Member-only story
A Desert’s Elegy The Unspoken Tales of the Dust Storm
Written by Miguel Santiago
In the heart of the desert, under the crimson sky, a dust storm danced with wild abandon. It spun in furious spirals, with desert winds as its partner, flinging particles of time and memory into the core of existence. Each grain of sand is a tale of unspoken grief, lost moments and forgotten dreams. The dust storm was not merely a natural phenomenon; it was an abstract painting of hardships etched on the canvas of wilderness.
The desert dwellers watched with awe and fear, their hearts echoing the melancholic symphony of the storm. Every gust whispered tales of travellers who succumbed to the unforgiving elements, etching footprints on the burning sands only to have them erased by the impish winds. These tales were not of defeat but courage, strength, and the unending pursuit of survival.
Among the dwellers was a man, old yet invincible, his face a landscape of crevices carved by time. He watched the storm with a strange ache, an ancient longing stirring in his heart. He had seen many such dust storms come and go, each taking away a piece of him with it – his youth, his dreams, his loved ones.
As the dust raged and roared, the man closed his eyes, surrendering to the storm outside and within. He could see the milestones of his life shrouded in a sandy mist, his joys and sorrows dancing in the whirlwind of time. The grit filled his eyes, seeped into his weathered skin, and settled deep in his heart. It was a heartache only the desert could bestow – a grit-laden solemnity that spoke volumes of untold stories, silent goodbyes, and a life forever marked by the capricious dust storm.
