Sun Power

This story is by Medallio Green and was part of our 2024 Spring Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.

Raja props her elbows on the kitchen island while her mother Olna, a board member, stirs a steaming pot atop the stove. Olna speaks in a raspy voice until dry coughs ail her petite body, settling with loud wheezes. Raja nabs a glass from the drying rack, fills it with water, and nudges it to Olna’s lips as part of their daily routine.

Thirty years, ago solar flares damaged Earth’s ozone layer annihilating all forestry and soil. The sun’s heat penetrated fiercely setting homes on fire, forcing thousands of survivors to form settlements in all 50 States to rebuild with anti-flammable materials and concrete windows to endless sunlight. Scientists performed advanced botany in underground laboratories to grow produce. Boards were formed in every settlement to preserve order. Sadly, board members hyper-exposed to sunrays ailed incurable sun poisoning. Raja’s dad died of sun poisoning in her infancy, and Olna contradicted it when she was pregnant with her.

Olna’s bloodshot hazel eyes study Raja after putting the empty glass on the counter. “As I said, the board commissioned researchers for years to find a way to reverse this issue.” She gestures to the concrete window overlooking the sink.

Raja tilts her head with a pinched expression. “There is no cure. You know that.” Grief coats her voice, while faint yellow lightens her irises.

“What’s the harm in looking for solutions in other settlements or ancient relics?”

Raja exhales shakily, lacing the air with her frustration. “Mother, there is no cure! Stop using our resources for nonsense!” While putting her hands up, the yellow from her eyes spills down her face to her arms and flares bright.

Olna swiftly pulls out a flame-retardant blanket from a bottom cabinet. Flames splash the metallic shield; bright orange bounces off in rivulets of color. Olna shouts, “Raja, calm yourself!”

Chest heaving, Raja gulps in air when her coloring stabilizes back to caramel brown. Olna peers around the blanket and then rolls it up. Olna mumbles, “This is why I know it will work.”

Raja holds her face in her hands, shaking her head. Olna grasps Raja’s shoulders gaining her attention. “The researchers found a silver ancient rod. Its engravings speak of a wielder with sun power.”

Raja interrupts by patting Olna’s cheek. “Mother no, you know this isn’t real.”

“Hear me. That power and the rod will control the weather. You harbor the power of the sun.” Raja opens her mouth to no sound. “Contracting sun poisoning, while I was pregnant with you, got you these powers. You were born to save us.”

Stunned, Raja backs up. The pot hisses on the stove. Olna turns off the burner and then faces Raja. “One researcher gave the board the location. The vote was unanimous. You will go with Habib, board member Byron’s son. He always seemed fond of you.”

Raja gasps while taking another step back. Her long micro braids swirl around her petite curvy body like a shield as she leans on the island. “Mother, no.” Olna follows with her hands out in front of her. “You want me to go out there?” Raja points to the fake window. “I’ve only been outside a few times supervised by you. Mother, no. I can’t do this.” Olna catches up to her and grips her shoulders.

“You will do this Raja. You will preserve mankind. Give the next generation a better chance than you had.” Raja’s resolve wanes, though yellow swirls in her irises like a warning to her mother. Olna put her hand in her pocket to pull out a piece of paper. “Here. This is the rod’s location. Only the one harboring sun power can touch it. Habib has mapped it.”

Raja’s eyes glisten with tears, while Olna cups her cheeks touching their foreheads together. “Please save us all.” Olna’s plea speaks of the world’s hope.

Raja swallows hard trying to reconcile the toll it will take on herself to go on such a taxing journey. Moments later Raja asks, “When do I leave?”

A knock on the front door startles Raja, breaking the stifling moment just in time to breathe new air into the room. Raja’s tears slide down her face. Olna kisses her cheeks after calling out, “Come in!”

Seconds pass until a deep tenor speaks at Raja’s back. “Is she ready?”

Olna puts her hands on Raja’s shoulders, turning her to face Habib. A little older, crinkles form in the corners of Habib’s eyes. Pure affection shines through. Olna replies, “Yes. Right, Raja?” Raja nods without meeting Habib’s green eyes. “She’ll pack a bag.”

Twenty minutes later, Raja gives Olna a tight hug, and they leave. Still dazed, Raja fidgets uncomfortably in the passenger seat of Habib’s father’s car tinted with UV-protectant windows. Both wear lab-produced long-sleeve clothing: heat-resistant, moisture-absorbent, and ultra-UV protectant sunglasses. Raja asks, “How can you believe this?”

Habib shrugs. “I believe my parents that they’ve found a way to make our lives a little easier. There’s no harm in trying Raj.” He reaches behind her seat and pulls out a water bottle from a cooler, cracks it open, and takes a long swig.

“Habby, this isn’t a wild goose chase.” Raja shakes her head when Habib offers his water bottle to her. Dead grass and black soil blur by—a visual reminder of Olna’s original plea to save the world. Raja gestures in frustration to the windshield, and miles and miles of empty road ahead. “I barely understand these powers inside of me and I’m supposed to wield a weapon with it?” Her fingertips glow in response.

Habib speaks especially calmer, “Raj, calm down. You unleash your powers in here, you’ll kill us.” Habib clutches her arm, squeezing simultaneously, surprising Raja. “Breathe with me. Just like how we used to when we were kids.” Raja takes a few breaths at Habib’s direction and the glow fades.

“Habby?” Raja’s sorrow fills her voice.

“Yes, Raj?”

“My mom won’t make it. I won’t see her alive again.” The car jostles against potholes emphasizing Raja’s shaky voice.

Habib squeezes her arm, not letting go. “I know Raj. I know and I’m sorry.”

Hours pass until they enter other settlement territories. Multiple boards take in Habib and Raja to house them for days along the way, some unwelcome due to Raja’s abilities, and turn them away. The night before the end of their journey, Raja tosses around on a makeshift palette on the car’s roof unable to sleep. Habib touches her shoulder while the stars illuminate his face. A large exhale of warm breath tickles Raja’s cheek.

“Raj?” Raja grunts in response. “The rod won’t work unless you become it.”

Raja elevates herself on her elbows, her stare is so intense that he feels it on his skin like the lick of a flame. “What does that mean Habib?”

Habib palms her cheeks. “You have to give up your life and your powers to control it.” All the air punches out of Raja’s lungs. Holding onto Habib’s hands while they clutch her face, Raja lets out a guttural wail powerful enough to set the dry grass ablaze. Tears moisten Habib’s hands, but he doesn’t let go while Raja cries all night.

Both struggle with exhaustion when hiking to the mountains the next morning. Habib is on high alert walking through the indigenous settlement. Sunglasses hide Raja’s tears. Her gut screamed to turn around and run back home, but her heart hurt for the future. Looking up at Habib, still furious at him and Olna for their dishonesty, she wanted to be selfish and pull him away to hide somewhere no one would find them.

Raja shakes her head. “I can’t do this.”

Habib’s reply is interrupted by a distant piercing whistle. Habib tucks Raja at his side with a clenched jaw. “The keepers of the rod found us.”

Raja looks around wildly from behind his large back. “Who-what are you talking about?”

A howl replaces the whistle. A crowd of aboriginal men dressed similarly to us with dark calligraphy on their faces bound over the hills.

Raja clutches Habib’s arm frantically. “Habib, let’s just run away.”

Habib leans in, stealing her first kiss. “We can’t Raj.” He cups her cheek. “I believe in you.” Then he pushes her forward to pull out two large knives. Yellow eyes on his fearful gaze, Raja stumbles back and then runs to the opening to slip through with determination. Immediately, her fingers ignite into flames and release a burst of embers floating in front of her as if guided by the rod. Pulling off her sunglasses, Raja follows the embers’ until she finds them swirling around the relic. Raja stops short with uncertainty.

A bright light shines from Raja’s hands and the tips of her braids. Glimpsing Habib in the entryway, her heart pounds loudly when touching the rod. Sparks flare and bathe her in bright orange. While Raja’s power is absorbed, her body fades. Eyes on Habib, Raja smiles before everything fades to black.