Throwback Thursday: ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’ by A M Soto

“What are you humming, sir?”

Dav turned to the lieutenant. He was too young for the rank, his vestigial gills not even fully closed, but no one was who they should be anymore.

“It’s a song from Earth.” He hadn’t even realized he was humming. One of many habits he had picked up on Earth. At first it was mimicry to put the humans more at ease. Then it became something he didn’t even think about.

“You must have been on Earth a long time to learn human music.”

“Eight years, almost 25 of theirs.” He shifted around. They were huddled in the remains of a small municipal communications office. Two walls were blasted open to the elements, while rubble covered the floor. The rain hissed as it pelted against their portable energy shield. He was sure the rain never used to fall that hard, but there never used to be the particulates of 500 ships burning up in the atmosphere. He shifted again and felt the last apple in his pocket press against his leg.