The Trek Into The Gobi
The International School of Macao, Danielle Varga, Fiction: Group 2
T
he red jeep pulled up on the driveway and Scarlette and Mayson walked down to it,
their shoes crackling on the rocky ground. They were explorers who had travelled all
over the globe searching for fossils, and now their destination was The Gobi, but only
one problem stood in their way. His name was Eilka, the leader of the Akas, a tribe of
greedy men willing to take anybody’s life if they came to close to their only source of money, the
precious fossils of the Gobi.
As they brushed the anxious thoughts off their minds, they got ready to get in the jeep
and start their journey. “Wait!” shouted Amy, their daughter, who was staying behind with her
grandmother. “ Promise you’ll come back safe!”
“Of course. We’ll be back sooner than you think,” replied Scarlette.
“I’ll miss you,” the little girl whimpered.
“It won’t be that bad,” Scarlette held her in her arms a little longer.
“Let’s go!” called Mayson. Amy waved, sadness in her eyes.
While they drove away, worries began to cross Scarlette’s mind. “I’m scared, Mayson.”
“Don’t worry. It’s just another job,” said Mayson calmingly.
“It is three whole weeks,” she said uncertainly.
“It will pass very quickly, you’ll see.” They finally pulled up to a landing spot where a small
plane awaited them.
“All aboard!” croaked the pilot.
As they heard the “clink!” of their rusty seatbelts, all Scarlette felt was regret.
“We are here!” cried Mayson. They scanned the horizon, with mountainous sand dunes as far
as they could see. Soon nightfall came and they slept silently, without knowing that Eilka was
there once again watching them.
“Don’t worry Scarlette,” he laughed evilly. “I am stirring up trouble already.”
The next morning when they awoke, Scarlette had a feeling that something was very wrong.
“Morning! I hope you’re ready! Time to go!” said Mayson cheerfully.
Scarlette wasn’t listening though. She could hear a low rumbling coming from behind her.
When she turned around, it was too late. A sandstorm hit them full blast, bringing them to their
knees, eyes painfully scratched by sand. Fingernails dug deep into the dry clay. They tried to hold
on, but found it almost impossible. After what seemed like an eternity, the storm grew weaker.
“Mayson?” called out Scarlette.
“I’m over here,” said Mayson in a hoarse voice. They found each other, making their way
through the sandy air, guiding themselves with their hands. “Let’s set up camp,” he added. “Night
is falling.”
With the day behind them, they soon fell into a deep sleep.
“Well, I didn’t think they would make it, but they did,” cackled Eilka. “If nature can’t stop
them, I will.”
When morning came, they started another day of trekking. Tired though they were, they
knew the mine was nearby.
Many hours later when she could barely feel her blistered feet, Scarlet groaned, “I’m
