The Man in the Desert.

The man stands in complete silence, his eyes are closed, and he can feel the sun burning on the back of his neck and shoulders.  He stands so still and quiet that he can hear the breeze passing by his ears, and he can feel flecks of sand brushing across his cheeks.  The air is hot and dry and as the man inhales, he can feel the air burn his lungs.  He opens his eyes slowly and the light blinds him temporarily, he squints again and blinks a few times and he can see through the spots in his vision the landscape laid out before him.  He is staring into a vast open desert, there is nothing but sand in front of the man.  he slowly turns his head to look over his left shoulder, and there is nothing, just more sand.  He blinks a few more times and turns his head to his right side, off in the distance he can see what appears to be a road.  The road is miles away from where the man is standing, he can tell from here that the road is very unused, he stares for a minute longer at the road, hoping that he will see a car, or some other indication that he is not alone.

Quiet....  The man can hear the breeze still, and he notices that when he turns his head the sound changes, that helps him to distinguish which direction the wind is blowing.  The man slides his right hand down into his cargo pocket on his right leg, unbuttoning the flap covering the pocket, he slides his hand inside and clamps his hand around a compass, he pulls it out and runs his thumb over the surface.  There is an engraving on it, the engraving says, 'You are never lost, or alone!'  The man looks at the compass, and cracks a small smile as memories flood his head.  Memories, of his Family, his beautiful Wife and Children, his friends, ones that he will see, and ones that he will never see but always remember.  He opens the compass, holds it up, and looks down at the face of the compass.  He is facing Due North,  Just the direction he needs to be heading.  He looks back to the right, back to the road and waits, but nothing comes.  Nothing, he is alone, he stands for a moment longer waiting in desperation, but nothing comes.

The man starts to walk North, he uses his compass to ensure that he is traveling in the proper direction, and embarks on his journey.  Hours in the desert seem like days, days that do not end, the sun beats down, the water runs out.  The Man, is walking North still, because North is the way home.  Home, to his Wife and Children, and his friends that he will see.  How far North, does this man need to travel?  How many days, weeks, months, years, will it take for this man to get home and be with the people that love him, and that he loves?

Days turn into weeks, and the Man is still walking, heading North, because North is home.

Years now, spent wandering the desert.  The man has endured all of the hardships, dehydration, starvation, delusion, sun burn, frost bite, and being alone.  The man holds fast to his mission, his duty.  He must return home.  He must get out of this desert.

Look, up ahead, do you see it?  In the distance, the light. It is home, home at last.  The man starts to walk faster now, leaving miles behind him, he is closing in on home, but the light is not getting any bigger.  He starts to run, but the light seems to recede the closer he gets.  Now the man is sprinting, pushing with all of the might he can muster.  Short on breath, he is striving to get within yelling distance so that he can call to his friends and family.  The light is still too far away, still receding.  The man starts to yell, running out of breath, he starts to scream.  The light still recedes, farther and farther away.   He can now hear voices, the laughter of his children, the sounds of his friends.  Yet the light still evades him.  The man sprints, pushing harder with his legs, harder than he has ever pushed.  The light is getting farther, the man pushes harder.  The light is still so far away, the man can feel the muscles in his legs start to tighten and cramp.  The light is getting faint.  The man stumbles and falls into the sand, he looks up and sees the light vanish.  He screams as loud as he can trying to call to his family.

The man, stands up, and closes his eyes.  The man stands in complete silence, his eyes are closed, and he can feel the sun burning on the back of his neck and shoulders.  He stands so still and quiet that he can hear the breeze passing by his ears, and he can feel flecks of sand brushing across his cheeks.  The air is hot and dry and as the man inhales, he can feel the air burn his lungs.  He opens his eyes slowly and the light blinds him temporarily, he squints again and blinks a few times and he can see through the spots in his vision the landscape laid out before him.  He is still in the Desert.  Always in the Desert.

That, is my only dream.  It never changes.  I am that man in the desert.

Timmy OUT!