Lost in Time - The Forgotten Sands
Part 1
My lips cracked, and the wind cut through me, biting into the exposed skin. The arid air filled my lungs with dust, and I opened my eyes to shield them from the harsh sunlight. The howling of the wind broke the silence only. It tore through me, leaving paper-cut-like scars on my exposed skin. I stood up slowly. My body ached, my scorched skin stiffened against the sudden motion. How did I get here?
I walked north, using the sun as my guide, hoping to cross paths with a river. As I walked, my feet burned from the sand. I asked myself, where are my shoes? Where am I?
Gritting my teeth, I pressed forward, hoping that I would soon find civilization if I made it to a river. I remembered things. I was running. I’d been asleep and jumped out of bed when the alarms began. I grabbed my weapon when I got up.
My legs grew weaker under me. I stumbled and fell forward, sliding down the dune. As I fell, the memory continued. When I rushed out of my room, we were under attack by Mother Nature herself. One other was running towards me, screaming for me to run as well. Suddenly, the waters took him, and I dropped my weapon and fled.
As I landed, it brought my mind back to the present. I’d landed on my back. Everything ached and burned. I turned onto my elbow, trying to push myself up to stand. I stood slowly after a few tries, my legs shaking beneath me. I continued forward, feeling the sharp cramping of my legs as I walked. Then I ran into Fred, who grabbed my shoulders and turned me to look at him. “Get to the capsule!” he said. I’m about to grab Suzy and we’ll be right behind you!”
With that, he’d sprinted down the hall leading to the women’s quarters. I ran to the capsules, others were running now too. It filled the halls with the sounds of roaring waters and screams. As the water rose, the doors shorted, trapping many with the deadly waves.
I turned down the hall and opened the door to the restricted section with my thumbprint. I smiled, grateful that Fred had given me access after last week’s mix-up. I made it to the room with the capsules. The water was almost to my knees now. The door was locked, so I searched for the fingerprint pad along the side of the frame. The smooth metal slick under my damp fingers. I turned to look for Fred, but he was nowhere in sight. I continued to search for the fingerprint pad. After what felt like an eternity, I felt a small button on the frame of the door. I pushed it and a fingerprint pad emerged from the wall to the side. I laughed in relief as the door opened.
I smiled in the present then too, remembering the relief I’d felt as the door opened. What happened next? I kept thinking as I pushed forward, How did I get here?
I entered the room and shut the door behind me. Now all I had to do was wait for Fred and Suzy to arrive.
I limped forward on the sand, the taste of copper in my mouth.
Water was coming through from under the door. I watched the level rise dangerously close to the control panels, and still no sign of Fred and Suzy. I had no choice but to leave without them. I punched in the proper year on the panel in front of the capsule and pressed the timer. After climbing in, I shut the door behind me and waited, feeling the cold metal against my arms. In two minutes, the capsule would send me through time. I watched the water rising closer to the control panel as the timer continued counting down.
A gust of wind broke my thoughts, sand cutting into me like a knife. My steps faltered. Keep going. I told myself. I looked to the horizon, shielding my eyes from the painfully bright sunlight. At the edge of the horizon was what I was looking for. I squinted against the pain and light, the features on the horizon becoming clearer. A small cluster of huts braced against the winds. I heard a hoarse laugh escape my raw throat as I pressed forward.
“Hello!” I lost the sound of my voice to the wind. As I continued forward, I realized I had to get closer if I was ever to receive any assistance.
I thought back to the capsule. The timer had only left a few seconds when the door opened. It was Fred and Suzy. A tremendous wave of water entered the capsule as it whirled to life. As the water reaches the control panel, the capsule whirls to life.
My legs cramped under me as I crumpled into the sand. This weakness had now encompassed all of me; my head throbbed, my throat ached, and I turned onto my side slowly as I struggled to stand. A feeble cry escaped my throat as I collapsed under my weight. Standing again proved impossible as my vision became blurred. I saw a figure moving along the horizon and I fought to keep my eyes open. As the figure drew closer, I grew weaker, losing my fight to keep my eyes open. I returned to my memory.
The countdown stopped, with only a few seconds left. The last thing I saw was a white light that burned like fire. The capsule had sent me through time.
I heard steps nearby as my vision faded to black, my last thought emerging as a feeble whisper. “When am I?”
About the Creator
Caillete Rose
Writing fueled by the creative alchemy of caffeine, DID/PTSD, Sleep Deprivation, and Trauma.
Life's a complicated, beautiful nightmare. Why not write about it?
If you like the art in my banner, check out my art page @cailletecreativesart
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