At the Edge of the Earth

24 hours previously

24 hours previously, I had been in a loud, bustling market among a throng of people, where the sumptuous spices of ginger, cumin, paprika, turmeric, and saffron filled the warm air.

The next thing I knew

The next thing I knew, I found myself bouncing along a rutted, dirt road at the edge of the desert with a parched throat from the arid, dusty air. The van pulled up to a small encampment of low shelters, nearby a flock of camels sat under the sun. I paid the driver, grabbed my backpack and walked up to one of the men tending the herd. For a negotiated price, he saddled one of the beasts, helped me to get on and handed me the reins. I then headed out into the barren landscape, effectively deserting all my worldly comforts.

This trip to seemingly the middle of nowhere

This trip to seemingly the middle of nowhere is my attempt at consciously disremembering, at losing myself. As the proverb goes ‘solitude is often the best society,’ but as the last hints of humankind recede into the distance, I’m not so sure anymore.

Now out here in the desert, atop a sand dune, I find myself face to face with a mysterious woman I name “The Girl.” Part of her face is veiled, as is mine to keep out the blowing particles of sand. Despite the many boundaries that divide us, I look into her eyes and see kindness and warmth, a stark contrast to the desolation and chilly temperature that envelop us.

The sun sinks below the horizon

The sun sinks below the horizon, and the stars begin to twinkle above. The Girl welcomes me to join her around her fire; the crackle and soft glow of the flames are mesmerizing. She breaks off a chunk of bread and sets it on a blanket near me. I eat it greedily.

With a full stomach, it dawns on me that while seeking solitude, I only found loneliness. But now, in the presence of The Girl, I can’t recall ever feeling more at peace as a wave of tiredness washes over me. I lay my head down and fall into a deep slumber.

The first rays of light

The first rays of light touch my face, and I slowly open my eyes. I am enveloped in a blanket I don’t recall bringing with me. A memory stirs, there was a girl. I look around for her but find only Chewy looking lazily at me. Where is she? Renewed in spirit and soul, I climb into the saddle of my desert ride and let him carry me back to humanity. A placid smile forms on my lips as I come to the realization that weathering desolation has revealed an inner strength I didn’t know I had. I’m ready to go home.

I found “The Girl” at the edge of the earth, but in truth the real girl I found, was me.

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