Young Writers Society

Thirteen-year-old Kerina rammed the tent stake into the sand and grabbed her nearby hammer. She hammered the stake, grunting with effort as the foot-long stake pierced the sifting earth until just the square head of the stake was visible. Kerina stood back to eye her work. The tent was a two-person affair, just a few feet wide and tall, made of light cloth, beige-colored to reflect the desert sun’s heat.

The crunch of footsteps behind her caused her to turn.

“Papay, I staked the tent. Let’s hurry inside!” She glimpsed at the horizon behind her papay. Where moments before it had been a clear oasis blue, it was now a muddy swirl of sand.

Her papay, a rotund and tall man, led their dark steed behind him, one hand tight on the lead rope as the horse stomped its feet and shook its head.

“Reloo is going to be okay?”

Her papay nodded as he led Reloo to the backside of the tent and forced him down to a laying position.

“It’s not his first sandstorm. He’s always a bit anxious at first, but he knows what to do.”

Papay tied his scarf around his face, covering his nose and nodding towards the tent. “Let’s get inside and wait for it to blow over.”

Kerina brushed her dark hair back and tied it off with a strap from her wrist, then also covered her face with the faded pink scarf she always wore.

The papay and daughter duo entered the tent. It was not tall enough to comfortably stand, so they hunched through the doorway and Papay tied the flap shut. They both dropped to a cross-legged position.

Papay smiled, and Kerina could just see the skin crease around his sandy-colored eyes. She hugged herself, listening as the breeze picked up, shaking the sides of the tent.

Papay produced a stick and a carving knife from his side satchel. Kerina leaned forward.

“What will you make today Papay?” she said, fidgeting with her sandal straps.

“I don’t know. What do you think?” Papay spoke in a low, gurgled tone. “Perhaps a whistle?”

Kerina’s eyes lit up. “For me?”

Papay gave a silent chuckle, visible only by the heave of his chest and narrowing of his eyes. “Of course, anything for you my lily. You can take my place in the village festivities."

Kerina’s gaze dropped. “Do you think you will ever…” her voice trailed off.

The wind yanked the tent flap hard and Kerina’s eyes shot back up. Papay paid the wind no mind though and shrugged.

“The physician did not know. Only time will tell. But let us not dwell on the unfortunate.” He rubbed his throat which pushed aside the scarf for a moment, revealing the scarred tissue from cheek to cheek.

“Does it hurt?”

Papay began to whittle away at the stick. “No longer. There are times where it tingles.”

“Tingles?” Kerina pursed her lips and squinted her eyes. “Like a tickle?”

Papay nodded. “Yes. Like a tickle. Just below the surface. Just out of reach.”

The first of the sand began to hit the tent walls, making a pattering sound, and the corners of the tent tugged with the wind. Kerina scooted closer to her papay’s side. The light became scarce as the storm enveloped the little cloth cubicle. Though midday it became as dark and night. Kerina was about to reach for her papay’s hand when she felt his already on her shoulder. She tucked under his large embrace, feeling his chest go in and out. Up close it was possible to hear his breathing, ragged like he could not quite inhale as much air as he needed, and when he breathed out there was a slight wheeze.

“Papay?”

“Yes?”

“Were you scared?” Kerina could feel her palms get sweatier as the storm intensified.

“When?”

“When th-the thing attacked you.”

There was silence for a moment. Kerina could hear her papay scratch his cheek. He often did this when contemplating something.

“Yes.”

Kerina’s heart sank. “But you’ve always taught us to be brave. To be strong.”

Papay let out a small laugh, barely a guttural sound now where before the attack it would boom with enough volume to fill the desert.

“Strength and bravery do not mean you fear nothing. Fear is the reaction to encountering something dangerous, something unknown. It is a good reaction. A healthy thing that makes you focus, makes you concentrate. It is when the fear comes that you truly decide to be brave and strong. To be brave is to face the fearful.”

“So, when the dorram attacked, you were scared and brave?” Kerina bit her lip.

“You could say that. I did not feel brave though.”

“What did you feel?”

“I felt shaky. My hands were sweaty, and my voice faltered.”

“But you didn’t let the dorram take you under the sand!” Kerina sat up. “How is that possible?”

“It’s as I said. While I felt fear, it was my actions that saved me. And that is how you can be both scared and brave. Fear may be what you feel, but it is the bravery that is what you do with it. It is not wrong to feel afraid, it is only natural. But to be brave in the face of fear is something truly special. “

Kerina nodded slowly. “I think I understand. Do you get scared being here in the Okainuwa desert again?”

“I do,” Papay answered quietly.

“But we still came out here to mine those crystals.”

“And that is our bravery and strength.”

The wind tugged at the corner of the tent and began to lift it, letting in a sliver of light. Kerina tapped Papay’s arm.

“Look, look, the tent Papay.”

Her papay rolled to his knees, tucking the knife and stick in his satchel. He grabbed the edge of the tent lining and tugged it back down to the ground. Kerina could see the stake had been pulled out several inches. Papay shook his head, an action barely visible in the dim light, but Kerina understood what needed to happen.

“Papay, the stake!” she yelled as the wind whipped underneath the fabric. It was picking up, making talking at a normal volume impossible.

Papay nodded, motioning for Kerina to come his way. He leaned closed to the side of her face.

“You must hold this side down. I will hammer the stake. Where is the hammer?”

Kerina froze. I-I-think I left it on the ground.” Her lip quivered. “I’m so sorry Papay.”

He shook his hand. “No time to apologize." He winked. "We must improvise!”

The tent yanked violently, pulling his arms back. Sand flew in with the ferocity of a lion, smacking Kerina in the face. She screeched and covered her face, wiping her eyes. Papay grabbed her hand and brought it to the tent lining.

“Hold this!”

Kerina grabbed on and was immediately fighting the full strength of the sandstorm. She put a shoulder onto the lining and sank to her side, using her full body weight to keep the wall to the ground as Papay unlatched the tent door.

“Close your eyes!” he bellowed in his rough and gravelly voice.

Kerina squeezed them shut. She felt the wind come gushing through for a moment, and a flurry of sand pelted her face, stinging like a dozen bees at once. She gritted her teeth and whimpered but remained on the tent lining. Then the latch was tied shut and the wind was resigned to pushing from the outside. She slowly opened her eyes. She could just see her papay’s dark figure outside the tent. A rustle on the backside of the tent caused her to turn. She could hear the Reloo whinnying, and could just barely make out his dark shape. Then she saw it. Near the back corner rose another shape. It was low to the ground, a distorted shadow of spikes. Reloo let out a shriek and bolted.

“Papay!” Kerina yelled, her chest tightening and her breathing turning into rapid bursts. The dark shape along the ground outside moved back and forth for what seemed like an eternity, then sank back into the ground.

Kerina nearly vomited. She tried to scream but a whimper is all that came out. The tent flap yanked open an Papay crawled in, hammer in hand.

“I ham-“He stopped mid-shout, seeing Kerina’s white face. “Kerina, what’s wrong?”

Kerina pointed and shaky arm toward where the shadow had disappeared. “Sha-aa-a-“ She let out a sob. “Spiky!” she got out.

Papay’s eyes widened. “Along the desert floor?” He yelled, without his usual calm low-tone. This time it was hoarse, quaky, desperate.

Kerina nodded, latching on to his left arm.

The wind began to die down and the tent shook less violently. Papay grabbed Kerina’s face with both hands. “Look at me.” Kerina’s eyes flitted back to where the shadow had been.

“Look at me!” Papay yelled again. Kerina’s eyes snapped to meet his gaze.

“It is a dorram. They hunt as the storms subside. We must get Reloo and leave.” He softened his tone. “Are you afraid?”

Kerina nodded, still gripping his wrist.

“Then it is time to also be strong and brave.” Papay nodded. “We will be brave together. These monsters will no longer prey on our family. We must leave now!”

Papay pushed open the tent flap and held one hand up to block the sand that still swirled. The sky would clear soon, but for now, everything was a hazy brown swirl. It was difficult to see more than twenty feet. Papay looked at the ground, holding Kerina’s left hand with his right. In the other that blocked the sand he gripped the hammer.

“Watch the ground. The dorram will sneak up like a crocodile. They will lurk below the surface and jump when you least expect it. I need you to be my guide while I look for Reloo. Can you be my guide Kerina?”

Kerina shook her head, somewhat in a daze. Everything was moving, swirling, making noises. She could feel tears running down her cheeks. She tried to clear her throat and wiped the snot running from her nose. “I will be brave Papay. Just like you.”

Papay smiled and hugged her tight to his side. “That is all we can be my sweet desert lily.” He gripped her palm. Are you ready?”

Kerina inhaled deeply and stood straight.

“Yes, Papay.”