Go To Part 1
I saw their white fur above the tops of the mountains in front of me. They barked a howled at each other, and I wondered if they had the means to reach me before I could get up and run into the tent, as though being under the canvas provided a magical barrier against them. Fortunately, they weren’t interested in me, but instead just at chasing each other. I sighed and went back to the tent, where I finally managed to drift off to sleep at about 5 o’clock in the morning.
I was woken fifteen minutes later by the Rays, and he said that it was time to go back to the town. The sun was just about to appear, and the rooster at my head had decided to scream out right next to me. We got up and made our way out of the tent, and into the desert.
By the time we made it to the mountain pass, we saw the wedding party return. The first thing I noticed was the bride, dressed in a red veil. I immediately thought of Blinky, the ghost from Pacman. I wasn’t able to take pictures of the wedding because the wedding guests thought I was from the military, the irony of which still entertains me.
We let the wedding party pass, and they called for us to follow. I watched as the Rays began to walk forward a few steps, and I immediately feared that we were about to have to start the whole process over again. Another tear came to my eyes, but fortunately, he came back and we continued on our way. It was at that time that I noticed my hands refused to open, and when I tried to unclench them, it hurt. I then realized that throughout the 48-hour period I had only had about two cups of water. So, let us go through the checklist so that we can understand the precariousness of the situation in which I found myself.
- Exhausted from no sleep in 487 hours. Check.
- Dehydrated and dizzy. Check.
- Walking precariously along the mountainside. Check.
- Shoes that have no traction over the smooth rocks. Check.
- Eyes blurry and nose and throat closed from allergies. Check and Check.
- Sudden onset of vertigo. Check and Mate.
Maybe it was a combination of the allergies, the exhaustion, and the dehydration, but at that moment, I felt like I was flying. It was a moment later that I realized that I wasn’t flying, but rather, I had slipped and was sliding to the side of the mountain. I stopped sliding just as my shoes reached over the edge of the mountain. As I sat there, I had realized that what once had begun as an adventure in testing my limits had become merely a life negating gape into the void.
As I released myself from my stupor, I saw a small child, who stood above me for a moment and then ran away when he realized that I was alive. And so the three of us – me, the Rays, and the child, made our way back to town. As we crossed the river, I heard a splash, but didn’t really care to turn back. The Rays and I made it to the outskirts of our city when he turned around and asked me where the child was. I turned around and saw that it was just the two of us. We called out for a few minutes but then continued on our way. My first thought was, I’m sure someone will find him, inshallah.
I made it back to my house at 8 o’clock in the morning, popped a Benadryl, and passed out. Second goal of Peace Corps attained.
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