This is a story that I am currently working on at theforce.net, but it was
requested that I post it here if possible.
Disclaimer: If I owned Star Wars do you think I would be working as a lifeguard for $7.50 and hour in order to earn some money?
~*~
13 year old Raechel Hennel curled up on the pull out couch. Her heart was aching, but she refused to cry. The last 3 days had been the worst in her life. Her mother had been in a car accident, the car in front of her had skidded on a patch of ice.
Raechel's mother had been taken to the hospital. Raechel hadn't been allowed to see her until the next evening.
***Flashback to 3 days ago***
She's fighting hard, but I doubt she will make it," the doctor told Raechel.
It had taken Raechel 20 minutes to get the doctor to finally tell her that.
They stood side by side in the doorway Raechel's mother.
Raechel just nodded silently. "So she is dying."
The doctor knew that was not a question, but she nodded just the same.
Raechel didn't look at her, she just went over to her mother. She scooted herself onto the bed and lay down next to her mother. She wrapped her arms around her and began to hum a song.
The doctor slipped out, even though what Raechel was doing was against the rules she let them be, knowing this was probably her last chance to say good bye.
Raechel hummed then began to sing softly:
"As you go through life you'll see
There is so much that we
Don't understand.
And the only thing we know
Is things don't always go
The way we planned.
But you'll see every day
That we'll never turn away.
When it seems all your dreams come undone
We will stand by your side
Filled with hope
And filled with pride.
We are more than we are
We are one."
She hummed for a little.
"If there's so much I must be
Can I still just be me
The way I am?
Can I trust in my own heart
Or am I just one part
Of some big plan?
Even those who are gone
Are with us as we go on.
Your journey has only begun.
Tears of pain
Tears of joy.
One thing nothing can destroy
Is our pride deep inside.
We are one."
She hummed again.
"We are one
Yu and I.
We are like
The earth and sky.
One family under the sun.
All the wisdom to lead
All the courage that you'll need
You will find when you see
We are one."
When she had finished the song she laid her head on her mother's left breast and listened to the comforting, steady beat of her mother's heart.
"I understand now, Momma," she whispered, "I understand and I will never forget."
She just lay there for a few minutes.
Finally she spoke.
"It's ok Momma," she said in an even softer, gentler whisper. "I know you are in great pain right now. I know that you are holding on because of me." She paused for a second, she struggled with the next words. "I don't want you to be in pain Momma. It is ok for you to let go. I'll be alright." She lay there in silence, except for the beeping of the machines.
"I love you Momma."
Raechel could almost hear her mother say, "I love you too Bright One. And I will always be with you, no matter what," as she had so many times before.
As Raechel lay there listening to her mother's straining heart she barely registered that her mother's chest had stopped moving, but she clearly heard her mother's heart give a beat then stop.
As she lifted her head Raechel didn't hear the whine of the machine that monitored her mother's heart. She didn't hear the commotion that was coming toward her mother's door. She just climbed off the bed and pulled up the covers around her mother, making sure they were good and snug. Then she leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek.
"I love you, Momma. I will always remember. You will never leave me. You are here," She placed her hand over her heart. "forever."
She walked out quietly as the doctor and nurses came in with the crash cart.
The doctor watched Raechel leave. Then she turned to Raechel's mother and noticed something, Raechel's mother's face was relaxed and there was a small smile on her lips.
***End of Flashback***
Raechel lay on the fold out couch.
She was an orphan now. Her mother had been raped, that was how she had had Raechel. Raechel's mother's parents were dead and she had no brother's or sisters. All Raechel and her mother had had was each other and it had been enough.
Raechel was currently living off the kindness of strangers until they could arrange for her to be sent to a children's' home. Raechel didn't like living like this, it made her feel useless and that she was taking and not giving much back.
Raechel looked at the two books she owned, they were sitting on the coffee table. They were Star Wars Episode I and II. Her mother had been a Star Wars fan, Raechel had become one as well. Raechel's mother had given her the Episode I book for her birthday when it came out and Episode II for her 13th birthday. She had joked that it was her "Padawan gift" given to Padawans by their masters when they turned 13.
She reached out and ran her fingers over the worn covers, longingly, remembering the better times.
Then she reached up to her neck and clutched the silver circular pendant that hung on a simple silver chain around her neck. It was a Celtic symbol called Maze. Her mother had given it to her the day she died. It had been in her mother's family as far back as anyone could trace, going from mother to eldest daughter. Raechel treasured it.
'I wish I was a Jedi.' The thought came from somewhere deep inside her. 'At least then I might be of some use to someone. And maybe I could cope better.'
Suddenly she got the sensation of free falling. She tried to open her mouth to scream, but couldn't.
Abruptly it ended.
Raechel's eyes were closed. She was wrapped in a blanket, lying on a hard floor. There was something soft under her head. She opened her turquoise eyes and looked around. She was in some place metal. There were humans and aliens all around her either sleeping, eating or playing some kind of game.
'This looks like one of the transports that go to and from Coruscant,' she thought to herself with shock.
She sat up and glanced down at her clothes. She was wearing a pair of black leggings, low black shoes and a loose long sleeved dark blue shirt over a black tank top. The outfit was very comfortable.
Raechel reached up a hand and ran it over her rich gold hair, it was done up in a 5 strand French braid that was twisted into a bun. When down her hair would reach her knees.
She looked down at the object her head had been on. It was a worn leather backpack. Part of her had never seen it before, but another part of her remembered her mother getting if for her, for her 12th birthday, form a market on Naboo.
Raechel opened the pack; inside the first things she saw were two lightsabres, the new part of her recognized one as her own and the other as her mother's. The next thing she was her journal, which both parts of her recognized.
She took it out and opened it. On the first page was written, in her own handwriting:
Raechel Hennel
Jedi
Just below that, instead of a photograph of herself there was a sketch, it looked exactly like her and it was signed by her.
Raechel flipped through the book; all of her photographs had been replaced by sketches, all apparently by her. She finally reached the newest entry. There was a date at the top that the new part of her recognized as yesterday's, seeing as how it was now early morning where she was.
Raechel read her own handwriting:
/Momma died 3 days ago. It was a speeded accident. Force I miss her so much!
The Jedi Council finally discovered me & sent for me. They arranged for me to take this transport to Coruscant and for and old friend of Momma's, Qui- Gon Jinn, and his Padawan to catch this transport at some point. When we reach Coruscant they are to "escort" me to the Jedi Temple and then before the Council./
Raechel felt shock course through her. She didn't notice her hand was sliding down the edge of the page until she felt a stinging pain from her 3rd finger. She snatched her hand away looking down at the paper cut on her finger. She sucked in her breath through her teeth.
'Well that dismisses and possibility that this is a dream,' she though ruefully, 'And those aliens look too real to be guys in costumes. At least I don't have to pinch myself.'
Raechel lifted her head and looked around, finally accepting the truth: she had, somehow, jumped into the Star Wars universe.
~*~
So what do you think? Like? Hate? Please tell me! Feedback will be very much appreciated!
Disclaimer: If I owned Star Wars do you think I would be working as a lifeguard for $7.50 and hour in order to earn some money?
~*~
13 year old Raechel Hennel curled up on the pull out couch. Her heart was aching, but she refused to cry. The last 3 days had been the worst in her life. Her mother had been in a car accident, the car in front of her had skidded on a patch of ice.
Raechel's mother had been taken to the hospital. Raechel hadn't been allowed to see her until the next evening.
***Flashback to 3 days ago***
She's fighting hard, but I doubt she will make it," the doctor told Raechel.
It had taken Raechel 20 minutes to get the doctor to finally tell her that.
They stood side by side in the doorway Raechel's mother.
Raechel just nodded silently. "So she is dying."
The doctor knew that was not a question, but she nodded just the same.
Raechel didn't look at her, she just went over to her mother. She scooted herself onto the bed and lay down next to her mother. She wrapped her arms around her and began to hum a song.
The doctor slipped out, even though what Raechel was doing was against the rules she let them be, knowing this was probably her last chance to say good bye.
Raechel hummed then began to sing softly:
"As you go through life you'll see
There is so much that we
Don't understand.
And the only thing we know
Is things don't always go
The way we planned.
But you'll see every day
That we'll never turn away.
When it seems all your dreams come undone
We will stand by your side
Filled with hope
And filled with pride.
We are more than we are
We are one."
She hummed for a little.
"If there's so much I must be
Can I still just be me
The way I am?
Can I trust in my own heart
Or am I just one part
Of some big plan?
Even those who are gone
Are with us as we go on.
Your journey has only begun.
Tears of pain
Tears of joy.
One thing nothing can destroy
Is our pride deep inside.
We are one."
She hummed again.
"We are one
Yu and I.
We are like
The earth and sky.
One family under the sun.
All the wisdom to lead
All the courage that you'll need
You will find when you see
We are one."
When she had finished the song she laid her head on her mother's left breast and listened to the comforting, steady beat of her mother's heart.
"I understand now, Momma," she whispered, "I understand and I will never forget."
She just lay there for a few minutes.
Finally she spoke.
"It's ok Momma," she said in an even softer, gentler whisper. "I know you are in great pain right now. I know that you are holding on because of me." She paused for a second, she struggled with the next words. "I don't want you to be in pain Momma. It is ok for you to let go. I'll be alright." She lay there in silence, except for the beeping of the machines.
"I love you Momma."
Raechel could almost hear her mother say, "I love you too Bright One. And I will always be with you, no matter what," as she had so many times before.
As Raechel lay there listening to her mother's straining heart she barely registered that her mother's chest had stopped moving, but she clearly heard her mother's heart give a beat then stop.
As she lifted her head Raechel didn't hear the whine of the machine that monitored her mother's heart. She didn't hear the commotion that was coming toward her mother's door. She just climbed off the bed and pulled up the covers around her mother, making sure they were good and snug. Then she leaned over and kissed her mother on the cheek.
"I love you, Momma. I will always remember. You will never leave me. You are here," She placed her hand over her heart. "forever."
She walked out quietly as the doctor and nurses came in with the crash cart.
The doctor watched Raechel leave. Then she turned to Raechel's mother and noticed something, Raechel's mother's face was relaxed and there was a small smile on her lips.
***End of Flashback***
Raechel lay on the fold out couch.
She was an orphan now. Her mother had been raped, that was how she had had Raechel. Raechel's mother's parents were dead and she had no brother's or sisters. All Raechel and her mother had had was each other and it had been enough.
Raechel was currently living off the kindness of strangers until they could arrange for her to be sent to a children's' home. Raechel didn't like living like this, it made her feel useless and that she was taking and not giving much back.
Raechel looked at the two books she owned, they were sitting on the coffee table. They were Star Wars Episode I and II. Her mother had been a Star Wars fan, Raechel had become one as well. Raechel's mother had given her the Episode I book for her birthday when it came out and Episode II for her 13th birthday. She had joked that it was her "Padawan gift" given to Padawans by their masters when they turned 13.
She reached out and ran her fingers over the worn covers, longingly, remembering the better times.
Then she reached up to her neck and clutched the silver circular pendant that hung on a simple silver chain around her neck. It was a Celtic symbol called Maze. Her mother had given it to her the day she died. It had been in her mother's family as far back as anyone could trace, going from mother to eldest daughter. Raechel treasured it.
'I wish I was a Jedi.' The thought came from somewhere deep inside her. 'At least then I might be of some use to someone. And maybe I could cope better.'
Suddenly she got the sensation of free falling. She tried to open her mouth to scream, but couldn't.
Abruptly it ended.
Raechel's eyes were closed. She was wrapped in a blanket, lying on a hard floor. There was something soft under her head. She opened her turquoise eyes and looked around. She was in some place metal. There were humans and aliens all around her either sleeping, eating or playing some kind of game.
'This looks like one of the transports that go to and from Coruscant,' she thought to herself with shock.
She sat up and glanced down at her clothes. She was wearing a pair of black leggings, low black shoes and a loose long sleeved dark blue shirt over a black tank top. The outfit was very comfortable.
Raechel reached up a hand and ran it over her rich gold hair, it was done up in a 5 strand French braid that was twisted into a bun. When down her hair would reach her knees.
She looked down at the object her head had been on. It was a worn leather backpack. Part of her had never seen it before, but another part of her remembered her mother getting if for her, for her 12th birthday, form a market on Naboo.
Raechel opened the pack; inside the first things she saw were two lightsabres, the new part of her recognized one as her own and the other as her mother's. The next thing she was her journal, which both parts of her recognized.
She took it out and opened it. On the first page was written, in her own handwriting:
Raechel Hennel
Jedi
Just below that, instead of a photograph of herself there was a sketch, it looked exactly like her and it was signed by her.
Raechel flipped through the book; all of her photographs had been replaced by sketches, all apparently by her. She finally reached the newest entry. There was a date at the top that the new part of her recognized as yesterday's, seeing as how it was now early morning where she was.
Raechel read her own handwriting:
/Momma died 3 days ago. It was a speeded accident. Force I miss her so much!
The Jedi Council finally discovered me & sent for me. They arranged for me to take this transport to Coruscant and for and old friend of Momma's, Qui- Gon Jinn, and his Padawan to catch this transport at some point. When we reach Coruscant they are to "escort" me to the Jedi Temple and then before the Council./
Raechel felt shock course through her. She didn't notice her hand was sliding down the edge of the page until she felt a stinging pain from her 3rd finger. She snatched her hand away looking down at the paper cut on her finger. She sucked in her breath through her teeth.
'Well that dismisses and possibility that this is a dream,' she though ruefully, 'And those aliens look too real to be guys in costumes. At least I don't have to pinch myself.'
Raechel lifted her head and looked around, finally accepting the truth: she had, somehow, jumped into the Star Wars universe.
~*~
So what do you think? Like? Hate? Please tell me! Feedback will be very much appreciated!
