Chapter 1

She'd left her sandals in the jeep parked 5 miles behind her to the south... or west.... well it doesn't matter cause she is never going back there. The sand feels warm and comforting under her feet. With each step she crumbles the sand beneath her, gaining far less inches over the dune than she pushed back. At this point the dune is steep enough that as she arches herself to relax her lower back the gravity pulls her back. A gush of wind adds to the jolt and she rolls down the slope completely losing control over her movement.

Surrendered she lay at the trough, still angry and determined and hungry and thirsty...still lost.

"Look at those scratches on your elbow....and I think you've bent your ankle. Stop now. Its enough." ...the voice exclaims worriedly. "You can rest here for now. Close your eyes and lay down".

She keeps sobbing as the voice consoles her..."You are not weak.... it's just all unfair... you always get the hardest challenges.."

With the scratched elbow she pushes down on the sand and gets up limping on her broken ankle. The pain sends a shiver through her spine and tears slips down her cheeks. "You don't have to do this... there's no need for this bravado. What... do you think you are a hero or something?..."

Shrieking with pain she starts limping towards the dune in response to the voice. The soreness in her thighs making her legs feel heavier. It takes her a tremendous amount of effort to start climbing again with her only good ankle and two hands. The voice goes silent and she continues her climb few inches at a time. The heat that felt warm a while ago is now draining her energy and any water left in her body away. She's panting for breath half way through the dune,.. every part of her body wanting to stop.... punishing her disobey with pain. She tries with all her might but is unable to lift up her leg anymore...." I told you, you can't do it... Didn't I?"...the voice this time was of her 8th grade teacher.

"You are not going to be anything in your life... better stop trying"... a friend's voice.

Harassed by the voices and her failing efforts, she starts crying... still pulling her leg up mindlessly, focused only on the next step as if this whole journey was justified at the moment by this single intention of moving to the next step and then the next after that...

"Why are you crying now? You need water don't you?"... the voice spits at her in disdain."Or does your ankle hurt.... or is this dune too steep for you"... scoffs the voice.

"She isn't crying because it is hard. She's crying because she wants to keep moving forward"... the new voice replies with poise. This time she recognizes the new voice.

"Get up and start moving dearest"..the new voice commands.

"I am thirsty...", she replies sobbing with pain.

"Then stop crying love, you will need that water in your body", the new voice replies encouragingly.

"Where were you, I need you by my side", she stopped wasting the tears.

The new voice was gone.