| Chapter 9: Emily walked down the stairs later that night and went into the empty parlor. It wasn't even night anymore, being two o'clock in the morning, but the sky was dark and the stars shown brightly. Emily crept into the room and closed the door. The Christmas tree had been put up the day before, but there were already dozens of gifts under the tree. She put on one of the lights on the lowest notch, so that only a soft glow filled the room. Emily sat on the couch and stared at the professionally wrapped gifts. One stood out above the rest, to her. One that was wrapped by herself in the green and gold paper. One that was for Lucky Spencer. She remembered going to the mall, having no ideas as to what to get him, completely baffled as to what he wanted. She had come across a small stand selling little crystal figurines. She was enchanted at these. The details on the unicorns and the sports equipment were so tiny and so incredibly well made. Amazing how they could all fit into the palm of her hand. She had glanced around the cart some more, finally seeing something that triggered a memory from just a few years ago. "Lucky, what do you wish?" Lucky glanced over at Emily who lay in the grass, staring up at the stars. "What do you mean?" he asked. "I mean exactly what I said. What do you wish? If you could have anything or do anything, what would it be." Lucky sighed and lay back, the back of his head resting in his arms. "I don't know. I feel so out of control right now. Like I can't handle anything." he was silent for a few moments. "I guess I wish that I could hold the world in my hands, you know? Cause then I'd be in control. Not lost anymore." Emily had stared at Lucky. She had never seen this side of him. This serious, vulnerable side. "You feel lost?" she asked, barely above a whisper. Lucky nodded. "Yeah. I'm going in every direction possible, not knowing where I'm headed. I feel like I'm just following the world around. I just want to have control, to know where it is I'm headed." Emily stared up at the sky and thought about this. What would it be like to have control? To hold the world in her hands? Emily stared at the tiny crystal world in her hands. Around her shoppers pushed and chatted with fellow companions. The impatient sales woman kept asking her over and over again if she wanted to buy the figurine. But Emily paid no attention. She held the world in the palm of her hand. |