If you're drawn to stories set in the vast, mysterious Sahara Desert, this book is exactly what you've been searching for. Follow Paul and Chantelle as they find themselves trapped in one of the most unforgiving environments on Earth, where every da...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
MIRAGE MADNESS (Part 2 of 2)
"Paul," Chantelle said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Look over there."
She pointed toward a large dune in the distance. At first, Paul didn't see anything unusual, but as they continued to walk, he noticed something odd about the way the sand was shifting at the top of the dune. It almost looked as if the dune itself was moving.
"What is that?" Chantelle asked, her voice tinged with apprehension.
Paul narrowed his eyes, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. The sand at the top of the dune was swirling in a circular pattern, almost like a vortex. As they got closer, he realized that the sand wasn't just moving; it was rising, forming a small whirlwind at the peak of the dune.
"I don't know," Paul replied, his voice cautious. "But it doesn't look natural."
They stopped a safe distance away from the dune, watching as the sand continued to swirl and rise. The vortex grew larger and more defined, and soon, it began to take shape. Paul's breath caught in his throat as he watched the sand coalesce into a towering figure, a giant, humanoid shape made entirely of sand.
The figure stood motionless for a moment, as if solidifying, before it turned its head to look directly at them. Paul felt a cold shiver run down his spine as he met the figure's gaze. Though its face was featureless, there was an unmistakable intelligence behind it, as if the desert itself had taken form to confront them.
"Paul, we need to go," Chantelle said urgently, tugging at his arm.
But Paul was rooted to the spot, unable to tear his eyes away from the sand figure. It began to move toward them, each step causing the ground beneath it to tremble. The surrounding air grew thick with static, and Paul could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
"Paul, please!" Chantelle's voice snapped him out of his trance.
He turned and grabbed her hand, pulling her away from the dune as the sand figure continued its approach. They ran as fast as their exhausted bodies would allow, the sound of the figure's heavy footsteps growing louder behind them. But no matter how fast they ran, the figure seemed to be gaining on them.
The ground beneath their feet suddenly gave way, and they tumbled down the side of a steep dune. Paul rolled to a stop at the bottom, coughing as sand filled his mouth and nose. He scrambled to his feet, searching for Chantelle. She was lying a few feet away, struggling to get up.
"Are you okay?" Paul called out, rushing to her side.
"I'm fine," she gasped, brushing sand from her face. "But we have to keep moving!"
Paul helped her to her feet, and they started running again. But as they reached the top of the next dune, they both stopped short. The sand figure had somehow circled around them, blocking their path.
