Desert Escapade

‘I can’t get up on my feet, Max has to get help.’

*****

‘Wakie, wakie Jack, time to go,'  James shouts.

‘What! It's 5 am already’, yawns Jack opening one eye.

‘Yes, yes got to move – we have a long day ahead of us’ replies James.

‘Okay,’ says Jack and hurries along.

So, the Stewart brothers get ready for their trip to Bahrain. They have been invited by their friend King Fahad to his desert fort near the Dubai-Bahrain border. Of course, Max, their pet dog, is also accompanying them as always.

‘Put Max in the back seat James, he likes it there,’ says Jack while revving up their SUV.

The JEEP engine roars to life and they’re on their way.

The journey from Dubai to the desert fort takes around two hours and passes mostly through sand dunes.

‘My, these dunes are really big,’ James says.

‘Sure looks like they are...’ Jack's answer is interrupted by a shout. ‘Woaaa....’

A little distance short of reaching their destination, the brothers encounter a terrible accident.

Jack drives the JEEP over a big dune and loses control. The vehicle rolls over multiple times before landing upside down. The Stewart brothers drag themselves out as smoke rises from the engine. Along with Max, they manage to reach a nearby area just in time as the JEEP bursts into flames. Shocked and injured, they realise that they cannot manage on their own and need help quickly. Jack frantically searches for paper and pen from their bagpack which has been flung along with their other belongings around the accident site. He scribbles an SOS note and ties it to Max’s collar.

‘Go boy, get help from the King’s fort,’ Jack pats the anxious Max.

*****

In the distance, the guards at the King’s fort notice flames and after sometime see a figure running towards them. Max with the note swinging from his collar reaches the fort and collapses. The guards pick Max up and give him water and take him to the King Fahad.

The King on seeing poor Max remarks, 'Why, its Max! Where are the brothers?’ 

One of his officers, Nasir, notices the note, ‘Sir, there is something tied to the dog’s collar.’

The King reads the note and summons his guards. ‘

Take the camels and follow the dog. My guests are in danger, bring them back safely.’

The search expedition begins. The guards follow Max to the crash site and bring the injured brothers safely back to the fort.

*****

‘Where are we?’ Jack says while opening his eyes slowly. ‘Oh, King Fahad.’

‘Welcome to the fort my friend,’ answers the King.

‘Where is James?’ Inquires Jack in a worried voice. ‘Hope he isn’t badly hurt.’

‘Relax. He is in the medical room under observation. The doctor says he has got a few nasty bruises, but nothing that cannot be taken care of,' replies the King. ‘Take some rest because you need to come with me to the Bahrain Grand Prix as I will be presenting the winners trophy.’

In the evening Jack along with James, with a plastered leg and a happy Max, joined the King at the Bahrain Circuit. It was a special night after what they had been through earlier in the day.

Sebastian Vettel crossed the finishing line followed by Lewis Hamilton and Valterri Bottas. There was a loud applaud as King Fahad presented the winners trophy to Sebastian. All this noise gave Max a headache, who was hiding under Jack’s chair.

On the drive back to the fort, the King enquired, ‘Did you all have a wonderful time?’.

‘YES, we did. Didn’t we Jack?’ said James.

‘So we did. Thank you King for this special event,’ Jack concurred.

'You are welcome. And do stay with us for a few more days so that James’ leg heals faster,’ the King offered.

For the next week Jack and James enjoyed their stay with King Fahad. Enjoying the King’s hospitality, James' leg healed quickly. The day arrived when Jack and James were ready to go back home. King Fahad provided them a camel caravan for their journey to the airport. Max was delighted to sit on the camel and bounced around. King Fahad gave both James and Jack gifts and a special bone for Max to lick upon.

The Stewart brothers graciously bid goodbye to the King, and left with feeling of excitement over their great desert escapade.