The Sandman

A short story by Alex Stargazer

Text Copyright 2014 Alexandru Bujorianu. All rights reserved;
hoever! the author does permit the sharing and transmission o" this
pu#li$ation provided that the pu#li$ation is made availa#le as%is! the
usage is stri$tly non%$ommer$ial! and the author&s name is attri#uted.
This #oo' is a or' o" "i$tion( any similarities to real persons )hether
living or de$eased*! pla$es or items are purely $oin$idental.
+Alex ,targa-er& is a pseudonym o" Alexandru Bujorianu! and the
names are $onsidered synonymous.
Cover .mage Copyright 2014 /eranged /o$tor /esign.
Typeset in 0eorgia! #y the author.
1
This story is dedicated to those who have suffered, and to
those who continue to suffer.
A short story #y Alex Stargazer
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Chapter One
2y name is 3eila.
.t means +#orn o" the night& in my native Ara#i$ tongue; a
"itting name! $onsidering my ignominious nature and my $urrent
predi$ament.
Around me! the desert stret$hed out; . $ould not see its end(
"or all . 'ne! it $ould #e a "e 'ilometres aay! a light%year! a
parse$! or in"inity.
. don&t 'no ho . managed to get here. . as ashing
$lothes "or 2ama! and then4 . thought . heard a $hild $ry. .
"olloed it. . 'ept "olloing it. 5o . am here6and no! . am
lost! $on"used! and very mu$h a"raid.
Bad things happen to people ho get lost in the desert.
Terri#le things. The only thing that $ould #e $onsidered orse
as hell itsel"( the pla$e o" "ire and #rimstone6hah76and the
pla$e here #ad people ent.
8as . #ad person9 . rarely o#eyed my "ather! or my mother.
2y name is a tri#ute! you $ould say; a mar'er o" li$entiousness
and diso#edien$e.
. am engaged to A#dullah. :is name means +servant o" Allah&.
.t is even more "itting than mine( he is an o#se;uious! per"idious
and sy$ophanti$ #astard.
. told this to my "ather6though more politely orded! o"
$ourse6and he replied( +3eila! A#dullah is the son o" the
ealthiest man in the village. .t does not matter i" you love him
or not. :e is good "or you.&
<u##ish! . thought. .t is Amir . love( it is his eyes that . see
tin'ling in my dreams! his smile that ma'es me "eel a strange!
A short story #y Alex Stargazer
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guilty sensation in my legs; he is the one . love. :is voi$e is so
deep! and so mas$uline! that . "eel as i" :ell itsel" $ould #e a"ter
me! and .&d #e sa"e.
,and stru$' me in the eyes. A ind #le( it as a harsh!
in$lement ind! and seemed to mo$' me ith a#rasive "ingers.
The desert as an ins$ruta#le mas' o" nature! #ut the ind
alays shoed its $ruelty.
.t seemed to #e getting orse. .t was getting orse. . shielded
my eyes "rom the #urning sun6#ut it as unmista'a#le. A
sandstorm.
0reat! . thought. Allah has $ursed me into this "orsa'en
desert! and no he #lesses me ith sand.
The ind seemed to laugh as it tin'led a$ross the $a$ti that
surrounded me.
. turned.
There ere mountains on the hori-on; . $ould not tell
pre$isely ho "ar aay they ere. >erhaps they ere really just a
mirage! and . had gone mad. .t didn&t matter6it as all . had.
A short story #y Alex Stargazer
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Chapter Two
,and ate into my eyes; sand #urroed its ay into my mouth!
"or$ing me to spit it out6until more sand $ame along. .t asn&t
as hot. That as my only $onsolidation.
@h! Allah! . thought; have you "inally de$ided to punish me9
:ave . diso#eyed you9 .s it rong to go against your elders!
hen love is on your lips! and your elders sho su$h $ruel
ini;uity9
8hat is love! anyay9 .s it nothing more than a poer"ul!
sedu$tive $rush6an illusion9 .s it really more spe$ial than any o"
our other emotions9
2any thoughts ere ra$ing through my mind at that moment.
They ere interrupted #y the voi$e.
***
Leila, follow me! it said. @h! su$h a simple $ommand7 :o $ould
. ever hope to "ollo it9
Leila, do not be afraid. I am your only hope. ome.
The devil is spea'ing! . thought. Allah is not punishing you(
he is testing you. Aou 'no hat ill happen i" you "ail.
Leila! do you really wish to never see Amir again" #o you
wish to never feel your mother$s love, or your father$s strong
hand" #o you want to become a spectre of the desert, trapping
unwary travellers"
The devil&s voi$e is o"ten sedu$tive! . thought.
. $ould no longer see. ,o thi$' as the sand.
Leila!
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. ent.
***
. $annot tell you anything a#out hat happened in those "e
minutes6or ere they really hours9
Cor all . 'no! . might have #een delusional. . just "olloed
the voi$e; ho . heard underneath the ail o" the ind and the
rath o" nature! . 'no not. . just put one "oot in "ront o" the
other! "irst le"t! then right! then le"t again. . do not even re$all
hat it said to me. :o $ould devils not #e heard9 The irony7
But survive . did! and . al'ed many metres and many "eet. .
arrived in a $ave.
***
/ar'ness. .t as a tene#rous dar'ness; a miasma o" un$ertainty!
de$eiving me into sa"ety. The sound o" dripping ater
o$$asionally pun$tured its illusion! #ut otherise! it as silent.
. thought . $ould smell sulphur. :ell! . thought. . have
rea$hed hell.
Ceeling $ame and ent. 2y throat hurt. That as all . $ould
as$ertain. 2y legs seemed to #e on solid ground6#ut then! the
sur"a$e seemed li'e ater; and at other times! . $ould not "eel
anything at all. .t as li'e a void( a void o" nightmares and
terrors.
. had heard stories told o" hell. 5one o" them $ould $ompare
to this. This as nothing.
Then everything disappeared.
***
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The "irst thing . "elt as pain. . thought it $ame "rom my head. .
also "elt pain in my legs! in my arms! and in4 just a#out
everything.
. "elt groggy. .t too' me a hile to realise here . as.
Around me! alls6limestone alls! "rom the loo's o" things6
en$losed the spa$e. .t as de"initely a $ave( . $ould see a stream
6it as too dar' to ma'e out its $olour6and some little inse$ts
"lying a#ove! giving o"" a "aintly greenish glo.
5ot hell! . understood. 5ot hell. There is no hell. 8hat is hell9
The voi$e interrupted me on$e more.
***
+:ello! 3eila.&
3ight enveloped me. Blinding! golden light. ,tars dan$ed
a$ross my "ield o" vision. . ran.
+8ait7&
,omething gra##ed my arm. . tried "ighting; it held "irm.
. opened my eyes. And there! right in "ront o" me! lay a #oy.
@'ay! that&s not true. This is no ordinary #oy( he is made "rom
sand. Aes! sand. A thousand tiny parti$les! a million pu--le pie$es
in the mysteries o" the universe. They move. They gyrate!
suspended in the air; immune "rom hatever "or$e 'ept us
grounded! hatever $urse had #e"allen humanity.
:is hair as a sandy #lond6that "igured. :is lips ere
smooth! so"t! and $urved. .t ould have loo'ed e""eminate on
other men; on him! it gave the appearan$e o" elegan$e!
gentleness and superiority "rom the misogynies o" my li"e.
:is eyes ere hat $aptured me. They shone ith their on
inner light6the light o" angels! or pretending demons. . $ould
still see his iris. . anted to say they loo'ed li'e my mother&s
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#au#les6the ones she said ere made o" gold! though none o" us
#elieved her6#ut in reality! nothing $ould $ompare to them.
They ere the "inest $ra"ted jeels o" humanity; the spar'le o"
the sun on the sea! and all that as pre$ious in li"e.
+>lease don&t run aay again.&
+. on&t. . thought you ere a demon.&
+2ay#e . am.& :e smiled( it as su$h an insou$iant smile! the
tist o" lips that 'no no pain. +2ay#e . have lured you here! so .
$an ravage you and "east on your soul.&
+Aou on&t do that.&
+8hy9&
+Be$ause you&re not a demon.&
This time! his smile as o" irony. +A $ir$ular argument! #ut
"air enough. A little optimism is never a #ad thing.&
+8ho are you9&
+Flmunahem.&
+The sandman9&
+Aes.&
+But ho are you really9 And hy did you res$ue me9&
+. am the ,andman. . am the polemi$! the "eared! and the
matter o" hi$h dreams are made o".&
+That&s not an anser.&
+.t is the only anser . am going to give. 5o! as "or the latter
point! . res$ued you #e$ause it is my4 duty! to ameliorate
travellers "rom the vi$issitudes o" their predi$aments.&
+8hat9&
+.s there a pro#lem9&
+8hat does Gamelio6H& . $ouldn&t even pronoun$e the ord7
+Ameliorate9 To help those in need o" help; to provide
su$$our.&
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+Ihm4 o'ay. 8hat a#out Gvi$issitudes9H& . $ould pronoun$e
that one.
+In"ortunate happenstan$e.&
+@oo'ay.&
This as going to #e an interesting experien$e.
***
. as hungry; . as thirsty. 2y head hurt. . said so.
+. $an&t do anything a#out your hunger6&
+Aou don&t eat9 . should have guessed.&
:e $ouldn&t help smiling.
+6#ut there is a pota#le stream near#y.&
+Aou $an tou$h ater9&
. on$e again loo'ed at him. .t as hard to see mu$h ith so
little light( #ut the tiny! vi#rating sand parti$les ere not to #e
$on$ealed. . glan$ed aay surreptitiously. . admit( he made me
"eel4 strange. :e made me "eel4 li'e . as #etraying someone.
+Aes! . $an. ,trange! is it not9&
+Are you real9&
+Are you real9&
+@#viously.&
+8hy9&
+Be$ause4& . didn&t 'no ho to $omplete my senten$e.
+.&ll let you ponder it.&
:e disappeared. Just li'e that. @ne moment he as there; the
next! there as a "aint #ree-e! and he as not.
:e must #e a demon! . thought. @r .&ve gone mad. 2ay#e
#oth.
:e $ame #a$'. .n his hand! there as a ro$'6it had a little
hole in it6ith ater. . ondered ho he managed to do that.
A short story #y Alex Stargazer
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Could he $ut through ro$' li'e . did ith Chella&s #utter9 )@ur
$o&s mil' as notoriously thin.* @r as it just a "rea' o" nature
6ait! as he a "rea' o" nature9 8as that it9 Am . tal'ing to a
spirit9
. dran'. The ater tasted good. 2y heada$he lessened(
though small slivers o" pain still rapped themselves around my
eyes! in"orming me that . as still "ar "rom re$overy.
+/oes that ma'e you "eel #etter9& he as'ed! sounding eager to
please.
+Aes.& Then( +Can . tou$h you9& . almost $overed my mouth6
stupid 3eila7 .magine ho that ould sound7
+Aes! you may.&
:e had no s'in. That as eird. The sand moved around my
"ingers! re"orming itsel" e""ortlessly. ,omeho! it didn&t "eel
unpleasant. ,omeho! . li'ed it.
+8hat&s happening outside9&
+,andstorm.&
+Can&t you stop it9&
+.&m not a god! 3eila.&
+But4&
+Aou&re ondering ho . $an $ontrol sand9 :o $ome I$m
made o" sand9&
2y eyes spo'e "or me.
+Aes! o" $ourse you onder. That is your nature.&
+To onder9 To4 dou#t9 Am . $ursed9&
+Cursed9 /on&t #e silly7& :e laughed. ,o $are"ree. :o $ould
he #e9 . never understood it. >erhaps only men $ould #e
$are"ree( e omen alays had or' to do.
+5o! 3eila! you are not $ursed. To dou#t is a talent; to a$$ept
ithout ;uestion is to have no "ree ill. ." anything! you have a
gi"t.&
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+.t doesn&t "eel li'e a gi"t.&
+2any things do not "eel li'e a gi"t! 3eila. ,ome even "eel li'e a
$urse. <esponsi#ility ties you "irmly! and stunts your #ody. And
yet! to #e irresponsi#le ould mean alays living li"e as a $hild.
/o you ant to #e a $hild! 3eila9 /o you ant to do hat others
tell you9&
+But in the Kur&an4&
+The Kur&an says many things. >eople do not alays
understand it. Ta'e Adam and Fve.&
+8hat a#out it9&
+8hat do you thin' it means! 3eila9&
+.t means to o#ey. Fve ate the "ruit o" 'noledge; she as told
not to. ,he paid "or it.&
+But as Adam never a"raid9&
+8hat9& . $ouldn&t understand him. :e used all these ords!
and he made me "eel li'e a $hild. 8hat $ould it possi#ly mean9
+The real reason "or Fve&s $urse is "ear! 3eila!& he $ontinued.
+Cear drives human'ind to $ommit many evils. Adam as a"raid
o" Fve( she 'ne things he didn&t. ,he as no longer a $hild!
playing puppet to things outside o" her $ontrol.&
+.s that hat "or#idden 'noledge is all a#out9& . as'ed! aed.
+Cor something to #e "or#idden! 3eila! someone must ma'e it
"or#idden. As' hy. Alays as' yoursel" hy.&
. anted to as' him more. . really did.
:e #lurred. The dar'ness engul"ed me. . $ould no longer "eel
my #ody( . as "alling into a void6an in"inite void! the pla$e to
hi$h memories ent! and our minds returned.
A short story #y Alex Stargazer
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Chapter Three
. opened my eyes.
3ight shone into the $ave. But not the light o" ;ueer inse$ts!
and imagined #eings( this as daylight. >ure! unmista'a#le!
daylight.
. hadn&t seen it #e"ore! #ut little veins the $olour o" viridity
$riss%$rossed the alls. They reminded me o" my veins! and ho
they pulsed ith li"e and energy and vigour. The Farth as li'e
that too! . suppose. A living #eing! host to all other li"e around it.
. al'ed out. .t as hot. That didn&t #other me. . had $ome to
enjoy the heat( it made you realise ho mu$h orse the $old
really as.
. loo'ed up6the sun as there! #linding me ith its $heery
lumines$en$e. . #anished the dolour "rom my mind.
. 'ept staring at it( in its "a$e! . sa my "ather! and my
mother! and Amir! and A#dullah! and all o" them. . even sa the
,andman! his eyes spar'ling in delight! and his mouth $urved
into amusement.
%ou &now what to do, Leila.
.t as true. . did 'no hat to do.
8hen . got #a$'6and . ould get #a$'6. ould tell my
"ather this( li"e as "or people. 2oney as "or $oards. .t is
#etter to have lived and died! than to never have really lived at
all.
A short story #y Alex Stargazer
14
Personal Essay
:ello7
." you have read this "ar! you pro#a#ly li'ed my little short
story. That is good. 5o! . shall #ore you ith a short essay. ."
you only donloaded this #oo' "or the story! then there&s no need
to read this; i" you ant a little more though! $arry on.
>,( anyone interested in Creative 8riting should read stu""
li'e this. .t isn&t an Fnglish 3it essay! . promise7
>I<>@,F @C T:F ,T@<A
This #oo' as ritten! initially! as part o" my Fnglish 0C,F.
:oever( . thought it too mu$h or' to just leave it "or the
examiner to read. Also! . re$eived gloing praise "rom my
Fnglish tea$her. And yes! it got "ull mar's.
@" $ourse! . rite "or than just mar'%s$oring! or even out o" a
desire "or "inan$ial re$ompense. ):int( short stories don&t ma'e
anyone ri$h.* . "eel an insatia#le thirst to move my "ingers! to
type! and to $reate. . have ritten a mu$h more detailed #log
post on this here.
.n terms o" hat the story aims to do! that is ;uite simple( it
tries to $hallenge totalitarian so$ieties! and aims to instil a sense
o" dou#t ithin the reader. .t is! in many ays! a $all to thin'
a#out the orld in hi$h you live in; and hether it is ho it
should #e.
Aou ill 'no6or at least! you should 'no! i" you&ve a$tually
#een paying attention to any o" this6that the story is set in the
2iddle Fast. ,ome o" you ill no dou#t #e ondering i" this story
is an atta$' on .slam. The anser( yes and no. Aes! in the sense
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that it $riti$ises modern day .slami$ dogma; no! in the sense that
.slam is targeted specifically.
The setting as $hosen #e$ause it is one in hi$h human
rights a#uses6#e they against omen! gay people! ethni$
minorities! or $ontuma$ious riters6o$$ur most "re;uently. .t is
there"ore the most relevant pla$e.
@'ay! enough ith the intro. Time to do a #it o" analysis7
A )<FA,@5AB3A* B<.FC A5A3A,.,
8e #egin ith the "olloing(
'y name is Leila.
It means (born of the night$ in my native Arabic tongue) a
fitting name, considering my ignominious nature and my
current predicament.
)Cor those o" you on e<eaders( sorry! #ut the text should
appear dar' orange as ell as #eing itali$ised. In"ortunately!
there asn&t any #etter ay to add emphasis.*
The story starts #y naming the narrator6the main $hara$ter.
This is! to a degree! a produ$t o" the text medium( short stories
do not have time to reveal the narrator #it #y #it. .t is also
important #e$ause the opening senten$e must alays $arry an
integral element o" the text ithin it. .n this $ase! names are the
'ey( they denote a person&s identity! and ho they ant to #e.
This is $ontinued in the next paragraph. 8e are no told that
the narrator $onsiders hersel" a dar' #eing! and that she even
regards hersel" as a shame on her "amily. This shos that
totalitarian so$ieties o"ten ma'e people "eel guilty a#out ho
they are; "or i" e must "or$e all mem#ers o" so$iety to $on"orm
to an ar#itrarily $onstrued paragon! then surely some6i" not
many6ill not attain this goal and ill #e ashamed o"
themselves.
A short story #y Alex Stargazer
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Also! #ear in mind ho . am( young! angry! gay riters 'no
all a#out non%$on"ormism and ho harm"ul it $an #e.
5o let&s move "orard a #it to the "olloing(
3eila! "ollo me! it said. *h, such a simple command+ ,ow
could I ever hope to follow it"
The ;uotation is a little am#iguous( the reader is unaare o"
hether 3eila is re"erring to "olloing the voice! or the
command.
5o! am#iguity is a #it o" a red herring in C86ma'ing the
reader $on"used as to hat you&re tal'ing a#out is never a good
idea. But i" you do it right! it ma'es you sound really $lever7
),orry! #o""ins.*
A$tually! .&ve used am#iguity not to sound $lever6although
that ould #e an added per'6#ut to suggest to the reader that
3eila is inherently dou#ting the idea that she should "ollo a
hispered $ommand.
This re"le$ts a "eature o" totalitarianism( the unspo'en hint
that you should a$t in a $ertain ay! that you should o#ey
$ommands not said; that you should $omply.
.t also shos ho su#tle these things are! and ho
devastating the $onse;uen$es $an #e i" you do not pi$' on them.
This is shon through the "a$t that i" 3eila does not "ollo the
,andman! she ill! in all pro#a#ility! die.
Cast "orard a #it more! and e get to this(
(I am the Sandman. I am the polemic, the feared, and the
matter of which dreams are made of.$
+Alex7& you say( +hy have you underlined those ords9&
8ell! dear reader! . have underlined them #e$ause it reveals a
te$hni;ue 'non as anaphora #y the lit $riti$s! and repetition #y
the more ordinarily minded o" you.
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Anaphora relates to a spe$i"i$ type o" repetition that has the
#eginning ord repeated either in adja$ent senten$es or in
$lauses. .ts e""e$t is to $reate poer in the meaning o" ea$h
individual senten$e and $lause.
3et us also examine hat the ;uotation a$tually says.
/es$ri#ing the ,andman as +polemi$& implies that he is a
representation o" the $riti$al thin'er and the rogue $ard in
so$iety. .n the next $lause! e are told that su$h people are
"eared; in the $lause therea"ter! e are in"ormed that this is a
dream "or those ho are ostra$ised6"or those ho have #een
made repro#ates.
But! attentive reader! thin' a#out this( hy a dream9 A"ter all!
dreams have $onnotations ith happiness6#ut also mythopoei$
"antasy. This may suggest that the ,andman is a $reation o"
3eila&s imagination.
@" $ourse! it also suggests that su$h superman saviours are
merely a ish; $hange has to o$$ur through you.
Aou pro#a#ly already 'no that this #oo' portrays the
,andman as #oth metaphori$al and physi$al. This is "or good
reason( . intend to sho that hile a real o$$urren$e $an appear
#anal on the sur"a$e! it $an in "a$t $reate deep alterations ithin
a person&s mind.
This ;uote perhaps #est $ontains the sentiments o" the story(
(-or something to be forbidden, Leila, someone must ma&e it
forbidden. As& why. Always as& yourself why.$
. thin' the message in that is pretty $lear. /on&t you9
8:AT T@ TALF A8AA C<@2 T:.,
.n the end! the nature o" the ,andman as a metaphor or real
person is de#ata#le #y you. .t doesn&t really matter! in the end(
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"or as the motivation #ehind $hange is not alays easily
understood! the e""e$ts o" $hange are.
8hat . ant you to do! dear reader! is ;uite simple. . ant
you to dou#t. . ant you to as' ;uestions; and . ant you to
thin' i" the ansers are truly satis"a$tory.
Anyay! up next are the a$'noledgements. That ill
pro#a#ly #ore you senseless! i" this hasn&t already. )Although you
could leave a revie instead.*
A short story #y Alex Stargazer
Acknowledgements
. must than' :elena Tingle! my Fnglish tea$her! "or ma'ing me
#elieve that this story $ould #e$ome a reality; and "or urging me
to pu#lish it7 Aes! 2rs Tingle! don&t loo' so surprised( you did
help7 0iving me "ull mar's as ni$e too4
. must also than' the /eranged /o$tor /esign team! "or their
"ast servi$e! $omplian$e! and good ;uality. @h! and their
unreasona#ly lo pri$es.
.&m a"raid that&s it. ,orry guys.

About the Author
Alex ,targa-er is also 'non as Alexandru Bujorianu; he rites
in a #log! a$$essi#le at alexstarga-er.#logspot.$o.u'.
Alex li'es all sorts o" eird things! among hi$h in$lude( riting
)duh*! philosophising! riting... $ode! and various other strange
and onder"ul things. Alex! hoever! does not li'e #eing stal'ed
6i" doing so sounds tempting! please dun' some $old ater over
your head. Than' you.
Alex lives in 8ari$'shire! IL! in a ton that shall not #e
mentioned. :e has a dog! hom he $alls 0inger! and hom he
"inds $ute #ut "re;uently irritating. Alex rote this at sixteen; it
as initially su#mitted "or the Fnglish 0C,F! #ut is no
pu#lished.
OTHER WORKS BY ME
. have ritten ;uite a "e >oems on my #log.
. am editing a novel $alled the .ecromancer. .t ill #e pu#lished
6eventually6. hope6#ut . on&t say anymore on that.
. ill also pu#lish a novelette $alled An /nfortunate ,i&e 0ith A
1ampire.