NUEVO CONCURSO | "Una imagen, una historia"

Hello everyone!
I am participating in a contest by @franyeligonzalez, which you can find at this link:
https://steemit.com/hive-185836/@franyeligonzalez/4zp2ja-nuevo-concurso-or-una-imagen-una-historia
Feel free to join the contest as well!
I would like to personally invite @cranium, @cicisaja and @golden-rain to participate.
That’s all I wanted to share for now, and now it’s time to tell my story!

✨

pixabay.com

— “Mom, we dreamed of the great water again!” — my children shouted in unison.
— “And good morning to you too, my dears! You always dream about the things you long for,” — I laughed, gently stroking each of their heads.

We are the crew of the Ark.

The sun, around which our planet orbits, became too hot, and our water resources began to dry up. Once-mighty rivers turned to dust, and oceans receded, leaving behind dry, salty plains. Survival on our planet became impossible. We were forced to set off in search of a new home in the endless expanse of space.
We embarked on this long journey, much like our ancestors did long ago. Back then, they gathered and sailed across the ocean in search of new lands to build new cities. They didn’t know if those lands even existed, just as we don’t know now. Their courage is a legacy we hold onto as a reminder that humanity has faced such challenges before.

My children are the third generation to grow up during this voyage. I, too, was born and raised on this ship, under artificial light designed to mimic the sun. Every child here learns about our planet through textbooks, holograms, and stories passed down by those who once saw it with their own eyes.
We have been in space for so long that no one remains who has seen our planet in reality. The recordings show lush green forests, endless oceans, and skies that turn golden at sunset. My children often ask, “Does the air really smell sweet? What sound do the waves make as they crash against the shore? Is it true that it’s like music?”I can only repeat what I’ve been told: it was paradise.

Each of us dreams of finding a new home. To see the great water, step into it, learn to swim as described in the textbooks, feel the warmth of the sun, and experience the vastness of true freedom and life.
When you fall asleep with these thoughts, you can see our old home—the planet we came from, the oceans that once embraced our lands. Children dream of it most often. My little ones describe their dreams with incredible vividness.

“In my dream, the ocean was so big, Mom,” one of the triplets said. “I ran into the water, and at first, it was cold, but then it felt so good. The waves hugged me, just like you do!”
Another added, “I saw fish! They were so bright and swam all around me.”
Their words squeezed my heart. I envied the vividness of their dreams and the purity of their hope.

Adults rarely have such dreams. But today, I dreamed of water too. So much water. And my triplets, laughing with joy, leaping high into the air.

When I woke up, the first thing I did was wipe away a salty tear that had rolled down my cheek.

Our journey continues. Somewhere out there, our new home is waiting, and we will find it.