Tevun-Krus #84 - Best of 2020

Sun and Hope - @jinnis - DesertPunk

Sun and Hope

A DesertPunk story by jinnis

1 - Falling Star

The day of the falling star, Ninn left the camp in the early hours. Dawn was the best time to hunt for scuttlers, and he had observed a widespread colony for several days. Today, he would put his stalking skills to the test and surprise his tribe with a fat quarry.

In the cover of a pale blue dune, Ninn sneaked up from the downwind side, an arrow already notched on his longbow and adrenaline boiling in his blood. Within range of the burrow, Ninn stopped, taking aim at the watcher. If he killed this one first, chances were he would get two or three others before the mother-mind registered the danger.

Only a heartbeat before he released the string, the magnificent scuttler lifted its nose, twitched its antennae, and with a rattle of the scaly tail, it disappeared in a burrow. The others followed its lead, and Ninn lowered the bow, disappointed. What chased his prey away? He squinted, studying the surrounding dunes' crests, but couldn't find any sign of other predators.

Frustrated, he shoved his arrow back into the quiver when a hum in the sky made him glance up. There, above the purple clouds announcing the sunrise in the east, a bright light glowed and grew. A shooting star? In the lore of his people, they were said to bring luck. Although some insisted on bad luck, his grandma for one. Ninn snorted. He wasn't religious, as far as he was concerned, things just happened.

The fiery mass approached, the hum now loud enough to rattle his teeth. Within moments, the star became too bright to look at. Ninn shielded his face and watering eyes with a hand. The heartbeat in his chest drummed a too-fast rhythm, but he wasn't a coward. His lips pressed tight and his bow ready, he stood atop a dune, determined to find out what the star would do. But as the heat and light became almost unbearable, an unexpected gust of scalding wind tore at his dust-cloak. Ninn staggered back and fell.

Behind the crest of the dune, he dropped onto his belly, pressing his face into the cool sand while a searing heatwave washed over his back. The ground shook, and a fierce thunderclap popped his ears. In an avalanche of blue sands, Ninn tumbled down the dune and slid to a stop in the next dip.

Shaken, he buried his face in his elbow, pulling the hood of the dust-cloak over his head. The wind tugged at him even down here, and despite his momentary deafness, the hum resonated in his skull. It felt like an eternity until it faded. His hearing returned—at least in parts. Sand had buried his cloak and found its way into his collar. The desire to flee this place contended with his curiosity to investigate. The latter won.

But when Ninn peeked over the rim of the dune, he shied back. Only a short walk away, a Vessel of the Gods had settled in the sand. The still-glowing hull outshone the red sun that now peeked from the dust haze obscuring the horizon.

2 - The Landing

Mei overheard the rumours about the imminent landing while queuing for breakfast.

"We will reach the Tàiyáng's destination within days now, my brother-in-law said." The woman in front of her seemed excited.

But her companion shrugged. "Someone always says we're going to land tomorrow. It's all wishful thinking."

Mei picked up her coffee and tuned them out. It seemed impossible the Tàiyáng's journey could end during her lifetime. The ship had travelled through deep space for centuries, all the routines aboard were well-honed, and nothing was left to chance. Why should things change now? Besides, she had to prepare for her upcoming lessons.