The Girl

Hot…Dry…Tired…Sand Everywhere. My eyes were burning from the heat. My mouth was absent of all moisture. Exhausted… Sick… How could people live like this? Was there a way out? There seemed to be sand for hundreds of miles. No way out, but there in the distance, a shadowy figure? Could it possibly be? I remember running for a mile. I collapse. So dry…

I woke up a few hours later, lying in sand. My back burned from the scorched heat of the ground, almost as if I'm was being cooked from the inside. Next to me laid a girl whose eyes glare at me with evil.

"I am from your dreams, do you remember?" the girl whispered, slowly, into my ear.

"No," I was confused, tired, out of breath. I could feel my sighing, slowly, deeply, my breaths pushing in and out.

I could feel blood slowly escaping from my cut, dry lips. My skin was pale, my eyes bloodshot, and my feet scorched. My body was covered in burns from the sand, cooked.

The girl had long, luscious black hair, its waves flowing down to her back. Her eyes were deep and soulful, green like a summer's leaf. Her dress went down to her knees. Her skin was like silk, smooth and flawless. Her feet were extremely cold. She stood up, and looked at me blankly.

"Follow me," she said as she stood up walking slowly into the desert, hair swaying in the wind.

"Can I know where I am going?" I asked ponderously. She said nothing and continued to move towards her target. I had no choice but to get up and continue walking. Otherwise I would be left behind and possibly never see a city again. She moved slowly, walking with her hips swaying in the breeze, her dress moving with the wind.

We continued walking for several hours, no sign of any sort of civilization. In the distance I could see dunes. Beyond them, I could not tell what there was, but, for some reason, I believed the girl was taking me to a city, to shelter. She turned around and pointed to my right. At first it looked like nothing, but as I walked; I heard something growing louder. The sound… of water!

I sprinted to the nearby oasis, running as fast as my malnourished body would allow. I sunk my head into the water. The girl was still there, almost as if she had teleported there. What was she? Who was she? Why was she here? Why was I here? I simply didn't understand this. The girl came close, sunk her lips ever closer to my ear, and uttered only four words.

"Death at four roads," she whispered. I didn't comprehend it. What was she trying to say? She backed away and slowly raised her head to the open desert.

"I must go. There is little time. From here on… you will be on your own," she said as she walked away. She stopped for a moment, dropped a sword on the ground and continued on her way. What was going on? Was this a dream? Better yet, was this a nightmare? I continued to drink from the stream. My lips were cut, so I had to drink in small increments, so as to not hurt them.

When I was finished at the stream, I turned around and slowly walked towards the sword that the girl had dropped for me. Was I going to fight something? I didn't know. I didn't even care, but I took it anyway, for protection.

I was on my way for a while when I saw, in the distance, a road, and I continued slowly towards it.

The road was rocky, covered in small pebbles which were no friend to my burned and cut feet. To avoid the pain of cutting my foot more, I followed the side of the road and continued. The path was straight, never turning, never veering, not even the slightest bit, and for a while, it seemed I would walk forever.

I came across a place in the desert where the four roads crossed, and there she lay again; her eyes staring at me as if she was a long-lost love, her hair shining as ever. Suddenly, her name became clear.

"Hello Lucille. You didn't think I would remember did you?" I asked her, with an evil grin, as if a murderous plan had just come true.

"I had not the slightest doubt. In fact, I was almost certain you would," she paused, gathered herself, and continued solemnly, "You have a long journey ahead of you, and I suggest you prepare yourself. I have the utmost confidence in you. However, do not stray from your journey, or you will find that you don't leave this desert. Be careful, Lush."