Dreamweaver

Luis and the Quiet Star

Luis and the Quiet Star
Luis floated in his little ship, far past the Moon, where space is silent because there is no air to carry sound. Out the window shone a small red ember: Proxima Centauri, the nearest star after our Sun. Four light-years away. Even light, the fastest thing there is, takes four whole years to cross that gap. Luis waved anyway. Then his antenna snapped off and drifted away.
No antenna meant no message home. But Luis clipped his tether, floated out, and caught the dish with two careful hands. The little drone hummed beside him — humming he felt, not heard. Together they bolted it back on. Luis sent one small hello toward that quiet red star, knowing it would travel four patient years. Then he curled up, warm, and slept among the galaxies.
Some hellos take four years to arrive. Send them anyway. Goodnight, Luis.

The cover