Out of the Sands: A Short Story

By S. A. Gibson and Safa Shaqsy

Egypt has arisen after the Collapse. And the reopened Bibliotheca Alexandrina has hired Aaleyah to survey the archaeological riches of the nation.

Hiring on aerialist Sunil, recommended by the Library, seems simple for Aaleyah’s mapping of the pyramids until they’re aloft and an attack causes all manner of trouble for the pair. Before Aaleyah can make her way back to her Ministry of Antiquities, she’ll find help from a desert patriarch, and face the fact that something quite nefarious is afoot with the Royal house of Hakor. Once on the trek across the desert sands, Sunil uncovers within himself something he never realized he was capable of.

Joined by Chike, a Librarian scout, Sunil and Aaleyah are pulled into an adventure none had foreseen. Both Aaleyah’s knife, a Kard antique, and Chike's sword will flash and defend the Royal house in this post-apocalyptic setting. Sunil will stand loyal: for the King, the artifacts of the past, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Win or lose, the trio must cross hundreds of kilometers to save the past and guide the future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S. A. Gibson
• Release date: Nov 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9791220225038

Book preview

Out of the Sands

short story

S. A. Gibson

and

Safa Shaqsy

Out of the Sands

Copyright © S. A. Gibson and Safa Shaqsy. 2017.

Published by S. A. Gibson.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any others means without permission.

First Edition.

The cover was provided especially for this book by Safa Shaqsy.

Devoted to the friends and family who made it possible to find the time and space for this series. Thanks to EJ Runyon for development editing assistance. Thanks to Jesse Frankel for line editing assistance. Thanks to Aiki Flinthart for sword fighting tips.

Preview

In a future where technology is lost, it falls to Destiny and Alfonso to travel through time and fight to save the future of the Pacific Northwest. Go on the dangerous journey with them in this short story.Egypt has arisen after the Collapse. And the reopened Bibliotheca Alexandrina has hired Aaleyah to survey the archaeological riches of the nation.

Hiring on aerialist Sunil, recommended by the Library, seems simple for Aaleyah’s mapping of the pyramids until they’re aloft and an attack causes all manner of trouble for the pair. Before Aaleyah can make her way back to her Ministry of Antiquities, she’ll find help from a desert patriarch, and face the fact that something quite nefarious is afoot with the Royal house of Hakor. Once on the trek across the desert sands, Sunil uncovers within himself something he never realized he was capable of.

Joined by Chike, a Librarian scout, Sunil and Aaleyah are pulled into an adventure none had foreseen. Both Aaleyah’s knife, a Kard antique, and Chike's sword will flash and defend the Royal house in this post-apocalyptic setting. Sunil will stand loyal: for the King, the artifacts of the past, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Win or lose, the trio must cross hundreds of kilometers to save the past and guide the future.

Djoser Step Pyramid - Sunil

Aaleyah hung on the swaying basket, half of her body out in the air, a perfect silhouette, and she called back to Sunil, There it is. She then pointed down. Djoser's step pyramid.

They’d been drifting closer since noon. Sunil had noticed, but had focused more on his job. Her sketch pad was pulled out again. Take us down. She insisted, I need to see it more clearly.Should be no problem at all.

Sunil adjusted the flame feeding the envelope. Going down. Looks like they’ve got weapons. He spied out the ballista but kept that thought to himself, his balloon, his worry. We need to be careful.

They won’t care about this old balloon, will they? Aaleyah’d been so confident. He’d explained, during their small talk, all the terms on their way here, it passed the time with his customers. How the envelope is what real aerialists call the balloon itself. We’re just mapping historical sites for the government, she reminded him.

They don’t know that. He’d seen some bows pointed at his means of livelihood. She must have missed them. He kept up his frequent looks, down, then up at the balloon’s burners.

Because next he heard, Get closer. I want to see who’s down there.

All Sunil noticed was that large device. What is that?

Now Aaleyah’s neck craned back out over the basket’s edge. Sunil risked a longer look, and couldn’t take his eyes from the ground. Yes. Ballista.

Don’t know. No need to panic her. Eyes still downward, his hands do all the work on their own, applying more flame. We’re leaving. And they ascended a slow meter skyward.

Oh, no! She jumped back against him. The basket swayed and Aaleyah’d grab onto Sunil like all passengers had done at one point or another at some time during the flight.

What? In