Walking through the desert, dragging unwillingly through the seemingly everlasting stretch of desert, the father and son had been walking through the desert for days, in search for an oasis to settle down. It has been days since they started the journey, all their food and water supply are running short and would be out if they do not reach an oasis in a few days’ time.
Just as the day darkened, the pair settled near a cactus plant, extracting water from it, it is only during these times when they dared to settle down to drink as it was a fact that bandits would attack travelers going through the desert whenever they stop, which makes them an easy target once they get off their camels.
The pair laid on their backs, looking at the endless sky, just as the endless desert they are passing through. The pair’s family links back further than any other family in the desert. Being the first settlers of this vast plain of desert, therefore nobody in the family ever talked about land out of the deserts, and generation after generation, they slowly assumed that this place they are staying in is a place of endless sand and rocks, so their life was never exciting, it was just the same one thing that they repeats every day and life seemed to be a torturous one.
The father spoke first, breaking the silence, being the eldest in among his siblings, he was therefore the only that was taught, that was literate. Despite the ability to read, there was no use of it in the vast plain of desert, it was just to show the status of the family.
‘There is no stars in the sky today, finish all the food and water we have and sleep early tonight, tomorrow’s going to be a hard one.’
Not knowing what was going on, the younger one spoke, ‘But why so papa?’
‘There are no stars nor moon in the sky tonight, and it is only during these type of times where heroes are born, and it is only during times of pain and agony when heroes are born, when heroes stand out and the dark sky is an omen, a sign to us that tomorrow is going to bring much bloodshed as it is only during the time of heroes when blood is shed.’
Being too young to understand, the young one just acted as if he was listening and feel asleep, smiling while dreaming, not knowing that only darkness awaits ahead.
The old one was wiser, he sat leg-crossed, looking at the sky, hoping that someone would be out there, not a hero who brings bloodshed along, but an angel which answers to calls of mankind, bringing a sense of safeness along, protecting people from harm and brings peace but as he was taught, this would never happen as this element was not put into mankind, when it was assembled together and this element would never be present in human nature, not past nor future, never.
With a soft ‘szzzzt’ sound, sleepiness overcame the wise one and he knew that he would not get to see the moon again, as he had noticed that shadows were creeping towards him before the effect of the poison was triggered.
