A Hymn From A Distant Star

Written and Illustrated by- Ayush Kumar

Under the dimming stars of a sky marred with war and hunger, the Roma Valley, lay still in the cradle of planet Wara. Ducqaiyas, a native of Wara, stood quiet, struggling with a choice he didn’t think he’d have to make…ever. Before him lay a soldier, an enemy of the war; injured, helpless…but enemy, still.

Should I help him? Or Should I let him die?

The soldier struggled to speak. When despite his efforts, he couldn’t , he pointed in the distance. Ducqaiyas, followed the soldier’s finger and realised the soldier was pointing towards a broken warship crashed in a distance.

“You want to be carried to your ship. Huh?”

Ducqaiyas could hear some murmur in the distance. Other natives of the Roma Valley were heading their way. Ducqaiyas knew if they saw an injured enemy they would not hesitate…they will kill him. Without wasting another second, Ducqaiyas picked the injured soldier and sprinted towards the crashed warship.

As he moved forward, he felt he caught the soldier whispering something. It felt like a prayer, a hymn from a distant star. The horde of natives were near now, from the sound of their voices, it seemed they had reached where Ducqaiyas and the soldier were moments ago.
A moment of distraction and Ducqaiyas’ feet hit a bump on the plane; the jolt of the hit, caused the soldier to let out a piercing cry.

Ducaqaiyas could hear the natives’ approaching footsteps, they had heard the soldier’s cry. If they saw Ducaqaiyas with an enemy they will call him a traitor and kill him too.

Ducaqaiyas decided to move onward, still.

Hardly had he taken a step further, when he saw a squad of armoured enemy soldiers rising from behind the crashed warship.

A few shots were fired.

When the horde of the natives reached the spot, they only found one lifeless body. Ducqaiyas lay still his eyes open, staring at the sky as if whispering a prayer, a hymn from a distant star.

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