The Sands of Borrowed Time

by Jeffry Winters

  “Wait!” Airell called out. “Impressive ship you have down there. Going anywhere interesting?” His daughters looked at each other excitedly from behind the rocks, their eyes wide and curious. Ailsa held onto them tight, in fear of them suddenly jumping out into view.

  “Up north,” the boy finally answered, looking shaken.

  “Why North?”

  “The South is ruined.”

  “Ruined?”

  “Dead. No water. No food. No nothing.”

  “Ask him,” the girl whispered to the boy, giving him a nudge.”

  “We’re looking for water, food,” he continued nervously. “Do you know where we could get some?”

  “What’s up north? Why would it be better than the South?” Airell replied, ignoring their plea for now.

  “It’s rumoured to be wet and fertile.”

  “The girl looks a sly bitch,” Serena joked.

  “His bitch,” Vevila giggled.

  “Nah, he’s too gay,” Serena replied in an assured tone.

  “Your future husband then,” Vevila teased.

  “Shush,” Ailsa insisted, looking at the girls with a stern stare.

  “Who told you this?” Airell asked the boy and girl.

  “It’s a hunch,” the boy replied.

  “A hunch? What’s your name boy?” Airell asked.

  “Luke.”

  “Mysti,” the girl added, just as Luke was about to introduce her.

  “Mysti,” Vevila sniggered, “sounds like the name you would give to a bitch… sorry, I meant dog.” Serena put her finger on Vevila’s lips to shut her up, smiling at Ailsa. Ailsa sighed and rolled her eyes.

  “But first, we must find food and water if we are to continue our journey,” Mysti said anxiously.

  “If you could point us in the right direction, we would be forever grateful,” Luke added.

  “Be warned these lands are not pretty,” Airell continued.

  “Not pretty?” the girl asked.

  “By day, a suffocating mess of dry heat and blowing sand.”

  “And by night?” the girl asked.

  “At night, the bandits come out to play,” Airell said with a grin, turning to look back at the airship, it's prominent, white canopy visible for miles through the clear evening air.

  “The ship is already theirs,” Airell teased, his grin getting wider.

  “We could inflate her up a little. Float her up the hill and behind those rocks?” Mysti suggested.

  “It would be seen from miles away; the flame, the big, white canopy. Too dangerous. Way too dangerous,” Airell said, rubbing his chin.

  “Then what? There’s no wind, it won’t travel by itself,” Mysti quickly added anxiously.

  “Then I guess we will have to drag it up,” Airell suggested.

  “Too heavy,” Luke replied.

  Airell said nothing more. He simply walked back behind the rocks and jumped into his old, dusty Trans Am. Soon there was the loud splutter of sand blowing out of the exhaust as Airell turned the ignition key, all watching as the car thundered into sight down towards them, trailer in tow behind.

  “Looks like were having guests tonight, girls,” Ailsa said with a smile, Vevila and Serena looking at each other mischievously.

  Chance Encounter

  Kyla gazed in awe at the snow covered plains, feeling a rush of exhilaration, her body tingling with joy. She looked to the horizon, the escarpment appearing to have broken through a thick, white blanket, its pearlescent, rugged cliffs reaching up into the pink-tinged clouds above them. The snowfall had been unexpected but welcomed. Behind her, the villagers were running around frantically, realising time was short. They knew that the Sun would soon rise, melting it all until it either trickled away or evaporated into the air, lost forever. They were scooping it up into pans, bottles; anything that could hold water. She crouched down and gathered some up, gasping at its frostiness as she rolled it through her hands. She had never seen snow before and marvelled in its prettiness, watching it melt in the warmth of her palms. She cupped them, trapping the thawing snow, raising it to her mouth to drink. She coughed as its chill took her breath away, water falling from her mouth to form little pits in the snow at her feet. Her hands eagerly scooped up more, but she was ready this time and drank slowly. She felt humble and grateful. It was good to drink without having to ask, she thought, as she continued to sip the water, enduring the icy shivers shuddering down her spine.

  She walked down the hill towards the plains, the blazing, sunlit snow, forcing her to put on her shades. The whole of the desert looked like a shimmering, frozen lake. It was her turn to patrol the village limits, to make sure there was nothing unusual going on. Typically, they would go in pairs or groups, but Cain and Carla wanted to capitalise on their sudden luck of having so much water at their disposal. They argued that the more people, the better, for collecting it, but still wanted someone to lookout, just in case. Bandits never came to the hills anyway. They were easy pickings from the advantage that the hills gave, and Cain was confident that Kyla could do it alone. She began to feel the heat of the rising Sun on her skin between the cold breezes of the morning air, the snow sending its iciness through her boots to her feet. She descended slowly, kicking the snow from her feet with every step. She laughed as the snow sprayed up into the air, watching the wind catch some and carry it away in vortices of grainy white.

  It is so good to be alone for a while, she thought, away from the tensions of the village. One day I will go on an adventure all by myself, she fantasised. See what is really out there, over the horizon and beyond. Unshackle my chains and become a free spirit, a wanderer. The idea felt good, and today she would get a taste for it, patrolling the plains all by herself.

  “Shit!” she suddenly gasped, awoken suddenly from her daydream as two girls came through the trees ahead. Kyla and the two strangers abruptly stopped in their tracks with surprise and shock, looking across at each other anxiously. Kyla was just about to leg it but thought better. There were two of them, and they may have weapons, she thought. She felt her gun next to her hip but was too frozen with fear to go for it. By the time she would have shot one, the other would have shot her. They all stood in silence, their knotted hair blowing in the breeze, looking at each other and wondering what to do.

  “Hi there,” Kyla finally said, mad at herself for not sounding that confident.

  “Hi,” the girls simply replied together, looking bewildered. Kyla also picked up anxiety in their voices, making her feel a bit calmer.

  She took a deep breath, nervously uttering, “What a lovely day,” lifting her arms in the air, smiling, trying hard to control her ticks. The two girls looked at each other, unsure of how to respond.

  “A bit on the on the cold side, though,” the blonde one finally replied, looking at her friend with confusion and anxiety. Kyla could see a land ship, way out on the plains, covered with snow, their sails flapping in the breeze. She assumed it was theirs.

  “You have travelled far?”

  “Yes, for many months, from the east, across the desert. My sister Hayley, and I Demelza.”

  “I envy you. It sounds like you’re on an exciting adventure. I go by the name Kyla.”

  “We travelled because the East is drying up,” Hayley replied, “but yes, an adventure nevertheless.”

  “Not much better here, I’m afraid. The snow came from nowhere, like a gift, a surprise. Who knows when it will happen again; tomorrow, next month, or not for years or decades to come?”

  “You’re alone?” Haley asked, thinking Kyla a bit peculiar but could not figure out why.

  “No. There are many of us all working together, just to survive. We live just beyond the summit of the hill.”

  “Sounds cool,” Demelza said, trying not to look directly at her ticks, Kyla looking self-conscious and embarrassed by them.

  “How many are you?” Hayley added.

  “We’re like a small village, maybe as many as forty, forty-five pe
rhaps.”

  “Sounds like you have got it all together,” Demelza said.

  “Maybe a bit too much so. Sometimes it’s good to be free like yourselves.” Hayley sensed a bit of sadness in Kyla’s tone, but more so madness, the ticks on her face like repressed emotions bursting through. “You know, one day I wish to wander like you,” Kyla added.

  Demelza smiled, “Why don’t you?” She pointed at herself and her sister as an invitation. Hayley tapped her foot onto Demelza toes, giving a stern look of disapproval.

  “You mean, with you?” Kyla asked enthusiastically.

  “Yes, why not?” Demelza replied. Hayley coughed in bewilderment at her sister’s sudden and unconditional offer, angry she was not consulted. Kyla’s face lit up with her twisted smile, her eyelids twitching.

  “No, I couldn’t, they wouldn’t let me,” Kyla responded, looking over her shoulder, nervously, back up the hill.

  “Why not?” Hayley interrupted, sensing that something was out of place, curious to find out why. Kyla could see Hayley’s concern, so tactically replied with a strained smile, “I couldn’t leave them. They are my family, and these hills are my home.” It was a poor lie, Kyla thought, looking at the reaction of Hayley and Demelza, their worried faces only asking more questions. Hayley and Demelza just glanced at each other, neither believing what she had just said. Nevertheless, Hayley thought the girl was growing on her. She could be useful to them as she may know the location of resources they could utilise. She would know the territory; where to go for food, water, and areas to avoid. Anyhow, that smile was unique and cute, it had a peculiar charm to it, she chuckled to herself. Hayley decided to use Kyla’s ambition to travel against her.

  “But if you stay, you will never become a wanderer, and there will be no adventure. You will never be free.”

  “They would find me, and with me, you! Kyla replied, almost crying as she gave away the truth of her situation. “If they don’t kill you, they will bring you back here. Not so much a prisoner, but they will never let you leave.”

  “Sounds like a prison to me,” Demelza said with concern.

  “Certainly does,” Hayley added with a stern nod. Kyla just stood there silently, her mind boiling over, her ticks in overdrive, her face a chaotic mess. It was a risk, she thought. Cain would be mad, the lunatic he is, and Carla furious, the bitch she is. When she failed to return, they would hunt her down. They would find her with the sisters and kill them for taking one of theirs. Nevertheless, fuck it, she thought. The way things were going with their aggressive stance against the bandits, she was going to die one way or another, anyway.

  Better to die free than live enslaved, she concluded, and with that said, “Okay, I’m in on one condition.”

  “What?” the sisters asked together, surprised by both the sudden turn of faith, and the request.

  “That you call me sister, also,” Kyla said, wishing she hadn’t, thinking she had blown it for asking for too much, too soon.

  “Why not,” Hayley replied. “Anyhow, Demelza and I are not real sisters.”

  “I know.”

  “How?” Demelza asked, intrigued.

  “You, blonde, with green eyes. Her hair dark, eyes brown. You tall, her short. She has olive skin, you are fair,” Kyla pointing at them in turn with each comment. Hayley and Demelza began to laugh. “And the giveaway clue, sisters always bitch so much. They could never be as close as you two are. They could never agree on an adventure together.” They all burst out laughing.

  “Welcome sister,” Hayley said, Demelza smiling with a nod of agreement. Kyla’s face softened, her nervous quivers dissipating as she smiled.

  Campfire Stories

  As the Sun grazed down on the horizon, the wind began to settle until it was little more than a gentle breeze. The prairie before them was now covered in fresh, powdered sand, like a golden snowfall had occurred, wiping away their movements of the day. Vevila was collecting mushrooms from their little farm that they had created with rotten wood and dirt gathered from the bottom of the gorge. Ailsa was wrapped in a frayed, woollen blanket, watching Serena and her dad prepare the fire for the night. Airell had taught his daughters that smoke from a fire was not a good thing. It would broadcast their presence for miles around, making them prey to bandits. Therefore, he had told them, it was important to minimise the smoke by using only small pieces of dry wood and burning it hot. Adding stones would help keep the fire hot, so they had built up a small rockery in which wood could be inserted and burned. The beacon would dissipate the smoke and hide the flames, leaving them invisible to enjoy the fire's heat for warmth and cooking. In that way, all three had survived on the hill for several years, without any bother from anyone.

  Vevila walked over to Ailsa with a wide grin, revealing a gap in her upper teeth, which Ailsa thought was cute, making her smile back.

  “Hello there, little angel, what you got?” Ailsa asked with a friendly face, leaning up towards her. She pointed inquisitively at a large brown bag that Vevila was carrying.

  “Shrooms,” she said gleefully through her widening smile. Vevila opened the bag, holding it up for Ailsa to see.

  “Look inside Ailsa. Do you like them?”

  “Wow!” Ailsa replied, her eyes widening as she saw a mixture of large yellow and white mushroom caps.

  “They look amazing, and they smell so good!” she continued.

  “Oysters and honeys,” Vevila said back. “We boil them in salt water before we eat them. They grow so fast!”

  “Cool! They taste good, I bet?” Ailsa asked.

  “They sure do,” Serena broke in, “but not like oysters or honey,” she joked. The two sisters gathered the mushrooms on a stone slab and cut them into small pieces as water from the gorge warmed in a large stove on the fire.

  The fire’s warmth before them felt good on their skins as they drank water and ate the fresh mushrooms.

  “Are there kids down south?” Vevila asked, looking across at Luke and Mysti.

  “Let them eat, there will be time for questions later,” their dad interrupted.

  “It’s ok, we don’t mind talking do we Luke?” Mysti replied, looking at him as he nodded in agreement. “Not many,” she continued, “most either get caught by bandits, or they travel away, never to be seen again.”

  “By bandits! What do the bandits want with kids?” Serena asked worriedly, Ailsa rubbing her shoulder.

  “You don’t want to know,” Mysti replied, looking concerned.

  “They use them as scouts to look for water,” Luke continued from Mysti. They are younger and hardier than the adults are. Most run away. They try to cross the desert, but most die of thirst halfway across.”

  “Really,” Vevila replied, her eyes wide with shock.

  “The desert is littered with the remains of kids. Their bodies mummified by the dry air,” Luke continued. Vevila and Serena grimaced at each other as they pictured the thought.

  “And you two? “No bandits to look after your wellbeing,” Airell asked with a gentle grin.

  “No, but we took their airship,” Mysti replied smugly.

  “That very one there,” Luke added proudly, looking across at the ship.

  “Wow, you stole an airship from bandits!” Serena exclaimed, mumbling as she chewed on some shrooms.

  “We sure did,” Luke replied.

  “Right from under their noses as they slept?” Airell asked.

  “Well,” Mysti replied, shaking her head, “right under their noses as they partied.”

  “I don’t believe you. How is that possible?” Vevila asked frowning.

  “Hmm, where do I begin,” Mysti replied, looking thoughtful.

  “Perhaps at the beginning is usually a good place to start,” Serena joked.

  “Ha, ha,” Mysti replied. Vevila and Serena giggled until Ailsa and Airell joined in the mirth until all were looking at each other laughing.

  “Ok, ok,” Mysti said, waving her hands frantically up and down, telling everyo
ne to be quiet and listen. “We decided to start travelling at night, to avoid the hot desert air and the blowing dust and sand. We heard that north was a good place to go.” Vevila and Serena listened intently with their heads held in their hands, the fire crackling gently before them. “The bandits seemed to ambush people by day, and get drunk at night until they collapsed and fell asleep.”

  “Did you shoot any?” Vevila interrupted.

  “Be quiet, let her speak,” her dad said annoyed.

  Mysti smiled and continued. “No, we had no weapons, have no weapons, and we had no vehicles. Each day was a risk. The days became impossible; too hot, too dusty with bandits everywhere. We were running low on water, and like I said, we had no weapons or transport. We were sitting ducks. Scouting at night became the only option; hiding and sleeping by day.” Mysti took a sip of water to clear her throat as the others looked eagerly on.

  “We noticed that the bandits partied near the gorge at night, the one towards the east.”

  “Oh yes, we hear them,” Airell said with a resentful, sarcastic expression.

  “Ssssshh,” Vevila hissed, looking at her dad annoyed. He poked his tongue out back at her. She pulled a face and hissed again.

  “They would drink, fight, and race their bikes,” Mysti continued. Well, one night they decided, I don’t know why, perhaps as a consequence of their drunken stupor to race their airships. They got them in the air, each with a pilot, and then, I guess you could call them their teammates dragged them from below on the ground with ropes. If that is not bizarre enough, they then turned it into some kind of airborne jousting match. It sounds silly, I know, but they were all smashed, totalled by this time. It was quite amusing to watch.” Vevila and Serena giggled, while the others smiled, Luke nodding with a look of contentment as he reminisced about the event. “Anyway, a guy in one of the airships got a good poke in the face with a wooden broomstick. It must have hurt really bad as he gave out an agonising scream.

  “It sounded like a dog getting run over,” Luke added gleefully.