He ended the war. He ended the freedom. Who is he?
Who is he? Many asked the same question. A man who wanted peace more than democracy.
A superhero the world needed… but feared.
He’s the hero we needed, but the dictator we feared.”
THIS IS STORY OF AYAAN.
The comic book shop was quiet and a little dusty. Old posters of superheroes were stuck to the walls, and shelves were full of comics that looked like they had been read a hundred times. The sunlight came through the window blinds, making stripes on the floor. A small fan spun slowly, making a ticking sound.
Ayaan, a 25-year-old guy with messy hair and a black t-shirt that said “Make Mine Indie,” sat behind the counter. He was reading an old comic book called The Authority. His eyes looked tired, but he was still focused, like the comic meant something big to him. The TV behind the counter was on, but the sound was low. It was showing bad news again.
- “…iran-israel tension.. world war 3… protests everywhere…”
Ayaan shook his head and said quietly, “Superman can lift a mountain. We can’t even get a corrupt leader out of office.”Just then, the doorbell rang. A man in a clean shirt and tie walked in. He looked like he came from work.
“Any new this week?” he asked.
Ayaan didn’t answer right away. He finished reading his comic, closed it, and looked at the man.
“Just the usual,” Ayaan said. “Rich guy with trauma. God with a hammer. Alien who thinks he’s a savior.” He paused. “You know — reality.”
The man laughed a little, not sure if Ayaan was joking. He started looking through the comics. The fan kept moving back and forth. The TV turned off suddenly. Silence filled the room. Ayaan left the shop that night. The air outside was warm and sticky. Street lights flickered, and neon signs glowed on the wet street. He walked slowly, his backpack hanging from one shoulder. He passed a homeless man mumbling to himself and a couple fighting near a closed shop. The city felt tired and sad. At a crossing, Ayaan stopped at the red light. Across the street, a giant LED screen showed more news. Fires, war, dictator, Trump.
“…war in Middle East… UN can’t decide anything… millions of accounts deleted by the algorithm…”
The light turned green. Ayaan crossed the road, still watching the screen. He walked past a small store. Inside, someone was watching a superhero movie on their phone. The hero landed from the sky, there were explosions, people cheered. Ayaan stared at it for a moment, then kept walking. Later, Ayaan lay on his bed in his messy room. Comics and books were everywhere. His ceiling fan spun above him, clicking as it turned. His phone was close to his face.
He was watching a minister speak on a livestream.
“We are building a great country. The enemies of peace will be crushed…”
Ayaan didn’t care. He scrolled past it. He saw a post about a woman being attacked by a mob. The comments were full of hate and laughing emojis. Some said it was fake. Some blamed her. Then a dance video went viral. People were leaving creepy, rude comments. Next was a post about rising joblessness. Then one saying climate change is fake. Then a crying influencer saying she was “canceled.” Ayaan blinked. His thumb stopped for a second. Then he kept scrolling. More videos: police hitting people. Riots. A baby crying in ruins. A pop star selling shoes. Another war. A prank. A charity ad. A podcast called “Why Freedom Is Overrated.” He threw the phone face down on the bed. He was breathing fast now.
“What the fuck is this world?” he whispered.
He tried to close his eyes but couldn’t. He sat up, pulled his hoodie over his head, and walked to the door. He didn’t even look in the mirror. In the stairwell, the walls were old and the lights buzzed. The noise from the city was far below. Ayaan climbed slowly, like he was dreaming. On the rooftop, Ayaan sat on the edge, his legs hanging over the side. His phone glowed in his hand. He was still scrolling — news about spies, war, climate change, and more disasters. He turned off the screen and looked up at the stars. They started to blur. A meteor shower was moving across the sky. Ayaan spoke softly. “If I had the power… ”
Then, suddenly, a deep humming sound filled the air. One meteor stopped in mid-air. It wasn’t falling anymore. It just hung there, like it was watching him. Then it dropped super fast like a missile but stopped right above him. It glowed with strange light. It vibrated in the air, scanning him. Everything turned white.
To be continued…………
