Watto peered from behind an old abandoned cargo hauler, watching as the menacing limping figure moved far into the distance. He breathed a sigh of relief, it was safe to return and flapped back to his scrapyard, horrified at the damage.

  Shmi lay on the floor, and cradled Anakin in her arms, her heart heavy with worry. Watto glided over, concern etched on his face.

  “Oh, Anakin. My poor, poor boy, please wake up,” she pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation. She gently shook him, hoping to stir him from his unconscious state. “You’re so strong, my love. You can fight this! Please come back to me.”

  "Anakin, please wake up," she begged, her voice trembling.

  As Anakin slowly stirred, he blinked groggily and managed a faint smile. "Hey, Mom. Did we win?

  Shmi and Watto let out a relieved laugh, the tension of the moment finally lifting. Watto and Anakin helped Shmi to her feet as she rose unsteadily.

  Anakin stared at the lifeless, skeletal metal machine. "Mom, that's the metal man from my dream... and the stranger in the cloak was sent to protect me."

  Shmi shuddered; while the mysterious figure had saved Anakin's life, an uneasy feeling lingered. She sensed something dark and foreboding about the cloaked stranger.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  "It's okay, Annie. It's over now," she whispered, gently stroking the boy's hair.

  Watto surveyed his scrapyard, grumbling, "Look at this mess! It'll cost me a fortune." He absently scratched his bristly chin, confusion mingling with frustration. Why had he been targeted? The possibility of revenge from a disgruntled customer nagged at him, adding another layer of unease to his already troubled thoughts.

  “Watto,” Shmi reminded him with a reassuring smile, “you still have all those gambling credits left behind,” knowing it would lift his spirits.

  Watto's eyes lit up with excitement. “Yes!” he exclaimed, his mood shifting instantly. “Everyone else is either dead or has fled.” To Shmi's surprise, he leaned in and planted a big kiss on her, leaving her to wipe the slobber from her face. “Maybe it’s not such a bad night after all, eh?”

  A greedy grin spread across his face as he abruptly released Shmi, making her stumble slightly. Without a second glance, the Toydarian fluttered off to collect the leftover credits, disappearing into the building.

  Shmi watched Watto's retreating form, astonished that after all they had endured, his main concern was still his money. But she didn't dwell on it. She was simply grateful that she and her boy were alive.

  Shmi wrapped her arm around Anakin and looked up at the rising twin suns. The new day brought with it a renewed sense of hope, a feeling that perhaps their fortunes were finally about to change.

  The end.

  I would love to turn this into a graphic novel, but while I have the ability to illustrate, it's a lot for one person to tackle alone. If anyone is interested in collaborating on bringing this story to life as a graphic novel, please reach out!

  What do you think? Potential for a graphic novel?