door. “You’re going out soon, aren’t you?”
The astronomer sighed. “I had thought to go out, yes. A few nights ago I thought I glimpsed a comet, and wanted to see if it was just an anomaly…but the weather is too poor tonight. Besides, it’s your birthday! I wouldn’t want to miss that.”
Minka leaned forward. “A comet? A new comet? But that sounds amazing! Please let me come with you—we could look for it together.”
Her father reached around the cake and took her hand. “Darling, the weather is wretched. You would get soaked, and cold. Astronomy isn’t a glamorous job. I know you like the idea, but it’s not something you really want to do, I promise.”
Minka stared at him for a moment, then withdrew her hand and pushed back from the table.
“Thank you for the gifts,” she said in a low voice. “But if you won’t take me out with you, you might as well not give me anything.” She left the kitchen before her father could see the tears on her cheeks.
In her bedroom, she threw open her window, letting the air cool her flushed face. Clouds scudded across the sky and the mountains stood guard around her, round and ancient, cradling the half-visible stars. Minka leaned on her windowsill and wiped her eyes. Her stomach churned, bitter, and even when she heard her father call her name softly through the door, she let her angry silence answer for her. She reached for her telescope, always pointed skyward, and sniffled; there would be no stars tonight. She watched the clouded sky, waiting for it to clear, until she fell asleep at her window.
Minka.
The wind blew, a sudden, cold slap against her face, jerking Minka awake. Over its whistling, Minka heard again what had woken her: a voice calling her name. It didn’t sound like her father. It sounded like pine needles crushed underfoot, like snowflakes whispering against the windowpane.
Minka
.
“Who’s calling me?” She turned toward the door, but it remained closed. She turned back to the window, but no dark silhouette marked the snow to accompany the whispering voice. The stiff wind blew snow off the roof overhead and it spiraled through the window, catching on her sweater where it twinkled and melted.
I, the North Wind, call you,
the voice said, and another cold breeze ruffled Minka’s hair.
Why are you angry, Minka who gazes at the stars?
Minka crossed her arms. “Who says I’m angry?”
Ice stung her cheeks, and the North Wind laughed. Minka pursed her lips and let her arms drop.
“Fine. I’m angry because I want to be an astronomer, and no one believes me. I’m tired of people telling me I’m too young to know what I want to be when I grow up, or that astronomy is too hard or dangerous for me.” She drummed her fingers on the windowsill. “If I could go out there and show them what I can do, no one would ever doubt me again.”
And what is stopping you?
The North Wind teased the blankets on Minka’s bed.
Look up, stargazer!
Minka did, squinting against the snow’s glare. A break in the clouds showed the half-moon, and it edged the mountains in silver. The lower rises, flattened from years and weather, looked like stooped shoulders, the higher mountain peaks like hunched heads.
Do you see those plateaus?
The North Wind said.
From there, you could see every star in the heavens.
Minka leaned on her elbows. She could see the closest plateau, a black outline against the night sky. She thought of her father’s gear, waiting by the door. She thought of the mystery comet, somewhere out in the sky. If she found it, if she could glimpse its position in the sky, maybe, just maybe, people would listen. She grabbed her hat and jammed it over her dark hair.
“Let’s go, North Wind.”
She let herself out the front door, taking her father’s bag, his notes and tools, as well as the telescope strapped to it with her. The bag was large and heavy, and even after she emptied it of extraneous things, like extra socks and blank
The astronomer sighed. “I had thought to go out, yes. A few nights ago I thought I glimpsed a comet, and wanted to see if it was just an anomaly…but the weather is too poor tonight. Besides, it’s your birthday! I wouldn’t want to miss that.”
Minka leaned forward. “A comet? A new comet? But that sounds amazing! Please let me come with you—we could look for it together.”
Her father reached around the cake and took her hand. “Darling, the weather is wretched. You would get soaked, and cold. Astronomy isn’t a glamorous job. I know you like the idea, but it’s not something you really want to do, I promise.”
Minka stared at him for a moment, then withdrew her hand and pushed back from the table.
“Thank you for the gifts,” she said in a low voice. “But if you won’t take me out with you, you might as well not give me anything.” She left the kitchen before her father could see the tears on her cheeks.
In her bedroom, she threw open her window, letting the air cool her flushed face. Clouds scudded across the sky and the mountains stood guard around her, round and ancient, cradling the half-visible stars. Minka leaned on her windowsill and wiped her eyes. Her stomach churned, bitter, and even when she heard her father call her name softly through the door, she let her angry silence answer for her. She reached for her telescope, always pointed skyward, and sniffled; there would be no stars tonight. She watched the clouded sky, waiting for it to clear, until she fell asleep at her window.
Minka.
The wind blew, a sudden, cold slap against her face, jerking Minka awake. Over its whistling, Minka heard again what had woken her: a voice calling her name. It didn’t sound like her father. It sounded like pine needles crushed underfoot, like snowflakes whispering against the windowpane.
Minka
.
“Who’s calling me?” She turned toward the door, but it remained closed. She turned back to the window, but no dark silhouette marked the snow to accompany the whispering voice. The stiff wind blew snow off the roof overhead and it spiraled through the window, catching on her sweater where it twinkled and melted.
I, the North Wind, call you,
the voice said, and another cold breeze ruffled Minka’s hair.
Why are you angry, Minka who gazes at the stars?
Minka crossed her arms. “Who says I’m angry?”
Ice stung her cheeks, and the North Wind laughed. Minka pursed her lips and let her arms drop.
“Fine. I’m angry because I want to be an astronomer, and no one believes me. I’m tired of people telling me I’m too young to know what I want to be when I grow up, or that astronomy is too hard or dangerous for me.” She drummed her fingers on the windowsill. “If I could go out there and show them what I can do, no one would ever doubt me again.”
And what is stopping you?
The North Wind teased the blankets on Minka’s bed.
Look up, stargazer!
Minka did, squinting against the snow’s glare. A break in the clouds showed the half-moon, and it edged the mountains in silver. The lower rises, flattened from years and weather, looked like stooped shoulders, the higher mountain peaks like hunched heads.
Do you see those plateaus?
The North Wind said.
From there, you could see every star in the heavens.
Minka leaned on her elbows. She could see the closest plateau, a black outline against the night sky. She thought of her father’s gear, waiting by the door. She thought of the mystery comet, somewhere out in the sky. If she found it, if she could glimpse its position in the sky, maybe, just maybe, people would listen. She grabbed her hat and jammed it over her dark hair.
“Let’s go, North Wind.”
She let herself out the front door, taking her father’s bag, his notes and tools, as well as the telescope strapped to it with her. The bag was large and heavy, and even after she emptied it of extraneous things, like extra socks and blank
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