The Oregon trail

The slow methodic thud of horse hooves hitting the sand, lulled me side to side, as we walked through the endless desert hills.

The blistering sun hung overhead, a constant reminder of how dry my mouth was. Every painful swallow was like trying to swallow a mouthful of cotton.

My head swam, fatigue overtaking me as I suddenly pitched forward. Landing heavily in the sand. The grains were rough between my fingertips as I faded in and out of consciousness.

The echoing cry of a vulture, piercing my ears as it flew overhead.

A dark shadow swimming into my view as my eyes finally closed. "Please," I trailed off my words sounding foreign to my own ears. Let my death be painless.

...

I fell to my knees, the breath long gone from my lungs as my throat constricted. My resolve fading as I stared at the still body in front of me.

Disbelief matching the tears that rolled down my cheeks.

And suddenly as I knelt in the sand, all of a sudden I felt tired... Like the world had drained me for everything I had.

It was no longer worth living.