Flash fiction

The Terrible Heat

“We need to beat the heat, gentlemen,” said the Sultan moving his guthra PopNote

A sultan's head covering made of cotton

covered head and looking at his council of ministers, with a solemn expression.

“We are oil rich yet, cheated out of an important source of life, Ya Allah, the water,” he continued unhappily.

“Your Highness, we could create rains of goodness with the help of our brilliant scientists,” responded the minister of science and technology, Rehamatulla.

“If only we have enough rains to grow crops, to cool the burning sands!” said the Sultan, full of passion and remorse.


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The Science lab in the capital buzzed with activity.  Chemicals wobbled in test tubes.
Ahmed Habib, a specialist meteorologist, was busy mixing natural salts such as potassium chloride.

Hurray! They found the solution to end the heat and to bring vegetation to arid land.
A plane was commissioned. Habib and his well-equipped team flew into the clouds.


A few months later.


A vast number of cities in the country were flooded due to unseasonal rain for days on end. Malls, buildings, cars and runways sank in water.

Flights were either cancelled or suspended. Schools closed.

Life ground to a halt.


A crestfallen Sultan held an emergency meeting with his ministers seeking solution for the crisis. They looked at Habib.

“My experiment was a success, Your Excellency! I promise more for next year.”

“We can’t afford it. We are already begging for funds.”


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The international forum of meteorologists concluded that the recent flooding in a certain desert country was due to “cloud seeding or human-caused climate change."

It was decided to levy sanctions against the said country for its reckless use of scientific resources to beat the heat.


Dropnote ▼

Word Count:299

Prompt: Beat the heat

Written for "The Bard's Hall Contest" August,2024

Host: StephBee