The Sahara Slumber

Chapter 1

About a month ago I graduated high school, I just had my birthday two days after I graduated. it's the first week of June and I woke up out of my sleep because I had to use the bathroom I looked at the clock on my phone, it's 5 a.m. I have a few more hours until I have to officially wake up. I have a flight to catch I'm going to Brooklyn, New York to stay for the summer with my cousin Keyshia. I haven't seen her in 3 years and some change. It's about to be lit when I touch down. We are supposed to visit Jay-Z's "Book of HOV" exhibit in Brooklyn's public library. After I finished using the bathroom I check my phone for text messages It's a few from Boo Daddy and my cousin saying she can't wait to see me and Boo Daddy said he was going to miss me. I replied to both of them telling my cousin I couldn't wait either and telling my favorite person that I have that effect on people. 5 minutes later when neither of them responded, I didn't expect them to either cause of what time it was so I went back to sleep.

8:15 A.M

*BANGING ON DOOR*

"JOZZ WAKE UP, IT'S 8:15 AND YOU HAVE A FLIGHT TO CATCH IN 15 MINUTES and I'm not going to keep waking ma up out of her fat girl sleep."

That was my sister April telling me to get up. I threw my covers on the floor trying to figure out what I was going to wear but I hurried up and washed my face and brushed my teeth and I was undecided about what I was going to wear so I just put on some black tights with my white and black graphic tee that had Aaliyah on it with my white Air Forces. I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I'm just glad my mama Mariah told me to put my stuff in the car last night because she just had a feeling this situation would happen. I had that feeling like I had forgotten something but I don't know what.

BEEP BEEP BEEP !!!!

JOZZ!!!! HURRY UP YOU HAVE TO GET ON THAT FLIGHT AND I'M NOT HELPING YOU TO TAKE YOUR SUITCASES TO THE AIRPORT !!

"Maybe you should you could lose a few pounds" I busted out laughing at April.

I'm heading to my mom's car she just bought it's a red 2023 Kia Telluride. She said needed a truck that fit her and it does.

I hopped in the front seat and then I remembered I had forgotten my flat irons I said "April!! can you go in the bathroom and get my pink flat irons?

She replied "No, you should have remembered to put them in the truck with your luggage last night, I bet you ain't forget that phone though"

I rolled my eyes, I can't stand her sometimes.

"She has a point"

I looked at my mom like "yea whatever"

Chapter 2

Five minutes later we arrived at the airport I checked the time on my Phone and it was 8:22.

Thank God the airport is 5 minutes away. I'm on time but then again I have to get my airline ticket checked and that could take 30 minutes or longer I went to the correct line.

"I'm going to miss you," April said and I replied "Keep it playa, and if Sean gets out of line please hit my line.

She said "Bet" I rushed into the line and it was a lady who looked two years older than me and she was pregnant AND had two kids next to her with no help. One kid was crying and she told the little boy "Stop crying before I give you something to cry about.

I smirked a little because I remember my used to tell me that when I was A kid.

It was 8:32.

I was like please hurry but in reality, she was going fast I was next in line.

Thank you, Jesus!

I handed the woman my flight ticket. She was pretty, She had long burgundy hair with curls and she had a cute small shape. She told me her name was Melanie. Melanie typed some information on the computer. All of a sudden this tattoed light-skinned guy entered the airport. Me and the handling lady looked at each other and immediately started to blush. I told her "Girl he is so fine" and she agreed. She was still staring at him when he came behind me I remembered that I had a boyfriend.

I did a slight turn and said hey and Melanie said "Here's your ticket and enjoy your flight I grabbed it without checking and I whispered "Girl you better get him" I winked. Then I ran because I was running late. All the seats I saw were filled I saw an empty seat next to an older man who was eating. I introduced myself and we exchanged names his name is Carl. He told me that he just turned 64 last month. I smiled. I smelled a whiff of his breath and that was it for me because his breath smelled like he just ate two cans of poop for breakfast. I mean I had to rush AND STILL brushed my teeth but I can't judge because we all have a bad day. I sat up a little bit and reached for my earphones and I could hear the pilot on the intercom saying something but I'm pretty sure he's just making sure that we had our seatbelts on. I will just ask Carl when we arrive in New York.

45 minutes later as I was listening to some soul Lo-fi I drifted off to sleep,

Chapter 3

I felt a little pull on my shirt. "Ma'am, wake up! we have arrived"

I yawned and looked around and said "Where are we" The flight attendant said we are at the Dakhla airport.

I said WHAT! this can't be! I'm supposed to be at John F. Kennedy Airport.

The flight attendant said "I'm sorry but you have to leave, the cleaning crew is waiting.

I said "Who can I speak to"

The flight attendant said, "You can speak to anyone on the Dakhla airport team".

I got my luggage and went to speak to someone about my problem.

I walked up to a lady in a brown and white uniform.

She said "Isizulu"

I responded. "Do you speak English?"

She looked at me confused and pointed to a person who looked like they couldn't speak English either. But I went ahead anyway. She shouted at the man and said something in their language then he approached me.

Hi

I said "Thank you, Jesus, you can speak English"

The man laughed and said yes I learned how to speak English when I was in high school.

I told him my situation and he took me to his desk and looked for the next flight going to California. He told me "I have some good news and bad news, the good news is it's a flight" I got excited. "The bad news is that it is next week on Thursday."

I said "What am I gonna do for the next 7 days"

He said, "Well I Could get you a hotel room and since US dollars is no good here, I will pay for it".

I said "Thank you, I have to call my people and tell them about this"

I remembered I put my phone inside of my pink and cheetah suitcase. I took it out and what do you know my phone was dead. "Just great."

I had another problem my sister and my mom changed their numbers and I don't know my dad's number by heart. I had forgotten to exchange names with him so I said "Hey Mr." What is your name?

He said it's Ralph and I said my name is Jozz. Then I asked him if he had an iPhone charger and he said "no" so I asked him if he could ask one of his coworkers he did and they all said no.

I said to myself I'm in the Sahara Desert with no phone and my cousin is probably waiting on me and I'm on the other side of the country.

Chapter 4

Ralph took me to this hotel as we were driving I saw brown, clay houses. We finally made it to the hotel called the "Masera Old Village" This hotel looked like it was haunted if this hotel was in America I would not have stayed at this hotel.

Ralph told me that he made a few calls and that the room was already set up for me.

We got out of the car and he grabbed my luggage and we went inside. He was speaking in his language. I just observed my surroundings, the maids had just finished cleaning up because I saw a mop bucket and it smelled like bleach and Pine-Sol, I just knew my room was going to be clean.

Ralph had left and he left me with this lady named "Mary" She had Ralph write out where my room was and where can I find the ice machine.

Ok room 213, Take the elevator and walk past three rooms.

OK, I grabbed my luggage and did what the note said.

Before I could walk into the room good mildew instantly hit my nostrils. There was nothing in the room except for a bathroom. I was scared to sit on the bed because of bedbugs, I have had a bad experience with bed bugs. I placed my luggage by the bed just in case.

I did not have anyone that I could speak English. All of a sudden, I heard someone screaming. I'm nosey but I'm not like a white person who goes and finds out where the sound is coming from. I immediately run to the bathroom and it's mildew mansion. Mildew was in every corner there was mildew. I was so creeped out. I had gotten goosebumps. I heard screaming again but this time I also heard somebody saying help, My caring instincts kicked in I really wanted to go find out so I could help them,

I could hear Mary's voice I thought she was going to figure out what was the problem, so I stayed put in the bathroom AKA Mildew Mansion.

I heard a knock on my door I did not say who is it because I was paranoid. I heard knocking for the second time. "Jozz, open the door and when I did she handed me a note I guessed Ralph had written before he left. On the note, it said "It's me, Mary I'm just making sure you were okay, let me know if you need anything"

I went and opened the door wider. I nodded my head yes everything is ok. I use the sign language gesture putting my pointing finger together with my thumb.

About 20 minutes later I could hear screaming again. I could hear a man and a woman arguing.

I cannot stay in this hotel any longer.

SQWELP! SHUNK! PHONK!

I did not hear anything.

I poked my head out of the door.

I see this tall white man holding a grocery bag with a bloody shirt and a knife that was ripping the bag.

Oh no, he must have killed that lady.

My caring instincts came in.

I went to the room where the door was wide open and the smell of death instantly hit my nostrils.

I walked to the bathroom and I saw the lady that was screaming dead. He had cut her throat. And now he is trying to throw away the evidence. I had a feeling that he was coming back so I quickly left the room.

Just like I thought the man was coming back. I closed the hotel room door a little bit so I could see what he was about to do next.

He could tell someone was in the room.

He took a huge deep breath in.

I could see him looking around like someone was in the room after he left.

He took out his phone.

surprisingly he can speak English.

"It's done" I heard him say.

"I think someone was in here after I left to hide the evidence, I smell a sweet scent".

Dang, it is my Jimmy Choo perfume that my mama had got me.

I closed and locked my door and then I sat in the chair until I drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 5

The next morning, it was chaos. I could hear people speaking. Some were screaming and some were crying.

I used the bathroom and then went just to go see what happened.

I opened the room door and I saw madness.

The police were everywhere and mortuary transporters left with the body.

Mary shouted "CAN EVERYONE PLEASE JUST STAY IN YOUR ROOMS, THE DETECTIVES HAS TO TAKE PICTURES. I WILL LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT OCCURRED ON THE INTERCOM, THANK YOU"

I saw Ralph dropping someone off.

For some reason, I was happy to see Ralph. I guess because I know he is the only one who can speak English besides the killer.

Hey Jozz, can I speak to you for a second?

I said yes.

What happened last night after I left?

Suddenly the killer walked by and said "What's up, Ralph?

Ralph replied "I am curious about what happened last night, the killer looked at me and asked Ralph if could he introduce us.

Ralph said "I will let her introduce herself to you,"

"Mr. Ralph, can you come here for a second?

Said the detective.

Then Ralph left. I told the killer that my name is Jasmine because I did not want him to know my real name.

Nice to meet you, My name is George and that is a sweet smell that you have on it, like I have smelled it somewhere before.

OH no he has an idea I thought.

Thank you, and it has been a pleasure meeting you I said.

Do you have to go so soon?

Yes, I need to take a shower and clear my mind.

"OK, I guess I'll see you around then. He winked.

Ok, yes you will.

I went back to the hotel room. I started to overthink.

"I wonder if he remembered the scent from last night"

"How does he know Ralph"

"Could they be in on it together?"

I had to play it smart. I was not going to be a victim.

I went to go take a shower. I didn't want to because of the mildew.

I took it like a G and took a shower anyway.

The shower looked pretty decent.

The shower curtain was blue with flowers on it.

The bathtub was surprisingly clean.

Once I finished, I got dressed, I put on a white tank top with some cotton blue shorts and my cow bedroom shoes I like to be comfortable I was hungry so I went to the kitchen.

This kitchen is dingy-looking.

I saw a box full of chips so I helped myself grabbed two of the nacho cheese Doritos and went back to the room. Because of anything else that had I was not going to eat.

Once i made it back to the room, I noticed the door was halfway cracked. I had it closed all the way.

Hey, Ralph said I will come talk to you in a few minutes I heard some lady was killed here last night.

Hey Mary, did anyone find out who could have killed the lady? Speaking in the Tubu language.

We will know within an hour because this hotel has cameras in every hallway. Mary replied speaking in the Tubu language.

I have some good news for you. I found out that it's a flight that leaves today at 3 to go back to the United States to Atlanta. Ralph told me.

I was excited. I did not want to eat anymore.

Last night was crazy, and today has been even crazier.

I thought.

Ralph, what time is it?

1 pm. You better hurry and get your stuff together.

No worries, my luggage is already packed can I just go with you right now?

Sure I don't see why not.

I zoomed back to the room. and I grabbed everything that I had brought with me. I didn't even look back.

Goodbye, Mildew Mansion. I said

Ralph and Mary were conversing.

Mary said to me that they found the person who killed the lady.

Another tenant spoke up. And it was George, I just could not believe it. Went to school together. Ralph said.

I showed sympathy, but I was eager to leave.

Ralph and I were carrying my luggage to his car when we were walking it just so happened that George was getting arrested.

He looked at me and said "I KNOW YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS ! TRUST ME, I'LL FIND YOU"

I was shocked.

But then I had to realize I was in another country and he does not know what state I live in or anything so I was not concerned.

A police officer walked up to me.

"Can I ask a question?"

sure. I said

"Why does he think you told on him?"

I replied "I Do not know I was in the hotel room taking out my sleeping clothes when the killing occurred.

He began to write in his notepad.

"I will get back to you if we need more information."

Then I hopped in Ralph's car and we headed to the airport.

As Ralph was driving he Informed me that I should be very careful because he knows people that knows people that could harm me. He went on to say "I hope you didn't tell him your real name or anything personal"

No, I didn't. I said

"Good, because he is real dangerous and smart but I wanna know why he said that to you?"

"Ok after the screaming stopped I peeked out my room and I saw a man that was walking down the hallway with a grocery bag with a bloody shirt and a knife ripping out of it"

Ralph's eyes got big.

" But I didn't know who it was"

"Do you know how much trouble you could be in for not speaking up?!"

"Yes I know, but I was scared and I did not want George to come back and kill me too".

"That is understandable, Next time please tell someone, and don't worry I won't tell on you, I won't tell anyone because if I tell, bystanders could overhear and tell George or his friends and I live here so, I will be easy to find.

We stopped at the airport.

Ralph and I got out of his car. He helped me with my luggage.

Ralph told me what line to stand in, and we said our goodbyes and he will hopefully see me soon.

I sat down in a chair because I was not going to stand and wait in line. I looked at the clock that was on the wall in front of me.

"2:50 pm"

Good, I have 10 minutes. So I just looked around and all I could hear was people talking in their language. I see a group of men in all black looking for someone.

My instincts started to kick in.

It was 2:50 and the flight attendant had asked everyone that was heading to America to form a line so she could check the tickets, I had mine out and ready I was the second person in line I was not playing.

The lady checked my ticket and told me to get on the plane and find a seat.

"A-42"

I sit down. I decided to go to sleep because it was a long flight to the United States.

When I woke up everyone was getting off the plane, I got my luggage and I was so happy to be in America again.

My phone was dead as a doorknob but thankfully A person who works at the airport had an IPhone charger. I plugged my phone in and Immediately missed phone calls and texts started to pour in. My mom was the first person I needed to text. I told her what happened and she said she was on her way to come get me. Then I texted boo daddy.

"Bae, I am so glad that you are ok and I miss you"

I told him from the jump he better not have been occupying no other girls cause imma find out if you did.

My mama told me she was outside.

"JOZZ!!!" she started to run and then she stopped to give me a big hug.

I did not think she could run like that but she did.

"Hey Ma, where is April?"

"She is with her friends, I had a feeling that something was wrong I called the police and everything, but there was barely anything they could do, I called your no-good daddy and he couldn't do anything either but call you and your phone went straight to voicemail."

I told my mom everything that happened, I even told her about the murder I witnessed.

"I hope you told the detectives"

No, I didn't I was scared and Ralph the guy I told you about said it's kind of a good thing because someone could have overheard me talking to the detectives and they could have informed George the killer.

I went on to tell her that Ralph said that George was a dangerous man and he could find and kill me.

"You don't have to worry about that baby, I know some real gangsta's"

I just wanted to go into my room and lie down just to reminisce about all the things that occurred.

As we were going home, My mom stopped to get gas and all I could think about is what I saw. Images of blood kept showing up in my mind.

"Jozz, what's wrong with you? You seem worried".

"Ma I am I cannot believe I witnessed a murder but I didn't tell anyone though I don't need the killer trying to find me".

"Girl, Don't worry bout that it's not like you were in a different state, you were in a whole nother country. And besides you have people that love you and have your back, child, you think too much, about to have my blood pressure go up"

"You are right ma I have to stop overthinking"

I know I'm right ain't nobody going to do nothing to you"

We are down the street from our house, I was exhausted. I'm going to leave all my stuff in the truck. I'll get it out later.

"Jozz, imma need for you to get your belongings out of my truck"

"I will later, I'm too tired."

"You better, you know you ain't too old to get beat."

"Ok, I got you ma"

7pm

I popped up from out of my sleep and ran to go use the bathroom. After I was done washing my hands I decided to get my luggage out of the car. My mom was sleeping so I grabbed the keys that were on the counter in the kitchen.

"It's chilly out," I said to myself.

The Black van crept down the street slowly. I brushed it off I noticed the van started to stop in front of my house. I tried to run but men that were dressed in all black came and picked me up and threw me in the back of the van and I tried to scream but I felt a cold metal gun pointing at the back of my head I just knew I was going to die.

A needle was stuck in the side of my neck. Then I fell asleep.

I woke up in what appeared to look like a factory there were boxes all around me. Then I saw this tall man in all black walking down the hallway.

As he got closer I noticed that he looked familiar.

"I bet you thought you would never see me again"

To be continued.........