The Road Beyond the Stars

The Indo-Pak war had turned the subcontinent into a smoldering chessboard of drones and trenches. Amid the chaos, the ultra-rich fled in convoys of armored vehicles, their children’s futures tucked into briefcases filled with gold and encrypted data chips.

Among them was Zayak—a wiry, sharp-eyed inventor whose university lab had become a refuge for dreamers.

“We’re not just building a ship,” Zayak muttered to his team, wiping grease from a thruster array.

It was a life-pod designed to stretch a century into a single, serene orbit—its occupants preserved by hibernation fields and nutrient recyclers. The Grangers, Uttar Pradesh’s wealthiest dynasty, had bankrolled the first trial.

Willy Granger, the family’s youngest heir, tossed his car keys to a servant.

“Bring the Bugatti to the hangar,” he said, flipping his sunglasses onto his forehead.

His father laughed, adjusting the diamond-studded collar of his pressure suit.

“No roads in orbit, boy. We’re traveling in capsules.”

“Capsules?” Willy wrinkled his nose. “Like… pill-sized?”

“Human-sized. One per passenger.”

Willy’s grin turned sly. “Then I’ll need two. One for me, one for Sushi.”

“Sushi? Your girlfriend?” His father’s voice cracked. “This isn’t a cruise, Willy! We’re the first family to test Zayak’s spacecraft—”

“—Time machine,” Willy interrupted. “Which means we’ll be gone a century. You really think I’m spending it without her?”

“Relax, Willy. We’ll be back with your mother and Sushi as soon as the war ends. Until then, we have to stay in the spacecraft and enjoy some space adventures.”

“Do you really think we’re going to enjoy these adventures without Mom and Sushi?”

“Yes, of course, dude! Adventures aren’t just about being with girls. Be a grown-up man.”

Willy sat quietly, staring out the small spacecraft window. He missed his mother and Sushi more than anything. Before the launch, he had begged his father, “Please, can Sushi come with us? I don’t want to go without her.”

His father had placed a hand on his shoulder and said gently,

“Willy, I know it’s hard. But this is only for a little while, until the war is over. We’ll be back with your mother and Sushi soon. For now, we have to be brave and make the best of our adventure.”

Willy sighed, not feeling adventurous at all.

The days in space felt long and slow. Every day seemed the same: the same food, the same rooms, the same faces. Willy started to feel bored and lonely—just like many astronauts do on long missions. Even though there were games and books, nothing seemed fun without his loved ones.

One afternoon, the mission director noticed Willy’s sadness. He invited him to the observation deck.

“Come here, Willy. I want to show you something special,” he said.

As Willy looked through the large glass window, the director pointed at the stars and planets outside.

“Do you see that bright band over there?” he asked. “That’s the Milky Way. You’ve read about it in your books, but now you’re seeing it with your own eyes.”

Willy stared in amazement. The stars looked like sparkling diamonds, and the Milky Way stretched across the sky like a glowing river.

For the first time, space didn’t feel boring—it felt magical and full of secrets waiting to be discovered.

But later, Willy kicked his boots against the spacecraft wall, scowling.

“This is stupid! You said we’d only be here a few weeks. It’s been months!”

His father sighed, rubbing his temples.

“Willy, the war’s gotten worse. We can’t go back yet.”

“Then let’s call Mom and Sushi! Why can’t they join us?”

“The communication systems are down. And even if they weren’t, it’s not safe to—”

“You’re lying!” Willy shouted, tears in his eyes. “You just don’t like Sushi!”

His father’s face hardened.

“Enough. We’re staying here, and that’s final.”

The days passed. Willy lay on the couch playing video games, while his father and the crew explored, gazing out at the cosmos.

One day, Willy heard a sound coming from a distant speaker:

“ALERT! Kintla—the spacecraft—has detected a place where traces of life are present. Preparing landing legs. Get ready for descent…”

“Daddy, what does it mean? Are we landing on Earth?” Willy called out.

“No, dear,” his father replied, entering the room. “We’re not landing on Earth. The ship has detected another place.”

“What place? Why aren’t we going home? Where are we landing?” Willy asked, his voice full of confusion.

Before his father could respond, the ship shuddered as it touched down. Dust filled the air outside. The spacecraft’s hatch slowly opened, and Willy and his father stepped out—amazed by the breathtaking view before them.

The sky was shaded turquoise, streaked with lavender curves. The ground was neither barren nor smooth; wild bushes grew everywhere, twisted and thick, like monsters lurking in the dark. A deep, roaring sound echoed through the air—water tearing through rocks—but no river or stream was in sight. It felt as if the universe’s beauty had been gathered into this one strange planet.

Despite the wonder, Willy felt no excitement. He was homesick. The crew decided to explore the planet during the day but stay inside the ship at night for safety—no one knew what creatures might inhabit the alien world.

That night, while everyone slept, Willy couldn’t rest. Whether it was thirst or longing, he felt uneasy. Not wanting to wake his father, he slipped outside alone.

Drawn by the roar, he wandered into the dark jungle. But when he reached the source of the sound, there were still no rocks or rivers—just the endless, mysterious roar.

Exhausted, he sat down, trying to make sense of it all. He lay back, feeling an unexpected warmth and peace, and soon drifted off to sleep.

He was awakened by the roar once more and thought he saw something move nearby. But he was too tired to react and fell asleep again.

At dawn, soft light filtered through the leaves. Willy woke to find himself gently held—like by a mother. He turned to see that the “cushion” he’d slept on was a living creature.

It had the face of a lion, claws of a bear, tusks like an elephant, but eyes full of warmth, like a deer. Terrified, Willy tried to move, but the creature’s strong arms held him close.

He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping the creature would think he was dead. Then, he heard a familiar voice echo through the jungle.

“Willy! Willy!”

It was his father.

Willy wanted to call out, but he was too scared. What if the creature attacked before help arrived? He kept his eyes closed, heart pounding, listening as the voice drew closer.

Then, the voice changed.

It was right beside him.

“Willy, wake up! You’re going to be late for school!”

Willy opened his eyes, drenched in sweat. He was back in his own room. His father stood over him, shaking him gently awake. There was no alien jungle, no strange creature—just the familiar sights of home.

Relieved and confused, Willy hugged his father tightly, half-expecting to see that mysterious animal still lurking in the shadows.