Twilight of the Twin Suns

I’m not a big science fiction reader, but I recently created my own short story after waking up one morning from a dream about living on a planet illuminated by two suns that never set.

Twilight of the Twin Suns

In the distant reaches of the cosmos lies the planet Solara, a world bathed in the perpetual light of two suns. From dawn to dusk, the glowing orbs dance across the sky, their warm rays nurturing the land and imposing an unyielding demand on its inhabitants. The people of Solara thrive under the relentless gaze of their twin suns, yet their lives are driven by work. The brilliance of the dual suns necessitates a frantic pace of toil. Their fields require constant tending, factories never yield their motion, and their very rhythm of life is a frantic race against time that never stops.

For the people of Solara, freedom is a distant dream, for this is a planet of slaves. As the Solarians labor beneath the fiery skies, they seldom gaze at the celestial wonders of the night they never have. They have no concept of a moon hanging high above their heads because the constant sunlight eludes their vision. However, a change lurks in the cosmic winds—a destiny that could undo the planet’s shackles.

One fateful day, the older sun—a colossal, burning titan—begins to flicker, its once-mighty flame waning and casting a deepening gloom over the planet. Yet, the people, caught in their toil, barely notice the slight dimming of their world. However, the once-vibrant landscape grows heavy with ominous darkness as the hours pass. The planet is on the brink of an unthinkable twilight, where shadows loom and secrets unfold. Panic spreads through the labor camps and townships as the realization sinks in: the light that has defined their lives is flickering out. One of their dual suns, always such steadfast companions, was dying.

The Solarians feel a tremor in their hearts as the last rays of light slip away. With darkness comes profound silence. The constant hum of industry subsides, replaced by an uneasy stillness. Families huddle, their hands intertwined, gazing at the void where warmth once warmed their cheeks. In that silent moment, the chains of servitude felt heavier than ever, yet something shifts within. In the depths of their despair, a flicker of resolve ignites. They realize that while the suns might have governed their days, they alone hold the power to shape their destinies. The death of one sun could mean the birth of something else—an opportunity to rise from the ashes of their oppression.

They see the moon shining brightly above for the first time, a symbol of hope that had once been obscured. As the people of Solara take their first steps into the darkness under a silver glow, they carry within them a light of defiance. The end of one sun is not the end of their story but the beginning of another. The darkness will come to test them, but together, they will forge their own path, united by the shared dream of a brighter dawn.

My books Memory Road Trip (e-book or paperback) and Time Traveled (e-book or paperback) are both available! You can also find them at most major international book sites.