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Text: A Flood

I was standing on the edge of the pasture near Oued Djedi, watching the gray clouds gather over El Djelfa. The air was thick with the smell of rain, and the wind blew through the trees. Farmers nearby were hurriedly moving their sheep to higher ground. They were shouting and waving their hands. Every once and again, their yells mixed with the sound of thunder. Suddenly, the rain began, light at first, then heavy and relentless. The once-dry river bed began to fill up rapidly. Within minutes, the water was overflowing its banks. I was scared.

The sheep were stuck in the middle of the river bed, huddled together. Their loud bleats were drowned out by the sound of rushing water. An old shepherd, holding a long stick, stepped into the water. He shouted and tried to guide the sheep to higher ground. Other shepherds joined him, using ropes to pull some of the animals to safety. I wanted to help, but my legs felt rooted to the ground, overwhelmed by what I was seeing.

The water carried many things with it—branches, trash, and even a bright yellow bucket I had seen earlier. People from the village came to help. Everyone was wet and muddy, but they kept going.

Just as quickly as it began, the rain stopped, and the water’s advance slowed. The shepherds, soaked and exhausted, managed to save most of their sheep, though a few were still stranded on small patches of higher ground. I was very impressed by their quick actions, their resilience, and their bravery. I was embarrassed that I didn’t help and a little shocked at how frozen I had been. As the sun broke through the clouds, casting a golden light over the muddy scene, I felt a strange mixture of awe and sadness. The river that was nothing more than dry rocks that kids play on had reminded us all of its power.

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Text: Watch Out

"We are in a bit of a disagreement with my husband. I’ll tell you what happened and you tell me what you think. So, I got a bank draft the other day and found that 250 000da was missing from our account. I was shocked. I thought that someone had hacked into our account so I immediately called Zakaria. He said that it wasn’t a mistake and that he used the money to buy a watch. A watch! 250 000da for a watch! I lost it. I couldn’t believe that one, he would splurge on such a frivolous item and that two, he wouldn’t ask for my opinion prior to making such a big… he calls it “an investment”, I call it throwing money out of the window for something that your phone can do, that your oven can do, that a stupid microwave can do; to tell the time. We merged our finances when we got married and now we have a joint account so we generally discuss bigger purchases. I felt blindsided. I hung up on him and spent the day watching the clock, waiting for him to come home. I called my sister first and she said that I should stay calm and try to see things from his point of view.

When he got home I asked him. I asked him to tell me his side of the story. He said that it was a very high-end piece and it was actually a bargain. A watch of that caliber usually goes for 750 000da or more. He said that it was beautifully crafted and that it could be passed down to our son and maybe even his son after that, like a true family heirloom. He said that just because I don’t care that others don’t notice. According to him, a nice watch is an indicator of success. It puts you immediately in a higher social status and his clients would definitely notice. It was overall a great investment. By this point I was agreeing with him. I could understand where he was coming from, plus he’s been doing so well at work, I thought that he had the right to treat himself. And the he added the part that I didn’t like. He said that he didn’t have to justify himself, that I was a control freak and that I wasted more than 250 000da this year alone buying low-end bags. I was furious again. "

Text: "Yesterday morning, I walked into my bathroom and immediately felt my socks get wet. What a bummer! I was already late. “I don’t need this.” I thought. I looked down and saw a puddle of water on the floor. At first, I thought I had spilled some water the night before, but then I noticed it was still dripping from the side of the bathtub. “Oh no,” I said to myself. “The tub is leaking!”

I grabbed a towel and tried to soak up the water, but it just kept coming. I didn’t know what to do, so I called my dad. “Dad, the bathtub is leaking!” I said. “There’s water everywhere. What should I do?”

He told me not to worry. “I’ll call Karim,” he said. “He’ll fix it.”

Karim is a plumber who lives nearby. We call him every time we need help. He answered right away. Dad explained the situation.

“Hi, Karim, how are you? How’s the family?” Dad said. “Look man, our bathtub is leaking, and I can’t stop the water. Can you come to help me?”

He asked where the water was coming from. I looked closer and saw it was dripping from underneath the tub. “It’s coming from below,” I told him.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll bring my tools and be there in an hour.”

When he arrived, he brought a big toolbox and got right to work. He checked under the tub and said, “There’s a loose pipe. I’ll tighten it and seal it so it won’t leak anymore.”

We watched as he worked, using wrenches, tape, and some special glue. After a little while, he stood up and smiled. “All done!” he said. “The leak is fixed.”

We were so relieved. “Thank you, Karim! I truly appreciate you coming so fast.” I said.

“You’re welcome,” he replied. “Keep an eye out for leaks in the future. It’s good to catch them early.”

After he left, I cleaned up the bathroom and put everything back in place. In the commotion, I forgot that I was already late. Now, I am super late. That should be my superhero name. Super Late."

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Text: " “That guy is the worst! I don’t want to work with him. Please, pair me up with anyone else.” I begged my boss but he wouldn’t hear it. He said that Samir has experience with this project and that he would be able to lead me. So not only do I have to work with him, but I also have to follow him? How am I supposed to work with a guy I don’t trust? I don’t know how on earth he earned the trust of the boss but from what I have seen, he’s a loose cannon. He is unpredictable and not in a good way. He plays the fool but I can see through him. He is a calculating, conniving, always looking out for number one kind of person. I don’t trust him farther than I can throw him. I have proof for what I am saying. I saw him take credit for work he didn’t do. I saw him steal our colleagues ideas. I saw him harass one intern and bully another, plus I know he cheats on his wife all over town. And I know all this is after being here for only one year. Who knows what else he is guilty of? Who knows if he steals from the treasury or if he cooks the books? Who knows if he lies about us to look good? Oh my God! What am I going to do? I can’t stand the idea of working closely with him. Integrity is very important to me. I just want to do my job and go home. I don’t need this kind of added stress. "

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Text: "I’m in the bus going to Cherchell. I am sitting by the open window and I can feel the salt air of the Mediterranean Sea on my face. It’s a scorchingly hot day but the bus is going fast so the air feels cool on my skin. I look at the people in the bus and wonder about their lives. I love people watching. I know that every single one of us has a unique story and I would love to know each one of them. People would think I am weird if I started interviewing random passengers so I will just use my imagination. I see a mother with her three children. The kids are wearing colorful shorts and holding floaties. They are going to the beach for sure. I wonder if it’s a spacial day or if it is part of their routine. I love that she didn’t let the heat and the inconvenience of public transport stop her from making memories with her little ones. There’s an old man in a tank top. That’s a pretty rare sight. Old men usually hide their shoulders around here. His skin is leathery but he looks quite fit for someone his age. My guess is that he worked out his whole life. There’s a young man wearing headphones and blasting Rai music. I wonder if Cherchell is his home or if he’s just going for a visit. I wonder if he has a special someone to love him. I wonder about his dreams and aspirations. The young man sitting next to me asks me to close the window, that’s a good opportunity to strike up a conversation. I will try to discover his life story. "

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