desert

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Friday Fictioneers – Tea In The Sahara

(Author’s note: I’ve been gone the last few weeks, partially due to overtime at work, but also partially because I’ve been dealing with a massive mental health issue that has cropped up more and more as the years go by. I decided to be proactive, but that required me to be away. Anyhow, I’m back to a form of equilibrium, and here’s my next piece of work.)

© Jen Pendergast

Tea In The Sahara
by Miles H. Rost

The average person wouldn’t understand the comfort of a whistling tea kettle.

They wouldn’t understand it if they were posted to a Mauritanian outpost for years on end.

Five long years sitting with miles of sand in front of me, and 2 miles from the ocean behind me. All to collect a long dead currency for travel along the coast and security from invaders.

I was relieved of my post and sent to Tangier, my next post being a trade house clerk. Much busier, but not as dusty. And the comforting tea kettle whistles to me that everything’s quite okay.

Click the picture to join the tea party.
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Friday Fictioneers – After The Rain

(Author’s notes: Well, after a harrowing day, I passed my driver’s test. I spent today, the day after, applying for jobs in my area. Hoping to find something relatively quickly, but who knows what the job search may bring. In the meantime, I’m bringing up music and revisiting old artists I never thought I’d see again. Here’s one of them, to enjoy today’s Fictioneers with.)

mt-lemmon-with-tree

© Jan Wayne Fields

After The Rain

by Miles H. Rost

Waterfalls.

Jack and Melinda Berry looked out over the vast valley, transformed from a dry and forbidden place into a vast and colorful vista.

To the left, waterfalls that cascaded quickly. To the right, wildflowers that bloomed once or twice a year. Behind them was the campsite, still wet from the prior night’s deluge.

They were worried about each other then, something they hadn’t done in many years. Huddled together as the storms whipped around them on that mountain ledge, they waited it out.

“It’s breathtaking, Jack.”

“You sure are, sweetie.”

In soaked clothing, Melinda snuggled at Jack’s side.

Hope.

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Friday Fictioneers – Snow On The Sahara

(Author’s Note: First week of new job doing fine. Hope to be back to mini-story writing next week. Here’s tonight’s fictioneers, with a song from my own personal deep cuts collection!)

january-snowfall-nighttime

© Sarah Potter

Snow On The Sahara

by Miles H. Rost

The expedition was lost.

First, it was Mina. Then Charles. Packi, the Tunisian warlord. Finally, Julian.

The faces of the two that remained were covered in sand, fine particles of silica that stung their eyes.

“So, where do we go from here, O great navigator?” Marisa said, changing the towel on the back of her cap.

“Well, we should be heading close to the Chott al Djerid, but…”

Marisa let out a whoop as she felt cold hit her skin. She looked up, and saw dark grey clouds and white flakes falling.

“Can you believe it? Snow! We are close!”

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