Odd Prompts: Dust Storm

A snippet from the next Lilania Begley story! Dust Storm is now available for purchase as an ebook.

“The sheriff will need help.” He poured her mug first, then put some into the glass. He left it on the counter to cool for a moment. “If the storm was that bad, there will be people in trouble.” 

They looked at one another. They both knew the storm had been that bad. 

“I’ll see if I can get Koldo back, with our doctor.” Lyndi blew on the surface of the hot black bitter brew. “We’ll need Henry here.” 

“Kallinokos and Spurgle can wait, they can’t get off Sumire without coming through Port.” 

“They can, but we have the ability to monitor for ships.” She admitted. “It’s part of the system.” 

He nodded. “I know. I’ve worked with Patrol before. When you check on me...” He grinned. “And you will, because I insist on it! You’ll find records.” 

“Good to know. Yes, we will be able to tell if they leave the planet other than Port, and if they come here, we’ve got them.” 

“They may. They won’t know you’re on to them.” 

“I fussed about the lights.” She pondered this. “That official...” 

“Mitch Johnson?” 

“He dismissed me. Like I was a child telling fairy tales.” 

“You think he’s in on it?” 

He picked up the glass carefully and drank from it. 

“I do. I was distracted at the time, but now, looking back, I think he was blowing me off deliberately.” 

“I have to wonder what they are hiding here that is worth so much death.” 

“The death on New Texas, could that have been related?” She set her mug down, empty. 

He finished his coffee in a long swig. “I doubt it. The man accused Kallinokos of cheating him in a poker game.” 

“What were the stakes?” Lyndi headed for the exterior hatch. 

“High,” Davis got there about the same time that she did and looked down at her, one hand on the wheel. “I don’t want you out there.” 

“Partners.” She put her hands on her hips. “You pull me back in if something sucks me out when it opens.” 

He shook his head. “This gets more complicated. But I knew that, and I didn’t care. Still don’t. Give me your hand when I’m ready, all right?” 

“All right,” She agreed, and he grunted with effort, loosening the wheel and then turning it slowly until they could hear the seal break. 

Lyndi reached out one hand, and he took it, then he pulled the hatch towards himself. There was no suction of wind when he did. A pile of sand sifted in, over the sill. 

“Power is still out, up there.” Lyndi reported. “Piled up sand as far as I can see. A draft, but no real wind.” 

“Building still there?” Davis followed her tug on his hand, and came out with her. They looked up together. It was dark, which seemed to indicate a building was at least mostly there. Davis clicked on his flashlight. 

The sand was loose and made walking up the stairs difficult. 

“This isn’t natural.” Davis commented on it. 

“No.” Lyndi agreed. “Please turn off the flashlight. I don’t think we want to attract... things.” 

He switched it off, looked at it in the dim light, and then dropped it into the sand. They pushed open the door into the corridor, both of them leaning on it to get it to move against the sand piled up against it. Then they stepped out into the blasting sunlight of Sumire. 

Across the far horizon, in the morning sun, the clouds looked like a snow-capped mountain range. What was left of the building around them framed it perfectly, adding to the illusion. Through the open wall, they could see that there were no ships still standing in the Port itself. There were other buildings that looked intact, from a distance. Sumire shimmered in the morning heat. There was no other visible movement. 

***

My prompt this week came from AC Young, with "In the morning sun, the clouds looked like a snow-capped mountain range."

I prompted 'Nother Mike with "he nursed his wounded hand"

You can read all of the prompt responses over at More Odds Than Ends. I'll have a link up to Dust Storm when it's live!