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The Mystery of Mohenjo-Daro by Darian

It was a dark and windy night as the town of Mohenjo-Daro slept. Little did they know it was their last night. On the banks of the Indus River, it lay quiet. A six year old boy named Moha slept comfortably in his bed. Suddenly his eyes opened to an unexpected noise. He looked around frantically. What was that sound? Just then his father burst into his room. Without a word, he scooped Moha up in his burly arms. Moha screamed and tried to free himself, but it was no use.

His father ran out of the house with him and said to his wife who was trying to gather food and clothes. “Hurry! We have to leave these things behind.” Sadly, his wife took one last look at the beautiful clothes and tasty food before running out the front door. Still screaming, Moha tried to grab his favourite wooden toy off of the chair but was pulled back by his father and carried further away from his home.

The first thing Moha saw was horses and warriors charging toward the streets, bows and arrows in hand. Moha reached for his mother’s hand, but his father quickly tucked it in the blanket Moha was wrapped in. Moha also saw soldiers rushing towards the intruders, launching arrows to defend the town. Many swords were drawn that night.

Moha’s father was led by soldiers along with other people of the Mohenjo-Daro to the Citadel in the center of the city. The sound the air carried was a mix of children screaming and the battle cries of the warriors fighting each other. The enemy set fire to many houses and several people were killed because they could not escape their homes. Moha was so petrified that he almost forgot to breath. “Papa,” he managed to say. There was no reply.

Moha felt like he was bouncing up and down. His father was running hard, his mother barely keeping up with him. Moha began to see they were in some kind of large stone structure. His father and the other families stopped to rest. Normally, Moha would be fascinated by his surroundings, but right now he wanted to be in his comfortable bed.

He wished this had never happened. He wanted this to be a normal day. Moha didn’t dare have a look around. He stayed covered under the blanket. He listened to the Captain yell out what their plan of action was. “We are not safe in the Citadel for long,” he began. “Our soldiers are overwhelmed and greatly outnumbered.” Moha heard the sound of a fire blazing and men and women, even children screaming to find some sort of shelter.

He turned his attention back to what the Captain was saying. “Now we must make for the mountains.” “The mountains?!” Moha heard someone shout. “And what do you think we will live on?” “We don’t have any other choice. We have enough food to last us a few weeks, maybe a month. We must never come back here.” “Well, I’m not leaving,” one of the men hollered. The Captain looked him right in the eye. “Very well, then.” Suddenly, the sounds of fighting drew closer to the Citadel.

Everyone began to panic and seize their children. Moha was quickly lifted up by his father again. “Quickly!” the Captain shouted. “This way!” The other soldiers helped usher the families to where the Captain was leading them. He led them through a passage which exited the Citadel. They rushed through the streets, attempting to stay hidden from their foes. Soon they were on the outskirts of the city. The Captain led the people of Mohenjo-Daro threw the valley of rough terrain.

Looking back, Moha gazed at his town, ablaze. It wasn’t at all the beautiful town that Moha had known all his life. Moha knew he would miss the Indus River, and the taste of salty fish. Moha got one last look at the city before his father covered his face with the blanket. “I will miss the good crops we had.” Moha’s father said under his breath. Moha closed his eyes and fell asleep, worn out from the current events. He wondered what his life would be like outside of Mohenjo-Daro.

Archaeologists have found the remains of Mohenjo-Daro, but they do not know the real reason why they left their beautiful city.

They have also found stone carvings that they could not decipher, but if they can one day, it might be a large piece to the puzzle as to what happened to Mohenjo-Daro.

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