Viking Star

Vikings will become stars then become the very gods that judged them.

It was a perfect Saturday afternoon until I was told my brother was committing suicide. I hadn't seen that guy in over four years and when I finally go see him, he wants to die. It sickened me more than make me feel grief, to be honest. But what could one do, sulk? My chest tightened with fear as a policeman let me onto the rooftop of the building.

I remember that his feet were poised over the ledge of his apartment. My good friend, Tristan, and I approached in silence but apparently, we weren't silent enough because Waylon turned around.

"Go away." Waylon's lip quivered as he spat two violent words at us. I hadn't seen my brother in four years and yet his first words to me were "go away"? I never really understood him.

"It’s not worth it. Don't you have anything to look forward to in life? Something you desperately want to achieve?" Tristan stepped closer as he talked soothingly. I swear this guy was a cop in the making. He balanced his weight on both feet and waltzed with caution. He knew he couldn't just tackle Waylon and beat the nonsensical crap out of him for trying to end his life. That never works, no matter how many movies you watch. At the same time, what Tristan was muttering was so plain and cliché, I almost walked off the ledge as well.

"You don't know how many times I've heard that..." Waylon paused. I called it, didn't I? Waylon watches movies too. “So, leave while you can. I don’t want you to see this.”

"Waylon, step off of there. What is it that makes you feel like you should no longer live?" I growled. I was getting angry for no reason. This whole situation was boiling my blood.

"I-I don't know. It's hard to explain, you know? I see people walking around with people they love and I get so jealous because I can't find anyone. I see people with perfect lives, great jobs... Here I am, unemployed and inexperienced!" Waylon flung his arms and I thought he was going to jump right then and there but he didn't.

"Then why jump? If you can't explain it us, live to find the explanation! You're still young and good-looking..." I heaved. In reality, Waylon was probably the ugliest son of a gun one could ever look upon, but that wasn't the point. I continued with my ‘speech’. 

"You have me now. I'm your brother and I love you!" I paused to point at myself and flash a cheesy smirk. "I'm sure you'll find a job. Start small then before you know it, BOOM! You're swimming in cash!" I was getting way too excited to be talking someone out of suicide, but I could see the astonishment in Waylon's eyes. Tristan was surprised too. I was always known to be the one who shied away, the lone wolf who had no regard to anyone else... But in reality, that wasn't who I was.

Waylon was silent for a while, thinking, with a vague smile on his face. "Come here."

He pulled me onto the ledge with his words. The ledge was so simple. It was like one of those ledges you see people in pictures hop on to then hop off, you know? Yes, those rooftop ledges.

It was like looking down at the entire world. I could see the buildings, the shops, the cars, and the many busy people going on about the day... A bright orange colored the world. On the ledge, it was like standing on a giant’s back, exploring the world with awe. Tristan scuffled alongside me as well, peering down the edge with curiosity and worry. I didn’t blame him for hesitating; we were a billion stories above the ground. 

"Come live with me for a while, Waylon. I'll help you start anew." I held a hand out. Waylon looked at my hand as tears sprung in his eyes. I lowered my arm. He wasn’t going to take it just yet, I knew it.

"Want to hear a story?" Waylon suddenly asked. He totally threw my question away and I almost pushed him off the ledge in annoyance. But I let him continue.

"Go ahead, Waylon." Tristan said calmly.

"The Vikings believed that the Norse gods controlled their fate," Waylon began with a smile. "They thought that the Norse gods controlled their past, present and future."

"That reminds me of when we were younger. You always wanted to be a Viking--"

"Exactly," Waylon pointed out, cutting me off. "I had always wanted to be one to the point of where I thought I had become one! But that was before I came up with my theory of the Scandinavian gods."

"So what do you want to get at?" Tristan squinted at the sunlight in his eyes. Yes, it was a warm afternoon and the sun was beginning to tuck itself in for the night. The sun was right ahead, enveloping us in a crisp golden hue like it were a spotlight shining on us all.

"Just staying alive for a moment longer has made me realize why I'm here on the ledge today. I wanted to become a Viking but more importantly, a Norse god. I believe that Vikings that have pleased the Norse gods enough become stars in the night sky. When they become stars, they become the very gods that judged them. Don't you just love that idea?" Waylon paused, as if he was expecting us to answer, but he continued to preach. 

"That's my wish. The Norse gods have acknowledged my existence and today, I have met the day of my fate." And with that, Waylon was gone. His body tilted forward and was free falling as fast as a bullet before I could even register what had come. My own scream reverberated in my ears like a clap of Thor’s thunder. It was a roar of pure rage that erupted from my throat and spurted forward like a volcano. I'm telling you, I almost jumped off along with Waylon. I regretted all the thoughts of heaving myself off or heaving Waylon off the building. 

Then I found myself unable to breathe. 

The world around me became a sudden blur of color that melted itself to sheer gray. The weight in my chest and the knots in my throat and stomach made me feel like I could collapse in any second. Of course I can't ever forget the tears I shed. I cried like there was no tomorrow. Small crystal beads trailed down my cheeks to my neck and my chest, only to fall off my pouting lip and soak into the clothes I wore.

I think I stood there for roughly a half an hour before I could even ask myself if I wanted to become a Norse god too.

"What was he possibly thinking?" I wanted to throw up just remembering the sight of my brother's fall, but I held my lunch down. "Why would he even do that? Did he not care about our life together? The new life he was going to make?" I, frankly, didn't want to the answer to the questions I spat out. Either way, Tristan wasn't going to respond; he was too busy smiling about something with sad tears lining his eyes. And even if Tristan were to react, he'd tell me that Waylon jumped for his wish and he’d ask me if I even cared for his wishes in the first place. That was probably what made him smile. I solemnly didn’t even care, but not having seen my brother for such a long time made me disregard all foreign feelings except for my own.

"I don't know."

"Well, you do remember what Waylon said, yes?" I questioned. It had been in my mind since Waylon had said it.

"What did he say?" Tristan asked, almost smiling. 

I smiled as well with an unwavering stare and didn’t say a word as a fiery red ball was split into half by the world, and threads of light lingered in the sky. The streaks of light mingled with the rolling clouds, dyeing the sky orange, then red, until all that was left of the sunset was a pale mauve. Still, I did not talk. Then that chalky mauve melted away in turn as stygian darkness took over the sky. Sequin stars like the glowing embers of a dying fire twinkled, illuminating the murky curtain of a nighttime sky. Suddenly the gloomy clouds made way, and I found myself looking at a lustrous, argent disc casting rays of moonlight onto the dark ground beneath my weary feet. And as I stared at those stars and saw them wink at me, I reminded myself of the Norse gods.

"That worthy Vikings are turned into stars and are bestowed upon with a higher status." I whispered. "And maybe, just maybe, Waylon has become a star, yet to be deemed a Norse god."

.../...

Author's Note

A story that may or may not be based slightly on a dream I had. All in all, it was a fun write.

Reviews

[T. W. Hirsch]

I like stories that end with dialogue that just kinda... sums everything up, captures the story's best part, or reminds the reader of what happened that was very interesting and surprising. It really made me smile, this story, especially the times where the narrator just got frustrated. The story gets this enthralling effect when the narrator sulks when he didn't really want to in the first place. Absolutely astounding. Good on you, Honor.

[Honor'd]

Tristan! Thank you very much. I'm very happy to hear that it made you smile. I don't know exactly what I wanted to make the reader feel but I'm happy you felt something. Thank you again.

[T. W. Hirsch]

Sure thing, Honor. Always glad to.

[Mother_Yolk]

This story was very interesting. I like Waylon's thought on Norse gods and stars, which was the main thing you had to understand to get the story as a whole. I liked the way the narrator told the story, the depictions especially at the end... It was a good read!

[Honor'd]

Thank you so much. The narrator is a very conflicted being, I know. The ending has a bit more feeling to it because I was very inspired while writing the end.