A Week In The Desert


It was December 1920, a cold winter evening in Russia and Anna had just said goodbye to her father as he left for England. The cold winter was starting to get more severe as Anna's mother prepared to pack her two brothers for shelter so they could stay warm else where. Grandpa's old cabin in the valley was the only option at that point, the house had began to leak and there was no way knowing when it was to be fixed. Anna's mother decided that they would all go to the cabin up the hill so they could warm up. They packed some bags and off they went, a cold long yet a journey that was worth it, hopefully. As they were on their way, two guards were standing at the border between the country and valley, they asked if Anna and her family would step out of the wagon so they could do a search, so they stepped out and the soldiers swept the cabin. "There's nothing here," said the taller officer "Clear, here as well," said the other,  By now Anna and her mother were quite confused as to what was going on. "May I ask the situation?," said Anna's mother in a worried tone. "Just protocol," he said in a calm voice, and Anna's mother quickly grabbed the kids and went into their wagon to resume their trip. A quiet and worried ride took place right after the situation with the officers, nobody spoke. "Are you all okay?" said Anna's mother. "Just fine," said the kids "Well, that’s good," Anna's mother said with a smile. As they approached the cabin it was looking as perfect as ever from where they were standing but didn't realize it wasn't alright. As they entered with their bags they noticed a leak on the roof where the snow lied in their as well.
 
Amina, A Week, 2
This really made them all very worried because they had little money and not really a place to go. They sat in the snow for hours until a rusty wagon came to their direction and approached them. "Mother, mother! It might be those angry soldiers again!" nervously said Anna. "Stand behind me" said Anna's mother and that's just what they did. A foreign looking man approached them as he asked what was going on, and if they needed help. "Our cabin has a leak, we can't fix it and we've got nowhere to go, "We'll manage, sir" be on your way," The man looked at Anna's mother and her siblings and repeatedly insisted on Anna and her family coming with him to stay at his wealthy home in the Country. "Well, sir that's very generous of you, are you sure?"  "Yes I insist, I couldn't possibly leave a woman and her three children to freeze in the winter like this, please come inside," A skeptical Anna and her mother followed the man into his corroded wagon and off they went. They pulled up to a large brick mansion and to their surprise they had a man open the door for them waiting for them to step out, "Ma, is this real?" said Anna, "I believe so" Anna's mother gazed down at her feeling lucky as they made their way into the home. "Make yourselves right at home, please" said the man. Anna's mother was still wondering why he was so helpful when they didn't know each other, and in Russia it was indeed rare to find somebody like this. "You must be a foreigner? I don't mean that in offense it's just that--," "I am" said the man cutting off Anna's mother. "I am from a desert called Warqa in Arabia," he said proudly. "What brings you here, to Russia?" said Anna's mother, "Adventure and life" said the man in a calm and mesmerized voice. "Adventure and new beginnings, I want to meet new people," he said.  
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"Well, you left the warm weather for cold and discomfort didn't you?" "No, I feel like everywhere is my home," he said. So they sat down in the warm living room drinking hot cocoa as they listened to the man tell his story. "Growing up I was the youngest of five siblings and my family didn't have much money during that time so it was kind of difficult to keep up with other wealthy children. I really wanted to be someone and make my life filled with happiness. Not too long from then, the people of the Arab world discovered pearl fishing. Pearl fishing became such a success and my family earned so much money from it. We instantly saw our lives changing for the better, we became more whole. Later on I realized life would be boring if I couldn't share my wealth with anyone. I want to find people who amused me and I was fascinated by," Everybody looked at this man almost hypnotized and they seemed to be so interested in his story.  "I want to bring somebody back with me, to show them the life in Arabia, to also let them feel alive as I did coming here and leaving my home country," The family looked at one another at this man's offer and had no idea how to feel about it. They barely knew him and it was too far from home, what if their father returned? what would he say? thoughts spilled in the den as they contemplated going with this man to 'feel more alive' their mother went ahead and asked the man why he was inviting us, as he responded "I set out n a journey 2 days ago as I left this cabin and said to myself the first people I see  will be my company, I set out to find partners and people to discover life with, so when I found you guys sitting on the front porch with two leaking roofs, I knew it was written," The room went in silence as if it was fate that put them all there in that moment. Anna's mother stood up and said "We will come with you, but you have to promise not to abandon us, no matter what" He shook his head and said "Why would I abandon giving somebody else a reason to live?" as they set off.
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They finally arrive in Warqa and the desert plains are looking more foreign to them than ever. The family in confusion but at the same time excited to begin their new journey in the lands. They stayed there for one week and had the most fun adventures. They felt the desert heat as a blessing and it made them realize that the world is so big. This man has been a guide to the family and they are so thankful for him. Many years later they continued to connect and they all lived happily ever after