The Desert Rose

All great things are born through sacrifices, and sacrifices are always a choice. Between the past and the future, between the near and the far. once, a beauty fell in love with a man forbidden to her. she cherished this love like the northerners cherished the sun, like a mother protect her child, like we hide our greatest treasures. Her feelings were so great that they transformed into a beautiful flower with thorns--a talisman against the evil eye. That was how a rose appeared in the middle of the desert. Day after day, the woman waited for her lover, but he didn't come--only a faint echo answered her tears. Then one day, he finally came. she threw herself into his arms without knowing they were the arms of death. The young man was a traitor. No one knew about his evil deeds. No one but the poor, lonely flower. The rose seemed to be crying from within, staining it's petals with crimson blood of it's owner. The woman whose love was as radiant as the sun, and as deep as the quicksand of Sahara. Pure, selfless love endowed the flower with special healing properties. They were rumors that even it's scent could heal, and one of it's petal is enough to work miracles. All travelers went mad trying to find it. They didn't know that their lust for power, their thirst for destruction, their greed--none of this were love. And the rose was born through love. They're still looking for it till this day, but it drifts away like a mirage. They say however, that the rose is still there---waiting for someone who will make the right choice without betraying the power of love. *** SAO PAULO 2000s several hours had passed, but there was still no answer to the question raised. jack looked through his notes, again and again, desperately searching for something. "I'm hopeless.I'm hopeless!" His desk is piled with papers covered with strange notes. "it's impossible, it's stupid..." He muttered to himself in frustration, crumpling another sheet of paper in his fist. closing his eyes, jack tried to pull himself together, but his despair was stronger than his willpower. His face turned into a frown as he slammed his fist on the desk in frustration, knocking over a mug. The papers that flew everywhere, left jack unmoved. when suddenly..."wait a minute, is it really...?!" He suddenly noticed something useful among the scattered papers. His old fire and confidence flooded back. "well, of course! I should've known better! I have to go! now." He looked at the mirror and smiled at his reflection for the first time in a while. *** Sefer Morocco 2000s Yasmin often smiled at her reflection at the mirror but not today. 'Today there's another meeting in the house, where my only job is to be pretty and silent.' thinking of this alone frustrated her. "Yasmin, do you need help? Mr kadir ordered me to get you ready." A woman voice rang out. Every event like this started the Same way. but then, so did every other day. 'They ask me to behave. They control me."Mr. kadir ordered" is repeated hundreds of times a day.' "Yasmin, let me help." The woman got up from the sofa and shuffled to the mirror. 'shuffling is Zuleka's signature style.' she was like a mother to Yasmin and looked after her with a particular kind of fearfulness. "you look great today! please wear one of these Dresses." she pointed to some beautiful dresses. 'if I had my way...' "you wouldn't leave the room, but for Mr. kadir." Zuleka completed her thoughts. 'Mr. kadir never asks my opinion.' I turned to the dresses. "okay, let's see what we have here." I choosed a bright yellow dawn dress and wore it. "you look stunning!" Zuleka complimented as usual. As Yasmin sat down on the sofa, a question popped into her head. she abruptly turned to Zuleka. "Answer me truthfully: do you know who our guest will be today?" Zuleka shook her head sharply without saying a word. she just carefully sat down next to her. 'she usually starts smiling strangely and fiddling with her turban when she's lying.' Yasmin stared intently at Zuleka, trying to catch her red-handed. But she saw neither the stupid smile nor the fiddling. 'she's not lying... it's odd.' An unsettling feeling swept over her like a wave. Yasmin went to the open window. she wanted to climb up on the roof and stay there until the guests had all left. 'let me watch the city that I know so well. And also that I don't know at all. I want to watch the sun rise... wait till it gets dark.' Her train of thought was broken by the sudden sound of angry voices from downstairs. she quiet her thoughts and focus on the voice from downstairs, she could pick up somethings. "I'm not going to serve lamp today! why should it be me?" she heard a female voice. "it's your duty, Leila!" Another female voice rang out. "oh! They're fighting again! I'll go sort it out." Zuleka said as she stood up from the sofa. "wait for me, I can't Miss this!" she said rushing after Zuleka.