Caught in the Storm

Aghast, I stared at the approaching wave of sand. It stood about fifteen meters high and it rushed towards at an alarming speed. Dread seeped into our very muscles and forbade us to move. For a few long moments we stood there our mouths agape. Then; “Run for your lives!” Zack shouted as he turned his horse and galloped away, seemingly at the speed of light. Regaining our senses we followed in his stead.

I dug my heels in my horse’s ribs, it galloped as fast as it probably could, but the sand was a terrible enemy. Soon my horse was knee-deep in the sand, struggling against nature. I pulled at its reins, trying to help it. The storm was almost upon us, my heart raced franticly and just as my horse broke free of the sand, the storm pounced on us and folded us into its self. I tensed, but knowing that tension would only make things worse, I tried to calm myself, to no avail.

I looked around me, squinting. It was if I had entered a world made entirely of powdered gold. The swirling sand roared in my ears and the wind whipped my hair in my face. Everything moved in such fast a motion that it made me dizzy. Soon I had to shut my eyes and my mouth due to the excessive sand. I held onto my horse’s reins as the tiny particles of sand stung and stuck to my sweaty skin. I felt my horse rear beneath me, and I fell off it as it mercilessly galloped away. I listened to the muffled sound of its hooves, realizing how very alone I was. I strained my ears, trying to listen for my companions. But all I heard was the distant braying of a few horses through the thundering storm. However, my optimism allowed me to think that my companions had somehow survived. After all, miracles did happen in this world.

I did not dare open my eyes or my mouth neither did I dare to stand up. Incompetent against the storm I sat there, thinking. I thought back to how I had ended up here, and for a terrifying moment, I could not remember. But then miracles did happen in this world and a miracle it was that I was able to remember my journey.

We were on a trading journey to Arabia from Jordan. The odds had not been in our favour since the very beginning. Firstly the weather was not good, the winds were pretty harsh. Then midway to Arabia our lot was looted by our thieves, and all our trading material was lost. Not knowing what to do, we had turned back towards Jordan. No sooner had we turned around that we saw the approaching wave of sand in which we were stuck now.

All these thoughts occupied my head and all the sand occupied my nose. Two tears leaked through each of my closed eyelids and stung my face as they traveled down. I was going to die and I was helpless and alone in this time of great need. I tried to shut out the noise of the raging storms both within and without of me. I prayed to God for help. ‘I do not want to die right now’, I explained to Him ‘I had so much to do, so much to live for!’

And what happened next was indescribable; I can only say I survived, and as I began my solo journey back to Jordon I could only think that after all, miracles do happen in this world.