Perfectly Imperfect: The Story of Starfish

By: Mr. George Robert O'Barts Jr.

Narrated by: Anglea Ohlfast

In a world where being born different is against the law, one girl came into existence as illegal as a person could. Born without hands or feet, the state saw Starfish as an anathema and demanded she be executed or incarcerated for life. Unwilling to resign his only child to such a fate, her father, Master Tinker Paul, hid her away on his man-made, floating island, safely out of the reach of the unjust government's laws. For her 11th birthday, her father presented her with mechanical limb extensions, and Starfish cautiously began exploring their island home of Paulsten. With time, her father would even accompany her into the capital city of Kroywen.

While attending a festival celebrating inventors there, they witnessed a presentation by the governor himself, the author of the Anathema law. During his demonstration, he presented the crowd with a small piece of a meteorite. Paul and Starfish immediately recognized it as the star that fell the night Starfish was born. This was dark tidings indeed because this was the most dangerous man in their world. He had unlocked the potentially unlimited power contained in this fallen star, and he feverishly desired to possess the rest of this precious object. The star had fallen to the earth on the night of Starfish's curious birth and suspecting it could somehow be connected to her, he had hidden it away in the lower levels of their floating home.

Suddenly, they found themselves faced with the potential it could be traced back to their home. As time passed, Starfish's connection to the fallen celestial body grew. The strange connection they shared eventually resulted in her developing enhanced strength. In addition to her new fortitude, her connection to the star caused an overwhelming sense of responsibility to grow in her: to stop the governor's persecution of her people, the poor souls referred to as "Anathemas".

This could mean the beginning of a new life for everyone like her, or it could be the end of the life Starfish and her father have enjoyed together. Is Starfish strong enough to free her people and protect her home, or will the governor end her plans?

©2018 George O'Barts (P)2018 George O'Barts