming out of that room, isn’t there?”

Ammy: “Oh no, what—”

Hanna stops Ammy.

Hanna: “Wait, there might be someone in your room. And maybe that someone is the reason for the smoke. Let me go have a look.”

Ammy: “Are you sure?”

Hanna: “Oh, absolutely, honey. I am a giant. I will scare them like I scared you before.”

As Hanna opens the door, there is light smoke. She sees something burning and then notices the source. At that moment, she bursts into the room as if she has been waiting to do so.

Hanna: “Oh honey…”

Ammy: “Would you please give me a glass of water?”

Ammy, confused: “Sure,” says Ammy, and she goes inside the room. She sees something burning and realizes Hanna is holding it.

Ammy: “Hanna?”

Hanna: “Please pour it on this paper. I tried to put off the flame, but there is still some left.”

Ammy: “Oh no! My drawing… it has been burned. Who did this?”

Hanna: “Oh, I am sorry. My child Sparkle did this.”

Ammy: “Oh, so he was here.”

Hanna: “Yes, I did get his smell before, but I ignored it. I should have used my natural power better.”

Ammy: “No, don’t worry about it.”

Ammy is upset as she looks at her drawing.

Hanna: “This drawing seems important to you.”

Ammy: “Yes, this is the only picture I have of my friend that is so accurate to how she looks in real life. This is the first and last time I drew her. She is just too beautiful. I could never dare to draw her, but one day I just did it. And it came out much better than I thought, and she loved it too. It was the only picture I had, but her face is burnt now. It’s okay; at least everything else is fine…”

Hanna feels really bad about it and doesn’t know what to do to make Ammy feel less sad.

Hanna: “Sparkle, baby, please say sorry to Ammy. You know you made Ammy upset, right?”

Sparkle: “Yes, Mama. I am sorry, Ammy. Are you too upset?”

Ammy can’t ignore the innocence of the little baby bear. She can see he does feel bad for his mistake.

Ammy: “Little Sparkle, I am all okay… I am not too upset. Thank you for worrying about me.” (She pats him on the head.)

Sparkle: “Can I give you something?”

Ammy: “Aah, sure!”

Sparkle gives her some petals he collected while wandering in the forest.

Ammy: “Aww, they are so beautiful! You collected them?”

Sparkle: “Yes!” (He says proudly.)

Ammy pats Sparkle’s head.

Hanna: “I am sorry, Ammy, for this. Can I do something to make you feel better?”

Ammy: “I feel much better now because of this little present Sparkle gave me.”

Sparkle smiles proudly. Ammy smiles seeing him smile. Hanna decides to do something for Ammy and her house.

Hanna: “Ammy, let me do something for you. You should wait outside in the hall. I will clean up this mess Sparkle made. I will cook something for you too, okay?”

Ammy: “Oh, you don’t have to do that. I will do it later. It’s fine.”

Hanna: “Don’t worry about it; it’s the least I can do for the mess my baby made. Please let me help you.”

Ammy: “But you really don’t have to.”

Hanna: “Please, Ammy, go and drink some water and relax on your sofa. I will finish everything here quickly.”

Ammy surrenders to Hanna’s dedication to help.

Ammy: “Why don’t you accompany me, baby bear?”

Sparkle: “Sure, Ammy!”

Ammy goes with Sparkle to the hall and sits on the sofa with him.

Ammy: “So little Sparkle, why did you come so far from your home? You know your mama has been so worried about you, right?”

Sparkle: “Umm, I was playing, and that is when I saw beautiful butterflies. Then I started chasing them, and I don’t know when I came so far.”

Ammy: “I see. Then what happened? How did you get into my home?”

Sparkle: “When I came here, I saw this beautiful tree and took some leaves because they are colorful. I wanted them for Mama.”

Ammy: “Oh, so these petals were for your mama? I am sorry I took them.”

Sparkle: “No worries! I have some more.”

Ammy: “Where are they?”

Sparkle: “Oh, I think I left them in your room.”

Ammy: “No worries; your mama will find them, and then you can give her those beautiful leaves too.”

Sparkle: “Okay.” (He smiles.) “And your home, I was hungry, and then I saw your home. I thought someone would give me something, but when I entered through that small door, there was no one. I started looking for something to eat and then ended up on your bed and fell asleep. I am sorry about it.”

Ammy: “It’s okay; I know you didn’t have any bad intentions.” (Ammy pats his head.)

While Hanna cleans Ammy’s room, Ammy and Sparkle end up sleeping side by side on the big sofa. Hanna finally comes after cleaning, and she sees them sleeping. She covers them with a blanket and sits on another sofa, looking at them. Hanna thinks about how sad it is that Ammy is alone here in this dark forest and how her friend is lost—a such pity. Then she falls asleep as evening settles in.

As evening falls, the stars come back but don’t see Ammy anywhere. They thought she would be ready to find her friend. They call for her, but there is dead silence. They all get worried. They are not sure what to do; they are concerned but don’t know where to find Ammy except at her house.

Since they have no choice, they decide to use their power. They have been learning to use their light as an attack or energy. They first thought to destroy the roof, but if Ammy is inside, it will hurt her. So they all decide to land on the ground, which is, in fact, prohibited.

Jade: “You know we are going against our rules?”

Sage: “I don’t care. If Ammy is fine, then everything is fine.”

RM: “Yes, and what’s the point of those rules? I never understood.”

Jacob: “Yeah, let’s not focus on consequences for now.”

Theo: “Yeah, Ammy is more important right now.”

Jasper: “Yes, let’s go find her.”

Jhope: “Let’s go!”

With their flow of energy and light, they land on the ground and kick the door open. The moment the door bursts open, it breaks and falls to the ground. Everyone in the hall wakes up, startled.

Jhope: “Oh Ammy, you’re safe!”

Sage: “Oh, we were so worried!”

All the stars sit on the floor with relief.

Ammy and the bear stare at each other, and baby Sparkle is rather amused than scared.

Sparkle: “Oh Mama, wow! Look, they are shining!”

Hanna: “Yes, honey! Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m seeing stars on the ground!”

Ammy: “Ah, yes, it is an odd sight, isn’t it?” (Ammy herself is quite surprised by it.) “What are you all doing here? And why did you break my door when you could have just knocked?”

Jade: “Oh, we thought you were in danger…”

Theo: “Ah yes, and we didn’t have any other option if we wanted to scare whoever was trying to hurt you.”

Ammy: “Oh my God, what an idea… why would I get hurt in my own house?”

Jasper: “I guess our brains didn’t work because we were so worried about you.”

RM: “Yeah, we are sorry about it.”

Ammy notices the look on their faces; they genuinely feel sorry, and they came for her, so she decides not to be too hard on them.

Ammy (sighs): “It’s okay. I will fix the door later.”

Ammy notices it is already evening; it’s pretty dark. She thinks:

Ammy: “I didn’t know it was already dark… I have to go and look for my friend…”

Jhope: “It’s okay; we will help you too. It will be fast.”

Ammy: “Right, thank you so much, guys!”

Hanna: “Hold on now, all of you!”

The stars look at Hanna as if they were not aware of her presence.

Jasper: “What is this wild animal doing here?”

Hanna: “I am not a wild beast! I mean, technically I am a wild animal, but don’t call me a beast…”

RM: “Sorry for hurting your feelings; he didn’t mean that.”

Jacob: “Yes, he loves making jokes.”

Ammy: “Enough now; we have to hurry back.”

Hanna: “Excuse me, young lady, nobody is going anywhere right now. It’s way too dark, and you haven’t eaten anything all day. Have you looked at yourself? You look so weak!”

Ammy: “I am fine! This is the only time we can find my friend. They can’t show themselves in the morning or afternoon, so it’s the only time, you know?”

Hanna: “Ah, I see.”

Hanna seems to connect the dots.

Hanna: “I understand it’s really important for you, and I will help you too. But first, you have to eat something. I cannot let you go out in this weak state. You can only do something this dangerous when you’re in your right mind and body, isn’t that right, stars?”

RM: “Well, that is right. I agree… you should focus on your health first, and we are all here to help.”

Jacob: “Yes, you have an extra friend now too…”

Jhope: “Yes, isn’t it great?”

Bear: “Okay, so this mama bear will cook you all something tasty, okay?”

Sparkle: “You are all shiny! Can I touch you?”

Theo: “Sure, cute little baby. Can I hold him?”

Hanna: “Sure!”

They all sit at the dining table and talk.

Ammy: “By the way, whose idea was it to barge into this house like this? Someone must have initiated it, right?”

The stars look at each other, and they all point at Jhope.

Ammy looks at Jhope.

RM: “Hey! You all said it was a great plan, you know.”

Ammy looks at everyone.

Jade: “Sorry, we will be careful next time.”

Jhope: “Yes, next time we will break the roof for direct entry. Isn’t it a great idea?”

Everyone looks at Jhope.

Ammy: “You—”

She runs after Jhope.

Jhope: “Hey! No one is gonna help me?”

Sage: “You brought this on yourself; you shouldn’t have said that.”

Jacob: “That’s right.”

And this is how everyone laughs. For a moment, they all forget about their worries.

They joke around and share laughter and fun.

Ammy laughs with them, cracks jokes, and all. It feels like she lost one friend but gained a whole family in return.

Bear: “Okay everyone, here we go… pancakes with lots of honey for everyone here!”

Theo: “It looks delicious! Let me wake up Sparkle; he must be hungry.”

Bear: “He sleeps all the time and runs here and there; he is definitely hungry!”

While they are eating, Ammy tells them how Hanna’s baby got lost and how she searched for him but found him here.

Jade: “You must have been really worried.”

Bear: “I was so scared. Good grace, we found him thanks to Ammy. She is such a sweetheart. It’s so sad that her friend is not here now.”

Ammy smiles, but her heart fills with sadness again.

Bear: “Don’t worry, girl; we will find your friend soon. You have a good heart, so I am sure nothing bad will happen to you or your friend. We will find her together.”

Ammy smiles, but she is still sad. Just then, Sparkle finally wakes up and sits on Ammy’s lap.

Ammy gets surprised.

Bear: “Baby, don’t trouble Ammy now!”

Ammy: “It’s okay; he’s too tiny.”

Sparkle: “Your hair is so pretty! Can I touch it, please?”

Ammy: “Sure!”

Everyone is in awe of baby bear’s cuteness.

They all finish their meal and then get ready to find Ammy’s friend.

Bear: “So, okay, are we all set now?”

Stars and Ammy: “Yes!”

Baby bear: “Yes, Mama!”

Everyone giggles because of the baby.

Bear: “Aww, baby, thank you for saying that, but it will be too dangerous for you out there. You’re gonna stay at home and wait for Mommy, okay?”

Baby (sad): “But I wanna help Ammy and her friends too! I like them!”

Ammy and the stars: “We like you too!”

Ammy: “But you know it’s really dark outside.”

Baby: “No! Please, please let me help you! If you let me help, I will share my toys at home!”

Ammy (can’t help smiling): “Okay, if you promise to share your toys, I will take you with me.”

Bear: “But it will be hard for you all…”

Ammy: “It’s okay, we are all together.”

Theo: “Yes, and I will protect him, especially. I promise.”

Baby Bear: “Okay, so we should have a plan first, don’t you think?”

RM: “That’s true.”

Sage: “Let’s do one thing… since we are a total of ten people, we’ll divide into groups.”

Jacob: “Yeah, it’ll be quick.”

Sage: “So let’s go with Ammy, Theo, and Little Bear. And Hanna?”

Sparkle: “Yeah!” (dances happily)

“Then I’ll go with Jhope, Jacob, Jungkook, RM, and Jade.”

Hanna: “Okay, that’s great!”

Ammy: “Let’s start our journey then!”

They all head to their designated places.

Ammy: “Hey Theo, isn’t it especially dark today? I can’t see the moon either.”

Theo: “It could be because we’re on the ground and not in the sky. We belong to the most powerful family.”

Ammy: “Really?”

Theo: “Yeah, and we’re being taught magic through our light. Our light shines the most among the stars, and now that we’re here, it’s definitely affecting the overall night.”

Ammy: “Oh my God, I didn’t know I was causing such a problem.”

Theo: “It’s not a problem, Ammy. We all care about you. You are our dearest friend.”

Ammy: “Thank you for saying that. I’ve started to like you all too. I really feel sorry for causing you all this discomfort.”

Theo: “Don’t worry about it, Ammy. None of us think of it as an issue. We’re all happy to help you…”

This makes Ammy feel like she’s not alone after all. She does miss her best friend, but she can’t deny that she has a special place in her heart for them too.

They are unable to find Ammy’s friend again, and they all meet at the same place they planned.

Everybody seems upset, but Ammy is the most upset. She has tears in her eyes and disappointment in her heart.

Baby Bear rubs the tears from Ammy’s eyes.

Baby Bear: “Don’t worry, Ammy, we will find your friend…”

Baby Bear: “Does your friend have the same hair as you?”

Ammy: “Huh?”

Bear: “Right. I should have brought that up earlier, but how does your friend look exactly? I know you made a picture of her, but I didn’t see it, so I’m not sure how she looks.”

Bear: “I’ve been with you, so I thought you would identify her when you see her.”

Bear asks the stars: “Do you all know how her friend looks?”

Stars: “Umm, actually no. We thought if we saw a girl who seems lost, that would be her friend because it’s rare that anyone roams this dark forest so late, except wild animals, you know.”

Bear: “Well, you do have a point.”

While everyone is discussing, Ammy seems to be lost in thought.

Baby Bear: “Ammy, what happened?”

The stars and Bear look worried. “What happened, Ammy? Ammy?”

Ammy: “Huh? Did you say something?”

Bear: “We’ve been talking for a while now; you didn’t hear anything?”

Ammy: “I’m sorry, I didn’t!”

Jasper: “What are you thinking—”

And that’s when Ammy collapses right there.

Bear catches her in time.

Bear: “Hey, Ammy? Ammy?”

Ammy: “My friend… she… she—”

Bear: “Yes?”

Everyone is worried and mourning, and light appears as if it’s their enemy. At that moment, all the stars are forced to retreat, as if something is pulling them, like puppets.

This shocks Hanna and Sparkle. The stars shout for them, and Hanna takes Ammy back to her house.

Ammy sleeps and is lost in her dreamland. In her sleep, she sees someone walking ahead of her. She can’t see clearly in this dark night among the dark trees; everything seems dark around her. There are no stars in the sky, only dark clouds, but she keeps walking after that faint figure.

Suddenly, moonlight hits that figure, and Ammy sees who it is. It’s her friend—her only best friend in the whole world!

She runs after her, but somehow she cannot reach her friend. She cries out loud, calling for her.

Friend: “Your friend?”

The friend stops, not looking at Ammy, with her back turned to her.

Ammy seems confused.

Friend: “Am I your friend, Ammy?”

Ammy: “Yes, dear! My only friend, my family. You are the only one.”

Friend: “Family? Do you even know my name?”

Ammy: “Huh? Yes, of course…”

Friend: “Really? Then say my name, Ammy.”

Ammy: “Ah, I know your name… I knew, of course! I knew it’s—”

Friend: “Right. Of course you know, then say it… If you’re so sure, say it!”

Ammy: “……….”

Friend: “SAY MY NAME!!!” her friend shouts.

Ammy wakes up with sweat on her forehead.

Ammy has been sleeping the whole morning, and it is late afternoon.

Baby Bear: “Hey, Mama! Ammy is awake now, but she is sweating.”

Bear: “Oh my honey, are you all right?”

Ammy: “Ah, yes, I—”

Bear: “Your body is so cold! Wait, let me bring you the soup I made. It will warm you quickly.”

Ammy: “Can I have water first, please?”

Bear: “Baby, please help Ammy.”

Baby Bear: “Yes, Mama! Here, please drink it, Ammy.”

Ammy: “Thank you, baby.” She chugs down the water and finally feels a sense of relief and accepts reality.

Hanna: “Are you okay? Did you have a nightmare or something?”

Ammy: “I’m not sure.”

Hanna: “Don’t worry about it. Here, Ammy, eat this and then sleep some more. You will feel better.”

Ammy: “No, I don’t want to. I’m okay.”

Bear: “Oh honey, you’re not. Please have a rest… and in the evening, we will talk, okay?”

Ammy seems to have no choice because her head is kind of spinning. Finally, she eats the soup and sleeps a bit more, like she hasn’t slept for a long time.

By the time Ammy wakes up, it is evening.

Ammy wakes up and sees herself surrounded by the people who are now her friends—people she can rely on. She never thought she would have so many people to call friends.

She shows a faint smile.

Stars: “What happened? Are you okay?”

RM: “We were so worried for you! We couldn’t help it; otherwise, we would have stayed with you.”

Everyone has tears, worried about Ammy, even little Baby Bear looks concerned.

Ammy: “I’m fine. Actually, I don’t know what happened, but when you asked me about my friend, my mind went blank and suddenly it was all black. But I also saw someone… I don’t remember much.”

Jacob: “You don’t remember even a little thing?”

Ammy: “I’m not sure. It was like one second I saw Theo and boom…”

Jhope and Jade: “Don’t think too much…”

Theo: “Yes, just rest, and we will help you…”

Jade: “Yes, focus on being healthy.”

Ammy nods.

Sage: “Now, don’t think too much and have these tangerines. They are good.”

Ammy: “That is so kind of you.”

Sage, who is generally shy and grumpy, smiles too.

They are all sitting and planning how to find Ammy’s friend when Ammy’s head suddenly aches again, and she remembers her dream.

Hanna: “Hey? Are you okay?”

The pain goes away as quickly as it came.

Ammy: “Hey, I kind of had another dream.”

RM: “Dream? What kind of dream?”

Sage: “We shouldn’t push her too much; it might have a bad impact.”

Ammy: “No, I remember it clearly now. It won’t strain my brain.”

Everyone seems more worried now.

Ammy: “Actually, I saw my friend in my dream. She had the same hair as me, but I couldn’t see her face because the moonlight was shining over her half hair and hands. The rest was pitch black.”

Jacob: “Oh, I see.”

Ammy: “And she asked a strange question.”

Theo: “Question? Like what?”

Ammy: “She asked me to call her by her name…”

Jade: Umm, did you?

Ammy: Huh?

Jade: Did you call her name? What did she say?

Ammy: I—I couldn’t.

Jhope: You couldn’t? I don’t understand.

Jasper: If we remember correctly, none of us knew your friend’s name, face, or anything about her except that she was your friend. We all assumed if we found someone who was lost and a little girl, then that would be your friend, but none of us knew exactly who we were looking for.

Bear: Now you say it like this, I have doubts…

Ammy: What kind of doubts? Are you doubting me? Do you think I lied to you all?

Bear: No, no, I’m not saying you lied. Maybe it is your imagination; maybe you created someone for some reason only your heart knows.

Ammy: No! Don’t say things like that. I am—no—my friend is real. She always played with me, ate with me, slept with me; we even had a favorite doll. We both loved the color purple, nature, and the moon. It cannot be my imagination. My friend is there. Why do you say this? I am not making anything up.

Rm: Hey, hey, relax, relax, drink water first… It’s not that we don’t trust you; it’s just that we have doubts about it. But it doesn’t make you a liar, okay?

Ammy looks at them with suspicious eyes. She thinks: Are they even her friends? What if they all want to separate her from her friend? What if all this friendship was a lie?

Rm: Ammy?

Ammy: Huh? Yes?

Rm: Can you tell us more about your dream, please?

Ammy: Umm, I—I need to sleep. Please let me have some rest.

She turns her back and sleeps.

It is midnight, and Ammy notices everyone is in another room. This means this is her chance to be alone and look for her friend. Who knows if they even wanted her to find her friend?

I can’t trust them anymore… Then she sneaks out, but Sparkle sees her.

Sparkle runs back to his momma and tells her everything he saw.

Baby: Momma, Ammy is going somewhere!

Everyone gets out of the room quickly and sees Sparkle is not lying. It is, in fact, the truth because she is not on her sofa.

Everyone rushes out to find her…

Ammy keeps running and shouts, “Where are you, my friend?”

Stars locate her in no time and warn her of darkness, but Ammy doesn’t hear anyone. She runs and runs, and then suddenly, she falls into a hole.

Everyone goes to her to help her.

Ammy: Go away! I don’t need help from you all; you all are liars.

Everybody is shocked and hurt.

Bear: Ammy, I’m sorry, but I did not have any hidden meaning behind what I said…

Ammy: No, you never wanted to help me. You think I’m stupid, imagining all these things, but I am not a liar; you all are!

Sage: Hey, Ammy, please don’t say that. We are all worried for you. Let us help you. We don’t mean any harm, please; we believe you. Soon it will be morning, and we won’t be able to help you.

Ammy still doesn’t budge.

THEO: Hey, if we were not your friends, we wouldn’t have come at all. Don’t you think?

Jasper: Yes, exactly. Why would we lie? Do you think we will be getting anything by lying to you?

Jade: Yes, think about it. We have always been your friends, and our hearts have always been sincere for you.

Jhope: Yes, please, Ammy, we are all your friends. We are only here to help you, nothing else.

Jacob: And you are our best friend.

Rm: Aren’t you, Ammy?

Baby: Yes, Ammy, I am your friend too, right?

Ammy sees the sincerity in their eyes and hearts.

Ammy thinks—how stupid of her to not believe them. How can she even doubt them when all they have done is help her?

Sage finally takes the initiative to help Ammy with his magic.

She comes out and cries, and everyone hugs her, assuring her that they will find her friend…

Ammy: Yes, I am sorry I doubted you all. I should have never done that.

Baby Bear: Wipes Ammy’s tears and hugs her. It’s okay; we are not angry, right, Mama?

Bear: Right!

Ammy’s head starts to ache again. A sudden pain strikes her head, and she gets back the flashes of her dream…

Rm: What happened? Are you okay?

Ammy, becoming conscious of her surroundings, says—

Ammy: It’s… I just watched myself running after me.

Rm: What? Umm, Ammy, can you please elaborate?

Jacob: Sage, first let us all go back to Ammy’s home. It’s not a safe place.

Everyone sits beside Ammy, and Ammy is on her bed.

Rm: So I wanted to ask you a few questions about your friend if you don’t mind… You feel okay? You can talk, right? You don’t feel like you will faint?

Ammy: No, this time I won’t.

Rm: Thank you. So do you have any pictures or something, or a drawing of your friend? Did you try to capture her in any way?

Ammy: Umm, I don’t have her photo. I could never draw her; she was always so pretty and colorful. But I did try to draw her one time, and it came out really well…

Bear: Yeah, but Sparkle kind of burnt it by mistake…

Ammy: That’s okay; only her face is burnt, nothing else…

Rm: Really? Can we see that drawing?

Ammy: Sure, it’s on the left side of my drawer.

Jade: I will take it out.

Jade sees that burnt drawing but also some other photos, but the face is not clear, as if someone deliberately did that.

Jade: Umm, guys, I did get that drawing but also some other pictures.

They were flipped, and when I saw them, they were pictures of the same girl, but her face isn’t really clear.

Rm: Really? It seems like someone colored her face with different colors to hide it.

Jacob: Ammy, did you…?

Ammy: What? What pictures are you all even talking about?

Hope: Huh? The ones Jade found in this drawer.

THEO: Did you not know about these pictures?

Jasper takes those pictures and shows them to Ammy more clearly.

Ammy: I don’t know where these pictures came from. I did not know these existed.

THEO: But you are the one who left that drawing in this drawer, right?

Ammy: Umm, yes.

Sage: Then how come you don’t know about these pictures?

Ammy: Because I did not see them while putting that drawing back.

Rm: Can I see these pictures again?

Jasper: Sure, take a look.

Rm analyzes every picture and realizes something that might shock everyone, especially Ammy.

Rm: Ammy!

Ammy: Yes?

Rm: The thing I am about to say might come as a shock to you, but before that, can I confirm something?

Ammy: Yes, what is that? You are scaring me, you know…

Rm (staring right at Ammy): Do you remember anything about Ammy particularly? As you can’t seem to remember her face, but anything else?

Ammy: Yes, her hair, as I said before. Her hair is like rainbows. They have every color in them. They shine so brightly under the sun, and especially the moon. They are so soft. You can say she has the world’s best hair.

Rm: I see.

Everyone is looking strangely at Ammy.

Ammy: Why are you all looking at me like that?

Jasper: Can you let your hair down from a bun?

Ammy: Why?

Jasper: Just do it, okay?

Ammy does as she is told but still doesn’t understand anything.

Baby Sparkle: Ammy, your hair is colorful too! Look, it’s so shiny!

Ammy: What? No, baby bear. They are gray. You still don’t know colors’ names, I see (smiles at Baby).

Sage: Actually, baby is right. You do have the same hair you described just now.

Ammy: What are you saying?

Hope: Did you not look at yourself?

Ammy: Umm, no, I never thought I should.

Jacob: Right, I have noticed you don’t have a single mirror here in your house. I did not understand why. Isn’t it unusual for a person to not have a mirror? Haven’t you ever looked at yourself?

Ammy: What do you mean? Why would I do that?

Rm: Ammy!

Ammy is in deep confusion; she cannot think straight; her head spins again.

Rm: Ammy, you are not going to like what I am going to say, okay? The friend you have been looking for actually doesn’t exist. That friend is no one but you.

Ammy: What are you saying?

Rm: You really don’t want to accept it, do you? You cannot accept yourself.

Ammy: No, what? It doesn’t make sense?

Everyone is sadly looking at her. Now everyone knows who Ammy’s best friend is.

Bear: It actually does; everything makes sense now.

Ammy: What do you mean? Why are you all doing this to me?

Rm: Ammy, I’m sorry, but this is reality… You never had any friend. It was all you… You created an imagination of yourself but in a better way… In a way you always wanted to—charming, sparkling, happy—and most importantly, you did not want to accept your reality, your solitude. You did not have anyone to rely on, not a single friend. So, to protect yourself, you did this. You isolated yourself from everyone else. You lied to yourself deliberately to make yourself happy and safe. This was your coping mechanism.

Ammy: But it doesn’t make sense. Then how did I lose myself?

Jacob: And you might have seen someone or something which broke your illusion. You might have seen how it feels to be with someone. You might have seen real happiness…

THEO: Ammy, why don’t you try to look at yourself in the mirror for once? It will confirm everything we are saying.

THEO creates a mirror with his magic.

Ammy looks in the mirror hesitantly and sees her friend: same eyes, same expression, and most importantly, the same hair. And she realizes everything: how she was never with anyone. She was always alone and was always playing alone. She realizes her being with herself and sees herself as a best friend might be an illusion, but unintentionally, she loved herself more than anyone in the world. She is the luckiest person alive because she could live with herself even after all the negative things. But at the same time, it is the saddest thing.

Ammy doesn’t know how to react; tears don’t stop coming. They keep flowing from her eyes, and she smiles at the same time…

Bear: You know you have achieved something nobody can easily do. You might feel you lost something because reality has hit you, but isn’t that what makes it beautiful? You thought you lost your best friend, but you were the best friend, and it was never your loss, but a win. You lost that illusion but gained the beautiful reality. You have accepted what we are all afraid to accept… Loneliness…

Everyone is, in fact, lonely; they have no one but themselves… and everyone is afraid to accept it. We all create families and are desperate to make friends. We do all this so that we can avoid being alone, you know…

But you, a little girl, accepted it a long time ago and have lived with it for a long time. That is your strongest power…

Jade: Right, but you did get some friends along the way…

Sage: What friends? We are one family.

Hope: We never want to be separated from you, Ammy. We all love you, really.

Baby: Me too.

Bear: Well, I got a new family, and I love it.

This makes Ammy realize how she got a family—someone to protect and live for other than herself. But most importantly, she knows she is never alone; she has herself, and that is worth everything.

And this is how our story ends, my little young friends…

I hope you all learned something from it. Love yourself, and only then can you love someone else…

I will see you all again, but for now, goodbye…