Happy Monday. It is amazing what sleep can do. There are a few sniffles remaining, but I think that might be more down to the fact that grass pollen is astronomically high today and not part of the cold I was sleeping off this weekend. I feel so much better. I also feel like a week evaporated on me, but there is nothing I can do about that. So let’s start off this new week with a new prompt. Timers at the ready and off we go.
I may have to continue this at lunch. Maye for another fifteen minutes.
Monday, July 29th: The dust storm was approaching.
The dust storm was approaching. We could see it darkening the sky on the horizon and moving fast towards us. Shouts echoed through the caravan and everyone dove for what cover we could find. Having nothing under my care but myself, moved to a large rock formation, curved myself under it’s shelter and pulled a covering over my head. I made certain that all of my exposed skin was covered and positioned myself in such a way as to create a space where I could breathe.
I felt bad for not assisting anyone else as the need to be a team player had been drilled into by brain since early childhood, but I was under orders not to. Apparently with my lack of experience, I would be more of a hinderance than a help. I, along with all of those who did not take this route routinely, were to help out by getting ourselves to safety so no one else had to worry about us.
‘At least I managed that,’ I told myself as I hunkered down. The shouts around me quieted as everyone got themselves and the caravan animals to a sheltered spot. I could hear no one moving around and wasn’t certain if it was because everyone was in position or because no one was near me. My spot against the rocks was slightly apart from the others. I had been on my way to investigate something unusual I saw in the sand and was slightly out of line with the rest.
The others were accustomed to this and were, for the most part amused by it. I managed to never go too far and I followed all safety precautions so no one was worried. The amusement came in the fact that what I often found interesting or unusual was nothing out of the ordinary for them. This was an entirely new world for me, an environment I never even thought to visit and I found on this trip that there was always something completely new to see. I was used to the amusement at my ‘finds’ but let the teasing slide off me. I didn’t mind looking foolish. That had never bothered me before and I didn’t see a reason to let it bother me now.
Gradually I realized the quiet was filling up with white noise. The wind and blowing sand combined to block out every other sound. It made me feel deaf, my heartbeat the only sound I could hear fighting against the white noise. It was as though the world was being erased and I found the notion utterly terrifying. I kept myself shielded.
Then I heard the low moans. I had my eyes closed against any flying sand and in the darkness behind my eyelids the sounds were more terrifying than the white noise of the sandstorm. I thought I heard words. They were made by a deep voice, a man’s and I tried to pair it with one of the men from the caravan. it sounded like none of them.
A scream sounded but was quickly cut off. The sounds faded and it was only the sound of the white noise and my heartbeat that I heard. I lost track of time. No other sounds returned. It was just the storm, nothing extra. I had no idea how long it blew, but eventually the storm passed. I emerged from my shelter, sand sliding off my back. I looked around for the others, but no one was there.
Ten til Midnight 