Red Sandstorms Chapter 23

            I watched as Jade quietly peered into Max’s room. She slipped in and walked over to her bed. Her breathing was even and fairly quiet, the only sound in the room. Jade sat on the edge of her bed, seeing Max sleep rather peacefully. It had probably been some time since she had seen that. The last time was before my death, when she was a kid. All the time before my sister had been studying so hard to become a medic. I’m sure like me, Jade wished to return to the old times.

            Pulling the blanket, Jade tucked Max in and moved towards the door.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 22

           The truck below us shuddered to a stop, thick smoke coughing out the tail pipe. Our driver didn’t seem at all pleased as he swore under his breath, forcing himself from the cab of the vehicle and to the hood. Steam came from between the cracks, making it very hard to open. Climbing down from the back, Jade, I and Max approached the front to give him a hand. My sister strayed some distance behind us, looking around at the sand. The landscape was very barren and flat, with the occasional dune rising above the rest.

            “I can’t get it fixed out here. The filter is too clogged to work now. We’ll have to clean it out manually or get a replacement,” he said, setting the screen down. Taking a large swig from his canteen, the driver sat back on the step of the truck.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 21

            Max wiped the sweat off her brow as some of the items she requested were brought over. I could tell she was very uneasy about this. Her eyes kept scanning the ground as if for some kind of help while she tracked the woman’s pulse. She spoke to several of the refugees before they went about searching for more things. Speaking to the woman slow, it seemed Max was explaining what needed to happen in order to help her birth the baby. One man started to panic, who I assumed was the father. Each time his wife cried out he knelt down and carefully rubbed her lower back before getting up once more and pace.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 20

Shells flew over our heads, crashing across the sands behind us. Already I wished to return to the safe haven of my office. Each new explosive flare lit up the sky and our faces. Keeping our eyes on the slow crawl forwards, I watched the mortar crash into a building and almost instantly turning it to rubble in a giant cloud of smoke. Ahead of me both Max and Jade were crawling forwards, hiding behind piles of debris.

            Tugging on my helmet, I trailed them as both at last stopped. They seemed rather nervous about something, as if unsure about the next move. Looking to them I gestured for them to keep going. Max shook her head, a nervous expression on her face. Never had I seen her look so scared or worried.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 19

Max looked through some binoculars down at the city from where she lay on a cliff. Wind blew her hair a bit loose from under her desert cloak where it moved about as the breeze picked up. She set them down, resting her arms from the long look. The walkie-talkie next to her must have gone off, as she spoke into it for a few moments before finally getting up and heading towards the narrow trail. It was a long treacherous climb downwards through the rocks back to the roof of the hidden cliff base.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 18

I squinted in the direction of my desk, seeing a form hunched over textbooks in the desk light. Groaning, I tried to burrow under my blankets but gave up as my feet became uncovered. Forcing myself out of bed I walked over and stood behind my sister.

            “Max, it’s three in the morning, get some sleep,” I said, reaching for the lamp. Her hand shot out and batted mine away.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 17

            The atmosphere seemed very different as Max packed her messenger bag. She was replacing any medic supplies and adding some new ones. A helmet lay on the table, carefully chosen and fitted. Her jacket lay strewn across a chair, freshly cleaned and crisp. Zipping up the bag, I watched her precise procedure as she straightened the coat before finally putting it on. Securing it on, Max then took the helmet and bag, heading in the direction of the main doors. Stopping at one office, she peeked in, knocking on the door.

            “Jade?” Just stopping near Max my ears seemed to pop—returning my hearing. The turning of an office chair made me perk up and peer in to see her look to my sister. Jade’s eyes glanced at the bag and helmet in my sister’s hands.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 16

            I sat on the train, my fingers drumming in anticipation. My eyes kept looking out the window at the landscape flying by us. Somewhere in the back of my mind I recognized it from before. Footsteps sounded from some place behind me, making me sit up straighter in hope it was the one I had not seen in so many months—fourteen to be exact. Over a year in waiting to come home. It had been forever since I had seen my sister and the one I loved. The person passed me by and took another seat somewhere else in the cabin—not seeing her yet caused my hopes to dwindle.

            Slumping in my seat, I must have dozed off at some point. A loud screeching noise woke me as the train lurched—my head banging against the window from the sudden stop. Several people almost slid from their seats, all of us surprised from the abrupt movement. I looked out the window, searching the landscape. Yelling caught my attention—although it was more like a scream—and it must have caught the rest of the train’s too. People all pushed to look out the windows, trying to see exactly what it was that had stopped our train.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 15

I raised an eyebrow as Max walked into the courtyard. There were other members of the base there, most of them throwing around a beat up baseball. We both watched the group for a few moments before I observed her walking towards the them. They appeared to be trying to split into teams—not very successfully if I might add—because of the shortage of players. With gauze still tapped on her head, I watched her talk to them for a few moments. Some of their gestures seemed to get wild, if not aggravated to have a girl on their team.

Red Sandstorm Chapter 14

Max sat on my bed watching me pack. There wasn’t a whole lot I could bring in this large duffle bag. A huge list of forbidden items was held in her hands. Her only job was to make sure I packed what I was told. Most of the drawers in our room were pulled open and half empty—the other half being Max’s stuff. It looked as if someone tried to rob the place with everything lying open. Glancing to my sister, I watched her eyes skim down the list, occasionally checking off the things I was supposed to bring. This wasn’t going to be easy, leaving her here, but I couldn’t take her into the war zone either. Somehow it was a miracle that we found a classmate of both Jade and I to watch Max here on the base.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 13

Max set down the three trays she was carrying precariously in her arms, not wanting to spill anything. The little girl slid off the bed to grab a tray when Max shook her head, moving the table over to the father and child. I watched the three converse—looking rather happy. Setting two of the trays before both patients, I saw my sister grab a chair to join them. It was good to see her so joyful in such a bleak time; all the patients she had to treat day in and out must have taken some toll on her. Seeing her laugh and munch with others was a definite change. Especially since these two patients were enemies of the military and she so openly rescued them and chatted with them like friends.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 12

            “We’ll be back in a few hours, okay Max? Thomas is going to watch you until we return,” I said, ruffling my sister’s hair. I was kneeling down tying my shoe. Her hand currently held a small stuffed penguin; a security item she had brought with her—among other toys from her room—from our house. Glancing up at her, I saw her head nod. Jade came over and knelt down with me.

            “I’ll take good care of him, don’t worry,” she said, hugging Max. We both stood and made our way around the labyrinth of toys and furniture—part of a fort we had made earlier today. Thomas and Max both walked us to the door.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 11

The man laughed, finding what Max said amusing. He gestured to the chair, needle and thread still in his hands.

            “Calm down. I know what I’m doing,” he said, laughing. “Max right? Well, you need to sit down and stay still so I can sew this closed. If you’re in pain, just say my name and I’ll back off.”

Red Sandstorms Chapter 10

Max giggled as we walked towards the school.
            “You won’t hit any kids today, right? I don’t want to have to stop work to come take you out of class,” I said looking at her. It was no surprise that she laughed at me.
            “I promise. No hitting,” Max said, swinging her metal lunchbox. “What if it’s an accident?” I stared at her blankly.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 9

           My eyes widened as I saw exactly who was in the driver’s seat. It had been years since I had seen her and suddenly she was showing up during the middle of a skirmish. Quickly looking to Max, I saw her stare for a few moments before finally nodding.

            Over the past while I had been watching Max and her converse with others. Slowly, but surely I was able to start to decipher words and understand what was going on, especially now.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 8

            Max closed the drawer with her stuff in it and climbed on the bed. She flopped on her back, a stuffed animal in her hand. I followed suit, staring at our new ceiling. Mr. Leland managed to pull some strings for me and Max to have a small dorm.

            “So? What do ya think?” I looked at my little sister. Her eyes glanced around the room before a sigh escaped her lips.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 7

            Max staggered back from blocking a strike from the livid man’s gun. There was really very little area for her to move. Any more towards the windows and she could get taken out by a sniper; any deeper into the building and there was no hope on getting out unless one of them lost their life. Seizing his gun, they wrestled about for a few moments until at last he kicked her back into a wall.

            His lips moved quickly, his mouth widening—indicating his shouts—with spit flying everywhere. My eyes watched Max’s reactions to his shouts. Already she seemed tenser than when he first pointed the gun at her. Her hands were held up towards him, trying to explain and do whatever she could to get him to see her reasoning.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 6

             I sighed, stuffing things in my bag. Max came in and flopped on my bed, staring at me. Smiling, I zipped up my bag and fixed my jacket.

            “Are you ready to go?” She stared up at me for a few moments and then got up, skipping to her things.  “Good, Mr. Leland will be here soon. Want me make sure you have everything?”

            “Yeah, here,” she said, bringing me the suitcase. Pulling it open, I blinked at the items: stuffed animals, coloring books and crayons.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 5

            Max moved about the sands, searching, listening. If there was any voice, she’d go to it. Spying over the dune, she seemed to hear something—a voice in the wind or just some noise—I’m not sure. Her sand camouflage uniform helped her keep hidden, but at times was more of a hindrance in this heat. Just as she gazed over a bank, I watched her travel in a definite direction. Almost in a panic she slid over the top mound and down. My eyes followed for a few moments before soon I was darting among the debris right with her.

Red Sandstorms Chapter 4

 Author Note: A surprisingly short chapter - which is actually very rare when I write. But in honor of International Pi day, I figured I would post a chapter, even though I'm doing terribly at sticking to my usual schedule. Enjoy!