Shazia Rahman

Cracked earth

Cracked Earth He slowly trudged along the side of the road with his arms crossed behind his back. His worn leather sandals slowly dragged in the sandy dirt of an unpaved road. The tired pair of sandals he wore were too big for his feet, making his big toe uncomfortably rub against the worn straps. His feet often blistered and bled, calloused over, and then blistered all over again. He noticed the beginnings of a hole forming in the sole of the shoe, so he made sure to shift his weight when he walked to avoid putting pressure on it - careful to prevent the hole from further expanding. He knew all too well that wearing his brother's old sandals was better than walking barefoot.