Desert Journey

There.

Over there.

On the horizon.

I can see it clearly now. There's definitely a ship over there. Not just any ship, but a magnificent sailing ship with bright white, billowing sails. It's too far away at the moment to make out the details, but I imagine it is made from the finest wood, polished to a shine, with an incredible figurehead to lead the way through cool blue waters. Maybe an eagle or a lion. Something amazing.

The heroic crew will be more than welcoming to lost travelers such as myself. I know it. They'll have all manner of fancy food and drink just waiting for me. Maybe even some fresh clothes.

All of this is simply what my mind has told me, but I know it's true. It has to be.

I don't know where the ship came from, or where it might be going. It must have appeared at some point in the night while I slept. When the first rays of the rapidly rising sun hit my eyelids and began to chase away the cool night air, I could no longer sleep. The thought of yet another day, filled with a seemingly never-ending journey with no destination, was making it very difficult to want to open my eyes, but the sun would not relent. It was growing brighter with each passing second, and I could already feel the heat beginning to build.

Slowly, begrudgingly, I opened my eyes and moved myself to a sitting position. As my eyes gradually adjusted to the glaring brightness surrounding me, I began to survey the area. In every direction was an endless sea, but not of water. God, how I wish it was water, but this sea was made of sand and I was lost in the middle of it. I don't even remember how I ended up here. The sun, and the heat, is unrelenting. I can't think straight anymore. How did I get here? How long has it been? Why am I alone? Why has no one come to rescue me? The throbbing in my head prevents me from pondering any of my questions for more than a brief moment. It doesn't matter. I'm here, and it already feels like I've been here forever. The how's and the why's won't change anything.

Hopelessness began to overwhelm me as I finished my inspection of the surrounding area.

Wait.

What was that?

I quickly reversed the direction of my survey until my eyes settled upon a ship way off on the horizon, which brings me back to my present situation, staring in awe at what will hopefully be my extrication from this endless desert.

But what if the ship is gone before I reach it? What if the crew is not as welcoming as my mind tells me?

Those thoughts were quickly pushed away. The ship will be everything I hope for and more. Now I just have to reach it. I don't even have a guess at how far away the ship is, but it must be close if I can make out the shape of the sails. That's all the motivation I need to start my journey. There is a backpack I had been using as a pillow, and a quick look inside reveals a small stash of plastic water bottles. It's hard to stop from drinking all of them, but I manage to control myself as I take only a few sips. I stand up and, after a brief battle to overcome my light-headedness, put on the backpack and start off towards the ship.

It's hard to tell if I've been walking for hours, or maybe just minutes, but the sun is taking its toll on me. The blistering heat has turned every inch of exposed skin a bright red. That can't be good. It takes an extreme amount of effort to lift each leg and keep moving forward. Every step I take feels like walking underwater, if the water was boiling.

I keep an eye on the ship, imagining that each step gets me a little closer. I have to imagine that, because my eyes are telling me that the ship is just as far away as when I started my journey towards it.

Time has slowed to a crawl. The only way I can tell it hasn't stopped entirely is the movement of the sun in the sky. I stop frequently to drink small amounts of my limited water supply. I have no way of knowing how long this water will have to last. If there's one thing that's made water rationing easier, it's that my water is very warm. It's about as refreshing as drinking a bowl of hot soup.

Now I know I've been walking for hours, as the sun begins to slowly sink below the horizon. The blazing sun, the limited water, and the physical exertion has left me exhausted. Combined with my apparent lack of progress towards my destination, I feel it's time for a rest.

I drop to the warm, sandy ground and stare at the ship. That ship on the horizon, which started out this morning as such a beacon of hope, has turned into a mocking symbol of failure. How can it still be so far away? My mind has little time to spend on the question as I feel myself drift away to sleep, or maybe just unconsciousness.

In what seems like an instant, it's morning already. If the sun wasn't so agonizingly bright, I'm not sure I would have ever woken from my sleep. Every part of my body hurts, inside and out. My skin feels like it's on fire, and my head feels like it wants to explode. I search around in my backpack for a bottle of water. Even sitting up to take a drink seems like an unbearable amount of effort, but I force myself. At least the water is slightly cooled from the night air.

The same old questions start to circle through my mind. Where am I? How did I get here? Somewhere in the jumble of thoughts, one stands out above the rest. The ship.

Panicked, I begin searching the horizon, praying that the ship has not left me behind. I relax slightly when I see the reassuring silhouette of that same ship from yesterday, but quickly grow concerned when I see it is no closer than it was 24 hours ago. What if the ship is sailing in a direction that leads it away from me? I'll never catch it. At least I know there must be water in that direction. Right?

Once again hopeful, I stand up and resume my quest. I'm not doing well though. I can hardly keep my eyes open. The pain in my head is almost too much to bear. I feel like I'm going to be sick, but at the same time I am absolutely starving for any kind of food. I'm down to my last bottle of water. I have to make it to that ship today or I'm done. A fresh wave of hope, and a little adrenaline, helps move my legs a little faster.

Now I feel like I'm making some progress. The ship is growing larger as I get closer. I'm starting to make out more of the details. It becomes easier to push through the exhaustion and pain now that I know I'm going to make it. I can use up every last ounce of my energy as long as I reach that ship. I can also use up every last ounce of my water, and I do. I drink almost the entirety of my last bottle and use the rest to splash on my sunburned face. It's wasteful, but it doesn't matter anymore.

The ship is exactly as I pictured it in my mind. I can now see the ship's figurehead of a soaring eagle. The wood is polished to almost a mirror finish. Bright white sails are full with air, creating a picture-perfect vision of salvation. I swear I can smell food already. I can even see the crew as they move around performing their tasks.

Someone on the ship waves at me. They see me!

That's enough incentive for me to start running. I didn't know I even had enough energy left in me to run. I run and run until my legs feel like sandbags, but finally I'm standing right next to the ship. I made it! I can hardly believe it.

Wait.

Why am I standing right next to the ship? How am I standing right next to the ship? I look around. Where's the water?

The ship is sitting in the sand. Something's not right.

I look up and see the sails are still puffed out from the wind, although I can't feel even the slightest breeze. What's going on?

My thoughts are interrupted by a rope ladder tossed over the side of the ship, unfurling right in front of me. I can see crew members, smiling and waving, motioning for me to climb on up. I grab the sides of the ladder and put a foot on the lowest rung.

I push up off the ground and fall straight forward, landing face-first in the hot sand. I roll over and sit up, confused.

There is no ship.

I look desperately in all directions, but there is no trace of it. Once again, I'm sitting in the middle of a sea of sand.

What just happened?

I've used up all of my energy and, more importantly, all of my water. I fall back in the sand, defeated. The sun is directly overtop of me and I can feel the unforgiving heat more than ever. I'm so tired. As I close my eyes and drift off, I can't help but feel that even the sun won't be enough to wake me from my sleep this time.