get your words out } { 2017 challenge tracking

[iluvroadrunner6]

Directory:

PERSONAL GOALS:

Complete Outstanding Requests

OFFICIAL CHALLENGES:

January 2017: Genre Challenge: Regional Gothic COMPLETE

1/24/17: Alphabet Challenge: P COMPLETE

February 2017: Roll the Dice Challenge COMPLETE

February 2017: Genre Challenge: Parallel Fiction COMPLETE

4/4/17: Snapshot Challenge COMPLETE

5/1/17: Stop, Drop and Write Challenge COMPLETE

Word Count: 3,683

Comments

4/4/17 | snapshot challenge | 1,013 words

[iluvroadrunner6]

[Prompt Here.]

The sand whips along with the wind as the entire caravan moves against the grain, using their veils and scarves as best they can to protect their faces. Nazreen keeps her son clutched tight to her chest in response, tucking him safely under the sheer veils that are just fine enough not to let the sand grains through, and will still keep him cool from the heat of the desert. They had been traveling for days, trying to get to the safety of the Oasis on the other side of the Milaben Desert, and they couldn’t seem to get anywhere in the process.

“We should stop!” She finally shouts after her husband, Malik, and he turns to face her with a glare.

“We can stop when there is water to drink and food to eat.”

While they have plenty of both in their supplies, saving their rations for the oasis so they can stay as long as possible is the wiser choice and she knows it. But as she starts to give the consideration some measure of thought, the wind whips up again, showering her with sand and she can’t help but quickly bring her arm up to shield her eyes.

“If we keep going in this storm, we will be blinded and you know it.” Her arm comes down as she fixes him with a glare. “Then what good would we be in finding an oasis then? What good would we be for your son?”

That comment seems to force him to relent, his eyes falling to the bulge of scarves under her dress, and he nods. Even if he believes he would be able to power through, he does not want to risk the harm to his son if he can help it. With a deep breath, he looks up at her again and nods. “I will begin to prep the tent. Hopefully the storm will calm before nightfall.”

“I will keep watch,” she says with a nod of agreement. There are many horrors in the desert, both obvious and not at the same time, and whether it’s the sharp claws of a beast or the silver tongue of a man, she refuses to cower in response to any threat.

At first, there’s nothing but the whipping of the wind and the sound of her husband working behind her. Then, through the billows of sand she begins to make out the shape of something moving in the distance, two black shadows coming closer and closer to her. When they’re a few feet from her, she can make out more of the details – one tall man, built like a mountain with skin like obsidian, while the other is a smaller more serpentine shape to him, leading the mountain behind him with a thin piece of rope that almost seems like it shouldn’t be able to restrain him, and yet it does all the same. When he’s close enough to meet Nazreen’s gaze, he reveals eyes like snake’s, his head darting and weaving as he looks her over.

“Excuse me, my lady, but is your husband available? We would like to seek sanctuary for myself and my prisoner in your tent to wait out the storm. We will be gone before morning, we promise.”

“I’m sorry, but there isn’t room enough for five.” The denial is all too easy, built out of a need to protect her family more than anything else. You never knew who you could trust in the desert. “You will need to find some other way.”

The man’s eyes narrow, taking on a more dangerous look than he had a moment before. “I believe that is a decision for your husband to decide.” He does his best to maintain eye contact with her, almost as though he was trying to impose his will upon her. “You should honor his authority and fetch him.”

“Unlike you,” she says softly, bringing up the blade to rest against his chest. “My husband respects my authority to make decisions for my family. The answer is still no.”

His gaze focuses intently on hers for a moment, frustrated when whatever spell he attempted to cast on her does not work, he starts to reach into his robes. “Then if you will not share, I will simply have to take!”

His arm comes up, bearing a dagger he is prepared to bring down on her, but before he can try, large onyx hands reach out to close around the smaller man’s throat and face. He pauses, then twists, and there’s a sickening snap! as the man’s neck breaks under the force. Nazreen’s eyes widen as she stumbles a step back, assessing the large man as though she were seeing him for the first time. He does not advance on her, however, simply holding up his hands as he attempts to make peace.

“Do not be afraid.” His voice is deep and dark, and he speaks slowly, almost as though it takes some time for his tongue to get around the words. “I will not harm you – I simply did not wish to see you harmed by his hand either.”

Her eyes dropped to the body, now slowly being buried in the sand that’s carried on the wind, and she looks up at him with a small smile. “Thank you.” He nods, before lifting his hands, then pulling his wrists apart, snapping the ropes easily. She watches him curiously for a moment, before taking a tentative step closer. “If the ropes could not hold you, whey were you allowing him to take you?”

“Because I have committed crimes, and I intend to pay for them.”

She nods once more, before tipping her head to the side. “We have some extra food, if you would like to join us?”

He frowns, confused. “I thought you said you didn’t have the room.”

She smiles briefly in return, before stepping back to hold up the tent flap. “I said I didn’t have room for five.” She then gestures for him to move inside. “There’s plenty of room for four.”