Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket - Never let it fade away.

Last night as I lay in bed and the lines between reality and dreaming started to blur, my mind was filled with an incredulous story that seemed so.... cockamamie to me. Unbelievable and fallacious. And yet, I could not resist putting it here for you all to enjoy. (Parts are true, parts are not: believe what you want.)

Once, there were these two young, amazingly beautiful, charming, witty and knowledgeable girls named Yesnik and Acceb. Their grandfather was one of the noblest in the land, but all of his wealth had been inherited by other descendants, so these girls had to settle for the distinct privilege of being recognized as the belles of their boroughs. Although Yesnik and Acceb lived miles away from each other, they were given the opportunity to spend a very small amount of time together once every two years.

This year, unfortunately Yesnick and Acceb had their time shortened due to previous social engagements. So all they had together was one night. That night was the time for divulging secrets and re-enacting adventures! Tonight - this one memorable night - Yesnik and Acceb decided to finally exchange their sagas of their individual quests for the elusive falling stars.

Now, it is important to give you this sidenote: Ever since the beginning of time, it has been the goal of each young lady who lives and breathes to catch as many falling stars as possible. In some vast lands, it is an honor to have the most falling stars. In other different lands, you are revered and esteemed for only catching a small amount, and shunned for catching more than is considered your fair share - for let's be honest, that can be misconstrued as being avaricious and greedy. All lands view falling stars as precious gifts and catching them is more than just a rite of passage - it is a wondrous opportunity and an honored privilege to experience.

You must also understand that Yesnick and Acceb differed in age by only a few years. As both Yesnik and Acceb began to relate their tales, both were reluctant to admit to the other the amount of falling stars each had acquired. But as the stories of each conquest were revealed, Yesnik and Acceb could only exclaim that they had also had done what the other had accomplished. One by one, star by star, through the complexities they had separately endured, Acceb and Yesnik only grew closer together - through caring for and saving the life of a child to competing and conquering challenges issued by others,. As their caboodle of stars continued to proliferate, so did their love and caring for each other.

Yet, as much as they loved each other and their bond of almost-sisterhood, there was a slight sense of competition between them. When it came down to finally giving the exact specifications of how many falling stars they had each amassed, they agreed to tell each other at the same time. On the count of 3, they both said their number of falling stars. And which of these do you think took the prize? Well, my dear reader, neither. At the same time, both Yesnik and Acceb called out the exact same number - twenty-nine. A number to be applauded, indeed. And because of their exceedingly high successes, they were lauded as the most talented and accomplished ladies in all the land.

THE END.

Well, folks, I laid there in my bed thinking about my collection falling stars. And I take comfort in knowing that the sky is so vast and filled with balls of gas burning billions of miles away and that there are more available if I choose to seek them out. And I think I'm okay with just having my two falling stars right now. I'll leave the shining, shimmering and being the heroes to Yesnik and Acceb.