AUTHOR'S NOTE: My apologies in advance for possible grammar and vocabulary mistakes. I've checked my work but English isn't my mother tongue and I'm not used to write stories in this language. I hope you enjoy the story! You can leave kudos or comments. I would appreciate it so much!
Every night I try my best to dream
Tomorrow makes it better
Then I wake up to the cold reality
And not a thing is changed
But it will happen
Gotta let it happen(x3)
It's just a spark
But it's enough to keep me going
And when it's dark out, no one's around
It keeps glowing
'Last Hope' by Paramore.
'Just a Spark' by Linenandcurlz
The sunlight slips through the cracks in the wall. It lights up the room of the AT-AT where she's sleeping. The light lets her know that a brand new day has come, so she must get ready for her daily tasks.
Today, she can feel the weight of her eyelids due to last night's constant wakefulness. Those dreadful cramps in her lower stomach had appeared again. It's been like three months since the last blood spill. Is it the same for the rest living-beings in Jakku? Or does it just happen to her?
She remembers the first time she found her underclothes stained. A twelve-year-old Rey ran hopelessly in search for Unkar Plutt. The moment the creature saw the image, he kicked the girl out like garbage. Rey would never forget that display of disdain towards a poor ignorant child.
If her parents would have been there, they might have explained her. At least, she could've saved herself such embarrassing situation.
The cramps are gone. Rey stands up from the hammock and changes her leggings for a clean pair. Luckily, she has some leftovers from yesterday's portion which she had earned at Niima outpost. It wasn't much, but Rey feels weary. And now she needs as much energy as possible to work. She usually works with her stomach empty, though.
With her skin carefully protected as much as she can, Rey picks up her quarterstaff and the rest of tools to get on the speeder.
It's been six hours when the scavenger returns. ¡Home, sweet home! She thinks bitterly. What would it feel like to have someone waiting for you?
Her vestments are soaked in sweat. And the parts of her skin that have been exposed to the sunbeams are red and hot. It doesn't matter, Rey has suffered worse wounds.
The water left is saved for later to drink, so she tries to clean herself with a piece fabric.
Today's ration leaves much to be desired. Unkar has given her one quarter portion in exchange of what she's collected from a ship. Rey's furious. She's given all her energy until her body was drained. And the girl has spent hours in that giant ship in order to find the most valuable things. But for Plutt it's never enough.
Dinner's ready so Rey gets out of the AT-AT. As always, the young woman has her food while looking at the dusk. Before starting to eat, she leaves the quarterstaff in one of the AT-AT's limbs. Just in case someone curious or something worse invades her privacy.
The scavenger sits down and devours enthusiastically her meal, enjoying every bite of it. Because Rey doesn't know how long it'll be until she can have another one.
The burning heat of the day is soon replaced by the fresh air of the desert night. It's grown cold but Rey wants to keep admiring the landscape. Such a lonely scenery. Just like her.
She looks at the little flowers growing near the edges of the ship. Those peculiar plants that once had encouraged Rey to make of the old AT-AT her refuge.
When she found them Rey was amazed by the fact that in the desert it was possible to be life. The scavenger remembers those green sparks underneath the golden sea of sand. Back then she thought that if those little flowers could survive in such hostile ecosystem, then she would as well.
Since that moment, Rey always reminds herself to look at the green flowers, to admire them. Because they look so much like her. Full of hope. Something Rey will never lose.
Before standing up to go back inside, the scavenger takes a look at the sky. As she always does, watching the sparkling darkness. It might appear a ship that finally comes to pick her up, you never know.
Rey sighs and gets into the ship.
She doesn't go to sleep yet as she has to fulfil her last daily task. The young woman traces a line on the metal panel. One more. It's been a long time since she doesn't count them. Nevertheless those uncountable marks make her feel stronger. They reflect her will to survive. Rey is proud of herself, of what she's been able to last in this unfriendly planet.
She's always eager to bedtime. Because that means she can dream and escape from reality. Rey can wander instead, and travel to unknown planets she'll never visit. Planets full of green majestic forests, green like the plants growing outside her home.
In her fantasies, Rey's sometimes accompanied by people. It's usually her parents. The girl can't picture their faces, but it's enough to feel their presence near her.
Rey's so exhausted that there's no energy left to feel sad. Finally, she takes her rag doll, which she made by herself, and lays on the hammock.
Ready to dream about green sparks.
NOTE: Yay, so this is my story. Please, let me know what you think!. Rey's one of my favourite fictional characters so I wanted to pay tribute to her. Again, my apologies for grammar mistakes.