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 Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 4:58 pm
Stirling was finally back in Destiny City, and the moment she had swiped some food, she was up on her wonder, making her way into the castle with a forlorn expression. She had lost weight in the months that she had been back in the children's home, and whatever excitement and stability she had gained was absolutely shattered.
After her stint in the hospital, the foster family she was with had swiftly given her back, and there were no other families readily available and she had been shepherded out of the city once again, going to a group home in Washington D.C.
It had been Hell, and Stirling was glad that she was out, glad that she was finally on a path where she could figure things out and…well.
Just exist once again.
She had never been so thankful to have her Wonder…for she figured she could live up here from now on…make it her home. Figure things out from up here using this as a base of operations…unless Dagon still wanted her…unless Dagon could figure out how to make it legal…
She was a runaway again. Not something she had ever thought she would have to be but…it was what it was, she supposed.
Thankfully, Brooklyn hadn’t ever thought that her life would be easy, and she had planned for something bad happening.
There was a stash of money up here from her odd jobs, almost two hundred dollars which…would be a good start to things, she figured. In her subspace pocket was another fifty and plenty of paper and pens. The most important thing right now was to let everyone know that she was okay…and…well. There were a lot of people to let know.
She would have liked to just thank them after they helped wake her up but…everything had happened so quickly and she was gone by the next morning without a chance to say any goodbyes at all…it.
It had sucked. Absolutely and utterly.
Stirling gritted her teeth and powered down for now, the paper and pens safe on the outside of subspace.
She wore a light jacket and jeans that had seen better days. Her hair was cropped to her ears and she hated the fact that the place had let that a*****e get gum in her hair to that extent. It was stupid that she had cried over it…especially with everything else that had been going on…but Brookyn had been proud of how good her hair had looked. How healthy it had been since going to St. Mags. Since having the luxury of taking care of it…it had been a point of pride, not that she had ever let anyone know…still.
She had mourned its loss.
Pulling the chair she had brought up here over to the desk that was still in tact, Brooklyn smoothed the piece of paper out and picked up one of the pens, staring down at the blank paper with an expression of regret.
She had been gone for months. They must all be so worried…and honestly, writing to everyone felt like such a daunting task and she had no idea where to start but…
Simply starting would be better than nothing.
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Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 5:00 pm
Dering,
Hey you. I hope that you’re okay, like. I seriously hope that you’re okay and that the others have been taking care of you. I didn’t mean to disappear…I got put back into a home. The stupid family that was taking care of me decided I was too much of a problem when I was in the hospital for two weeks and they sent me down to a group home in Washington DC…I’ve run away, obviously and I’m back in Destiny City…or…I guess I can be back in Destiny City. Right now I’m up on Stirling…I figure this is the only home I’ve got right now until I hear otherwise from…well. Someone who has that kind of authority. But one thing for sure, I’m not going back into the system. Absolutely not.
I miss you. I miss you so badly. I hope you write back to me soon so that we can figure out a way to hang out again. You’ll be back in school again by now…I guess that the first part of the year’s almost over…how’s your roommate this year? Are you being treated okay? I seriously feel…so utterly out of the loop I…I don’t even know where to start, and really, sending this is taking more courage than I think I have for right now…I have to fix this place up some. I did a little bit in the past but like…I need at least a sleeping bag, if maybe you could price some out if you ever have spare time? I’m going to ask the question of the others too, so don’t feel obligated to go out of your way, I know that your school is a fortress!
Oh! Forgot to tell you…I’m a full Knight now, just like Effie and Mary! When I powered up again after getting some supplies I guess…it was long enough or I had just been through enough that the universe felt like making me a Knight…I have a cool rapier now…I just need to figure out how to use it! I also…my hat got bigger and has a longer bit of fabric hanging down the back…I hope you’ll be able to see it soon. I know I’ve said it before but I really want to see you soon…the worst part of all of this is how lonely I’ve been and…well. How lonely I am now. I got so stupidly used to having friends and now?
Now they got to watch me pretty much die and vanish from existence. I’m sorry about that. It really…I never wanted that to happen. I never wanted to just disappear, and I hope that you believe me…if you don’t…well, I hope you at least give me the chance to make it up to you! I love you very much, Dering. You’re one of my very best friends and the thought of losing you hurts more than…well. Hurts more than anything I’ve had to deal with in the past few months…including the whole…starseed stuff so…not to guilt you or anything but…please at least write back to me so I know that you’re okay…
Love, Stirling
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Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 5:00 pm
Effie,
I hope that you’re doing well! I miss you terribly, and have to let you know that I no longer have the jacket that you gave me, my foster…well. My former foster home got rid of it as well as all of the other belongings they had of mine while I was in the hospital…that’s why I’ve been absolutely unreachable, they kind of didn’t want to deal with me after all of that and I got sent out of the city to Washington DC. It was a group home and it absolutely sucked. Worse than the place in New York by far but…I’ve escaped so…I’m back. I hope that we can see one another sometime soon, I’ve been thinking of you and Mary like absolutely nonstop.
I’m a Knight now just like you two! So that’s…honestly the coolest thing that’s happened to me since well…since I got to see you last. Thank you so much for helping me while my starseed was gone, I never got a chance to thank any of you for finding it and getting it back, and I would love to get the chance to do it in person, just…message me by letter? I’m going to be staying on my Wonder for right now until I can figure out if I have a home with my former mom or not still…I’m not. Sure I will but. That’s okay. I’ll manage like I always do. I have some money saved up, but if you wouldn’t mind, and I’m asking everyone–if you’re able to price out some sleeping bags, I would love to know where to get the cheapest so that I’ll have something to sleep in that’s warm. It’s starting to get a little chilly up here, which I don’t really mind but…having a sleeping bag would be nice!
Obviously this will get me the motivation to really fix this place up so I can live here and be comfortable, I don’t think I’ll mind it much though. It’s…well. You know how your Wonder feels like home regardless, at least that’s how I feel now that I’m here. It’s better than the last place I was at any rate. There are these little…weasels running around outside? I’ve seen a few as I’ve been looking out the window while writing this…they’re cute. Look like something out of a cartoon, all spotted with light purple and light blue!
I’m so sorry that I fell so completely out of touch, I promise that I wasn’t trying to ignore you, I just had no way of contacting anyone…I hope that we can still be friends, and I hope that even if you don’t want to, you can just send me a note to let me know that you’re alive and okay? It would mean the world to me, honestly. Again, thank you so much for being one of my heroes, you are wonderful and so strong, Effie. I love you very much! I can’t wait to hopefully see you again in the future.
Love, Stirling
PS.
Please thank your dads for me. I have a feeling they must have been involved in helping me somehow, and I’m far too much of a coward to write to either of them. But, I appreciate them, and I hope you’re doing as well with them as you were! I love your smile, Effie. I’m glad it exists!
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Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 5:02 pm
Mary,
I miss you a lot! I’m saying that in all of these letters, but it’s all true. I’m okay, safe up on my Wonder for now. It’s kind of a mess but better than the home I got put into for the past few months. Obviously my foster family didn’t want to deal with someone who spent two weeks in the hospital so I got shipped to Washington D.C. to another childrens home. It was worse than the one in New York and I honestly wasn’t ready for it. Things had been so good here…I don’t know. I ran away though and got back to Destiny City and came right up to my Wonder… I’m asking everyone this, but if you find yourself somewhere that sells sleeping bags, can you tell me where and the best price you find? If you can’t don’t worry about it, like I said I’m asking everyone!
I hope that you’re well, how have things been? Is everyone okay? I really hope so. I’m planning on living up here for as long as possible, I don’t have much of a choice in it…I guess I’m…on the run from the system? I don’t know. I’m sending a letter to Dagon to see if she still wants me or not, if she does, then I guess I’ll have a home but if not…well, it’s time to learn to farm and to make this place liveable! At least I won’t have to pay rent or anything! I have some money stashed so that I can get food, I…brought quite a bit of food up here with me, so I should be good for a week or so, I think. I have more than enough paper so if you want to write back…I hope you write back, but I’ll be able to stay in contact! So that’s good.
It’s been such a long few months, Mary. I haven’t stopped thinking about all of you, have you spoken with Dering a lot? I’ve been so worried about him…Effie too, but I know he has you so I know he’s taken care of. I’ve written to Dering and I hope to hear back, but if he doesn’t want to talk to me, which I totally understand can you just let him know that I love him and I’m so worried about him? And that I miss him. I miss everyone. If you’re mad at me, I understand that too and I want to apologize for just vanishing. Thank you so much for helping me. I wish I had gotten to thank you all in person but…
Ugh.
I love you, Mary! I want you to know that and I am so glad that I got to be your friend, it made my life this past year so much easier…I’m a Knight now, just like you and Effie, and I hope that sometime we get to see each other again! I’d love to have you both up at my Wonder so…just write back if you want to, and if not, just know that I’m sorry and I have always appreciated our friendship.
Love, Stirling
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Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 5:04 pm
Dagon,
Hi! It’s been a long while, and I’m so sorry…I uh. I got my starseed taken by some guy a while ago and was in the hospital for like two weeks…and when I woke up I got taken by child services again. I’ve been in Washington DC for the past six months or so…and it’s been awful. I’ve missed you a lot, and kept having daydreams that you’d come to save me, but you didn’t even know where I was so…that was more than impossible. But…I. I don’t know if you still want to be my mom…but I still want it. Absolutely still want it…
I’m living up on my Wonder right now, and I know that I won’t be able to like…get a letter back, but maybe we can still figure out a time to meet? If uh. If I can…well s**t. I don’t know how to get in touch with you…I don’t have my phone anymore. That got taken. Everything got taken. I’m just lucky I had some money stashed away in subspace and on my Wonder it…it’s helped a lot, honestly. I’m looking to get a sleeping bag, I’ve written to my friends too so if you…uh. If you can find prices of sleeping bags…
Actually nevermind that part, if I can’t get back in touch with you how would you be able to tell me about sleeping bags? It’s kind of silly, I’m sorry. I’m…actually not even sure what else to say…I feel like I’ve lost my chance to be your daughter and I’m not sure how to fix that…especially since now I’ll be on the run from child services for like…ever. I don’t know how that’s going to work or anything and how I’m supposed to live my life from now on but. I’ll figure it out. I’m fifteen now so I can figure things out. That’s pretty much an adult. And my Wonder isn’t so bad…living here will be nice. I’ve got this. I think that’s the whole point of this letter is for me to let you know that I’m okay and that I’ve got this! I love you, I…I really was looking forward to everything but…I understand if you’ve found someone else, it’s okay, and I’ll be okay. I’m going to learn to farm and I’ve got money to make sure I’ll have food, there’s no need to worry, Dagon. I’m scrappy!
I’ll hang out some at the 7-11 near the warehouse district, I know I’ll be able to get free or…cheap food from there. The worker overnight is pretty lax so…if you’re ever there, and I’m ever there, I’ll message you before I go, if that would help…ah. If you want me to. See that’s the hardest part of this I don’t know what you’ll want but…I’ll message a few times and if you don’t show up, I’ll know! Easy peasy.
I’m okay, Dagon. I promise. And I love you, and I miss you a lot. I hope that you’re safe and well.
Love, Stirling.
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Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 5:05 pm
Cassie,
Hi! I hope that you’re well!! I miss you…I got pulled back into the system after my starseed got taken and then I got put into this godawful group home in Washington DC. It was worse than the dump I was in back in New York, but…easier to escape from, if you count escaping in what…five months? Six months? Whatever. The point is that I’m out. I’ve been super careful with all of my other letters, but I know you’ll understand. You’ve been where I am…and you just. Get it.
I’m pretty sure that I’m going to end up losing all of my friends over this. I don’t know. Like, they worked so hard to help me and get my starseed back and then I just vanished? Makes me seem like the most ungrateful b***h in the world, doesn’t it? God. I hate myself for what happend. They took my phone, took all the money I had on me, luckily I had some stashed up here–I’m up on my Wonder by the way, planning on living here. If you don’t mind and have the time, can you find me prices on sleeping bags? I think that’ll make life a lot easier for me, if you can’t I’ve asked literally everyone else I’ve written to so if they’re still wanting to keep contact…maybe they’ll pull through.
The biggest thing that sucks is that I was going to be getting a home. A fantastic home with a fantastic amazing mom…she was my mom in the past, you know. I can’t remember if I told you this or not but…I wrote to her too letting her know why I just vanished for so long. Maybe it’ll work out but honestly, I doubt it. Even if it does, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’m on the run from CPS now. A runaway and just…one whole hot mess. Honestly I wouldn’t want me if I had the choice. So, living up here just…will be easier. And I’ll be able to have people come up sometimes, so if you ever want to just let me know, okay? I’d love to spend more time with you, and like…there’s no rules up here so we can just run through the thistles until we get tired! Sounds dumb but, I’m looking forward to it…even if they are a bit…pokey…I don’t know. I’m going to take up farming, obviously. Gotta get me some seeds from somewhere. Do you know where sells seeds and farming equipment? It sucks starting at this time of year, there most likely won’t be anything so that…absolutely sucks, honestly and I hadn’t thought about it. Oh well. If Todd still works at the 7-11 I know he won’t let me starve…I just have to stretch my money to get that kind of food, I suppose. I’ll manage. We always manage, don’t we?
Anyway, I hope to hear back from you soon. I love you Cassie! You’re an amazing friend and mentor and I’m just…glad to have you.
Love, Stirling
P.S I’m a full Knight now!! I have a super cool rapier and I hope that you and I can spar and I can figure out my new magic and all of that! Please write back soon! I miss you!!
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Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 5:06 pm
Maisie,
Hey! I’m not really sure about this letter but…you were there when I woke up, so I’m going to assume you’d be worried about where I’ve been for the last…forever. And I’m also going to go out on a limb and assume that you know something about the whole magic stuff…but anyway, I miss you terribly. I ended up getting thrown out by my foster family when the whole hospital thing happened…I can’t believe I was in there for two weeks, like…that’s absolutely nuts to me, but…that’s what they told me and then told me that I wasn’t their problem anymore and shipped me to a group home in Washington D.C, it turned out that they have really big mouths and no other families wanted me either so…whatever. It is what it is, and I got away…but now I’m like…on the run so…I don’t know if we’ll get to see one another again, but I hope that we can!
Ah…there’s so much that I want to say to you but I just don’t know if I can…but. I’m somewhere safe, and nobody can get me here, I promise. I’ll write to you more and if I can get another phone again, I’ll make sure to get you that number! If you do want to write back to me, um, the one boy that was there, Julian? He should know how and also Atticus and Elliot too, either of them would know how to get in touch with me! I would like that very much. Hm…
Oh! They cut off my hair. I haven’t told anyone else that yet, but I knew you’d understand what a horrible thing it is. I look…I mean. Look. this jerk kid got gum in my hair and instead of like, telling me, he just spread it around as much has he could and the stupid aids at the home thought the best thing to do was just cut it all off and start over. I suppose it figures honestly. I think I read somewhere that every orphan gets their hair cut off, it was in a fiction historic novel if I recall so like. I guess I’m some sad eighteen hundreds orphan now. Boo. It’ll grow back, and until it does I’ll just perfect my rbf and make sure nobody thinks it’s okay to pick on me. Or I’ll absolutely pick back. Grr.
Anyway I…honestly can’t think of any more gossip right now, but I miss you and I really hope that you’re doing well. I love you, Maisie and I’m SO glad that we’re friends. You’re honestly one of the coolest people that I know and getting to know you is the best thing.
Talk to you soon, I hope, and see you soon as well, I super hope. I’ll find a way to be able to get in touch with you if you want me too, promise! I love you a lot, just in case you didn’t know!
Love, Brooklyn
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Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2023 5:06 pm
By this time, Brooklyn’s hand had cramped and she looked at the small pile of letters with a wistful expression. Hopefully someone would write back. Hopefully they didn’t all hate her now…and if they did…well. She had apologized and told them that she loved them so…if this was the end, so be it. She could handle that.
It would suck but…honestly? What didn’t suck right now? She was stuck in space and wasn’t able to go to school or go home...not that there was a home to go to. She was nothing more than a Space Hobo and that…might be all she would ever be.
Her eyes began to burn with sudden tears and she turned away from the letters, not wanting to soil them with more crying. Now that her feelings were out, she felt as though a dam had been burst and that everything that was going on in her chest, good and bad was all simply going to explode…and that couldn’t happen. Not yet.
Taking a moment to compose herself, Brooklyn once more became Stirling and wrote each name on the letter it corresponded to and pressed her signet ring against each folded paper, watching with some satisfaction, but mostly a strange, sick dread as they vanished, one by one.
As the last one vanished from existence, hopefully going to the person that it was intended for, she once again powered down and let the emotions overwhelm her, sinking to the floor and wrapping her arms tightly around her knees that were pulled up to her chest.
She would make it through this. She was strong enough. More than strong enough. But…it would suck no matter what…and right now…
Right now was just a storm to overcome…and. Well.
…Eventually she would.
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