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.