The Event

A short story about the Blue Kachina star for sci Friday.

The Event

Gemma told her family to be ready for The Event. She wasn’t exactly sure what it was, or the exact time it would happen, but they had to be packed and prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. She felt a stirring from deep within, like a nudge from a beloved ancestor of long ago, signalling the time of the Powateoni, or purification, was at the door.

Sacred Hopi secrets had snaked down through her mother Shanda’s lineage, and slithered through the portals of time, whispering to her of the ancient ancestral prophecies to come. Gemma had always called Shanda by her first name, and knew her as a prophetic wisewoman instead of just “mom”. They had lived in the trailer park near the edge of town, just the two of them since as far back as Gemma could remember, and they spent their days outside in nature where Shanda taught her about the natural herbs that healed and the precious stones with their many deep meanings and portents, and about traditional Hopi prophecy and dream interpretations. Other girls went shopping for shoes and dresses with their mothers – Shanda took her daughter to the highest peak in the outskirts of town so they could stargaze.

Gemma remembered the deepest moments of her childhood, when they’d go on picnics to the park by the school on a hot summer’s day and play on the swings and Shanda would push her up to the sky and tell her matter of factly about The Event that was coming to the people of the world. She would talk about the mystery and about the gravity of it all as she stroked her daughter’s sweaty brown hair in between swings under the maple tree. “Darling, something wonderful is going to happen in the world,” she said with a faraway look in her almond eyes. “Life won’t be the same again, you’ll be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and everything about you will be different and there will be a new dawn, you’ll see my darling, you’ll see.”

Other times, they braided each other's hair at night, and Shanda would tell Gemma about the blue kachina star that would soon appear in the night sky. They went many times to forage for wild mushrooms and walk along the river in the nearby forest, and Shanda would tell her daughter about the second red kachina star rising up after the blue star. “My darling, my child, listen to me now, our ancestors foretold that when we see the blue star, we must be ready for great change, and then the red star of cataclysm will soon follow.” Shanda was generous with her knowledge and scattered her sacred seeds of prophecy along fertile soil.

One day, Shanda told her daughter about her dream of a bright blue explosion in the sky that rained down cracked amethyst stones, followed by a sense of peace, and then a great judgement the world had never known until then. She told Gemma to remember it all and write it down for later. Gemma wished she could dream her own dreams about The Event, but she never dreamed. She wished with all her heart that she could be a wisewoman like Shanda.

When Gemma was older, Shanda got more serious about the prophecies. She said only a small number of people would be able to recognize The Event when it comes, and those people would be hunted down because they were different. Gemma had been bothered by this, and remembered asking her mother about it. “What does that mean Shanda … only a small number will recognize it?”

Shanda looked at her and paused with arched brows. “Oh darling, you know what Jesus says, two will be in the field, one will be taken, the other one will be left.” Gemma looked back at her with doubt clouding her eyes and Shanda laughed and shook her head. “My darling, if you have to ask, then you won’t recognize it either.” Gemma was shocked and decided right then that she would always be ready to recognize The Event. She kept a brown tartan weekend bag stuffed with clothes and snacks and bottles of spring water by her bed at all times. Sometimes the snacks would change – she would eat the granola bars and bananas hidden in the side pocket and replace them in cycles. But the same brown tartan bag was always parked under the bed frame or by the closet, waiting for The Event to begin.

“Mommy, is this okay to put in our suitcase?” Hannah asked, lifting up a glittery purple amethyst. The warmth of the multi-colored lights hanging on the nearby Christmas tree washed over her daughter’s pure face.

Gemma blinked and snapped back to the present. “Oh baby, that’s beautiful, is that the stone that Grandma gave you?”

Hannah nodded. Her tousled locks fell over her eyes and she smoothed them away with chubby hands. Gemma lightly kissed her daughter’s forehead and took the amethyst, heavy and weighed down in mystery and foretelling, into her palms. She missed her mother and holding the amethyst was like holding Shanda’s heart. Her mother was not one for wasting money on princess tiaras or Barbies, but had insisted instead on gifting the purple stone from a local market for Hannah’s fifth birthday. “It’s perfect for her”, she had said, “the amethyst stone celebrates spirituality and wisdom, and Hannah is the future, Gemma, always remember that, no matter what comes.” Gemma felt a sudden wave of sorrow that her mother had passed last year without witnessing The Event she so often talked about when she was growing up. If there was to be a major cataclysm, then perhaps her passing was for the best.

A rap on the French door made Gemma jump. “Hey, what are you two doing in there?” Rob didn’t believe in The Event, or prophecy, or amethysts or Hopi tradition and thought his mother in law had been quite the crack pot. Rob believed in honest construction work and the foundations of high school science, and had no time for “the woowoo” as he put it.

“We’re just getting ready,” Gemma said. Her neck prickled and she could sense another fight brewing between them.

“Not that crap again,” Rob said. “Cut it out. Nothing’s gonna happen, Gemma, nothing.” He scooped Hannah up into his arms and squished her face with a sloppy kiss.

Hannah pointed to the TV. “Look, Daddy, a star!”

The 7 o’clock news blasted a Special Report ticker on the bottom of the screen, flickering a ghostly blue light onto their faces. A male anchor stared wide-eyed into the camera and spoke. “More info on the mysterious blue star that has now appeared in the sky for three nights in a row… Joanne, what’s your take?”

The screen split and a reporter struggling to manage her windswept hair started reading from her notes. The camera panned to a blue star glittering over her head. “Well Dan, it seems astronomers around the world are taking note of the strange blue star that’s been shining in the night sky, and as of yet, they can’t provide a solid explanation for the bizarre phenomenon. Spiritual leaders have stated to us that the blue star could be a portent for a cataclysm or spiritual event of some sort. Back to you, Dan…”

Gemma shook her head. “No, no, the blue star is a good sign, it’s the red star coming after that signals the cataclysm. They can’t get anything right.”

Rob narrowed his eyes. “You don’t actually believe this garbage, do you?”

Gemma shot him a look. “Shanda talked about all this when I was growing up. We need to get ready for it, there’s not much time left.”

Rob rolled his eyes and put Hannah down. A sudden flash filled the bay window and then light streamed into the room. The sky outside grew brilliant, like a million suns exploding in a second of time. Gemma could feel her face become warm and her body began to vibrate. She trembled and was re-born into a helpless infant and then transformed into an ancient wisewoman all at once. She looked at the backs of her hands, and then her palms, and then touched her cheeks. Gazing at herself in the hallway mirror, she didn’t recognize the face staring back at her. Rob backed away and Hannah jumped into her arms. “Mama, what’s happening?”

“My God, Gemma, your face…it’s glowing.” Rob’s mouth dropped open.

Gemma stammered, overwhelmed with tears, and hugged Hannah close. “Baby, it’s a new dawn, just like Grandma said.”

The sky outside grew even brighter and two were taken, and one was left behind.