Sandstorm | Draft - 1

This is just one of a few smaller shorts I've been writing, these stories are going to short while hinting at more of the world-building that connects the void together. But also- Smut. Sex, and a lot of mental entrapment galore. This story should only have this one draft, with the next part being the full release.

So, while it's just the start, please enjoy.
As always, feedback is highly encouraged, (it helps so much oml).

                                                                                                                       

“Elizabeth Carter- Right? I nearly screamed when I saw the email. To think that she reached out to me of all people. I mean, I'm not that big. Still, it turns out she'd read my research papers and seemed legitimately impressed. Holy fuck Jen, she even privately funded the whole expedition with extra. This is my big chance, I'll be able to finally get out of here and make my own life, maybe by the ocean.” 

I've been waiting almost 8 years for this opportunity; with my hands in the dirt since I was six, I've been working my ass off studying the unique minerals and elements in the region, as well as the occasional rare artifact. Elizabeth wanted me to find something very specific and I think.. I just about… “Got it.” 

“Shit it's cold.. Jen? Are you still there? You're breaking up- No, I didn't get an alert. Jen? Fuck it, I'll call you later, this shitty service is pissing me off. Sorry-” Shit, I hope he's not mad at me for dropping her so easily, especially with how worried she gets.

But that wasn’t something I could worry about now. Something about the air was wrong.. Following my instincts, I peered around the corner and my heart sank.

I’d been so focused on carefully prying the object from the rock it was lodged in for the last two hours; sitting behind an old ghost town saloon in the middle of a nowhere, that I hadn't noticed the rapidly approaching wall of dust in the distance, shimmering like waves in the heat of the sun. Shit, shit, shit.

A strong gust of wind nearly blew my hat off before I scurried back behind the building. Using my inferred radar, I calculated that it would hit town in the next two hours. I was still an hour out already so I had time but only so much with how fast it was moving. Gathering my wits, I decided to continue studying the find as instructed. Elizabeth asked for me specifically for a reason, I could stay a little longer to do some tests.

The object in question was pretty small, but still hefty. Whatever material that comprised it had to be pretty dense. “It's dark in color but oddly translucent, similar in appearance to obsidian. The scratch test put it above a 10 on the Mohs hardness scale. Unscratchable, even by my diamond press kit, putting it way higher on other scales. It puts most other exotic material to shame.” 

I continued logging my findings for a bit before packing up as quickly as I could. The town I was in had absolutely no infrastructure, typically only groups of desert partiers, gangs, and tourists came out this way. People looking to get away for whatever reason. Especially since the empty saloon remained almost untouched by nature, making it a common attraction.

Right, so my name is Megan Slater. Under appreciated academic overachiever extraordinaire at your service. Dark olive green eyes, gorgeous black hair done up in a ponytail, pretty freckles as red as the sand blasting my face. Essentially, I'm beautiful and smart- not like that means shit out here.

Dusty jeans, white crop top, white ten gallon hat. I made it work, at least as best I could. Peeling skin, dry pores, and covered in dirt, the typical summer desert look. I would be a goddess of beauty if I just had some fucking moisture.

Anyway- With the object secured in a small box in my pocket and my equipment back in the car, it was finally time to get the fuck out of dodge. The encroaching dust storm had risen up to kiss the sun, and I didn't want to be close enough to fall into its shadow. “Ok, Meg. Let's go.”

Quickly shifting my car into high gear and started to roll down the long ass empty road. Cops be damned, one of my windows was cracked and I needed to get my car in the garage at home, especially since I have all my expensive ass gear in here. Not to mention..

This haboob- Yes, that's what they're called, shut up. Was bigger than I had originally guessed, crackling thunder echoed behind me as I burned rubber to get the fuck out of there. Flying down the road at 80 mph (128 kmh) wasn't the brightest idea, but I wasn't about to let my all my money down the drain. Normally it's best to pull over and let it pass over you-

“What?... Holy shit!” 

The ground rumbled beneath my car as a cascading series of thunder claps roared across the desert and nearly caused me to swerve off the road but I managed to regain control. In my rearview mirror I watched bright blue lightning thrash wildly inside the looming dust cloud… Wait, blue?

This was not a normal storm, and while studying it would be great for my career, not ending up dead would be amazing for my life. So- “Oh shit!” I swerved out of the way in time and somehow managed to keep my wheels on the road.

A rusty red pickup truck shot past before slowing down considerably, something was wrong. The car wobbled and shook violently as it came to a rather quick stop. Then, a short blonde girl jumped out of the car and immediately started waving at me. I immediately recognized who it was, one of the Terenzi sisters; Georgina Terenzi, though most people just called her GG. She looked rough, but her truck looked worse. Blue flakes of dust burned off the back half of the vehicle like embers, crackling with static electricity. Which I guess made some kind of sense with all the charged particles in the air… But again, it was blue.

I quickly pulled up to the frightened young woman and threw open the door. GG was two years younger than me at 23, while her older sister Priscilla Terenzi was 35. Priscilla had practically raised Georgina herself and their relationship was pretty strong… So why was GG out here by herself?

“Megan!” Georgina squeaked as she climbed inside and quickly closed the door. After fumbling with the janky ass seat belt for a second she was buckled in, and we were accelerating down the endless road towards town. “They left me with that piece of junk and it nearly fell apart on me!” She cried.

“Who left you? Wasn’t that your car? I thought you just got it for your birthday?” Glancing into the rearview mirror, the pickup truck only continued to shake and shudder. The rust had overtaken the vehicle and it eventually fell off the road and onto its side, caked in so much dirt you’d think it’d been there for over a decade.

“Prissy! And John, Elaine, and Mara. They thought it would be funny to drive off without me and leave me practically stranded… And yeah. It was my car like.. Ten years ago, and my birthday isn’t until the 18th.” Georgina corrected while furrowing her brow, the girl was definitely confused- “I’m s-sorry b-but is it ok if I..?”

“Oh, uh. It’s fine, just try to stay quiet?” I whispered, not really understanding what she was asking permission for.. Or why I answered as if I did. So of course, I wasn’t too surprised when the mousy blonde popped open her jean shorts before slowly, very slowly, slid her left hand underneath the hem of the mint green panties.

“Thank you Meg. I’m not used to it yet, the mark- I mean.” GG blushed, though something about what she said only confused me more. What did she mean by not being used to it? That didn’t make any sense.

“You’ve been at the Devil’s Advocate for what? Almost ten years, what do you mean you’re not used to it?” The local strip club, of course it’s more of a lounge than a club but I never go anyway. Everyone in town is more than happy to gossip about it so I already get my fill. Still, it’s common knowledge; the girls who work there get paid really fucking well sure, but it’s at a <i>steep</i> cost- even if some would call it a blessing. A womb tattoo; a binding curse that causes a number of effects, including but not limited to: Increased libido, decreased intelligence, deep loyalty to the club, a desire to find more girls, to spread the curse, <i>to be a siren calling the lost into a deep embrace…</i>

I don’t remember pulling over, but I didn’t really care. I was lost for a moment, but Georgina’s soft pink lips pressing into my neck reminded me that this was good… This was pleasure. Her hands roamed freely, gripping and groping my boobs with almost too much force, but I wouldn’t, couldn’t complain. This was bliss.

...

Wait a second.
Wait a fucking second.
No, something was wrong.
Something was really really fucking wrong.

A faint red glow caught my eye as I pushed Georgina back into her seat. The silver haired girl just tilted her head at me with wide eyes.. No, that wasn’t Georgina.. Not anymore. Glancing over at the source of the light, it was the case I’d put the artifact in.

Either by Instincts or habit I reached to close the box, and suddenly my whole body was covered in a red outline. All while-  ‘she’ watched me with curiosity. Now, at least I had some idea of the situation..

Turns out the artifact isn’t from this reality at all, and whatever was causing the dust storm is after it, aka after me. Great. Not to mention that the storm was full of some kind of energy that altered reality. Hence.. Whatever happened to Georgina when she escaped it. Though that didn’t explain the strip club? Fucking womb tattoos!? That was not a real fucking thing this morning.

Not that I could argue with the information pouring into my mind. “What’s your name?” I asked the woman sitting in passenger seat of my car. Unlike Georgina, she seemed much taller, older, with long straight silvery hair and deep pink eyes that gave me butterflies.

"Minoa, but you know that... Irene, is everything ok? I'm sorry if I got too rough.."