Oasis in the Storm

The setting of Deserts Khretior, year EA 792, represent a special memory to me. 

I was hiding behind a rock from the sand storm, struggling not to get buried alive. My clothes had enough sand for a construction site. I could hardly breathe through the mask, fearing if I would fall unconscious every second. My body somehow was sweating. A sharp pain nailed my feet, hurting like hell. I wanted to grab my chest, while sadness surrounded my soul. A part of me wanted it. Sometimes you happen to become addicted to sadness, you know. That was how I used to be. 

My co-traveller were long gone and not a trace of them I could see. 

According to the contract I should pay their families a large amount of money. I should forestalled that. They were people, who didn't have anything to lose, and their family could make a profit out of that. Selfish of selfless, were they? 

Who am I to judge? I, myself, couldn't protect what did really matter in my life. My wife died without seeing what a monster I turn out after our child's loose. I thought that was the only thing that eased my death. On that place, on that time. No escape!

The expedition should have lasted longer, but I guess this couldn't be helped. Shit!

Alone, hinding like a coward! My grandfather would spit on me, if he had seen me in my state. He was the most decorated man I had ever met. He made me the man you're hearing. 

"Courage and honour! Mark my words kiddo!" He used to tell me. 

When I start the expedition I didn't expect the sand storm, but wasn't on me. It could had been different, but the past is past. 

Losing hope and not able to keep my eyes opened, I felt like dying. When I felt like closing my eyes forever, my body moved on its own, protecting my face with my hand. I remembered that I had a mask in my bag. It merely protected my face from the sand. Not fully aware, I lost consciousness. 

What happened next was the most difficult part. Very well, vultures could eat my body, but indeed I wasn't dead. I wouldn't be here telling my story, then. Haha!

Laid on my back, I never had thought that I would miss seeing the blue sky. The heat made me feel funny. I forced my body to get up so I could see what was left in my bag. Gookinaid. And for snacks just a bag of salty pretzels and nuts. Extra water. A wooden hat. A knife - very sharp. The compass and the map. 

The nearest residences of human beings were days of travelling by foot away.

After calculating my location, I started moving. I followed the compass. Whenever the needle change directions, I was convinced that I had lost. 

The worst part started when the food went missing. Little rats. 

Why is so dark here? Oh, it's night. I didn't notice. What is that bright star? 

Why is the Polaris on the wrong direction? Then it hit me like a train. The compass was showing me the wrong direction all along. I felt like dying. You know, that feeling like there's no hope left. I felt it. 

I thought I was going to die alone. In that night. What I didn't know was what life held for me. The desert is a dangerous place if you move alone during nights. 

Puff! 

Without warnings the desert ate me. I was falling down, down, down until the sand beneath "caught" me. It hurted so much. 

It was dark. Really dark. I was lucky enough to have a lighter within. There were corridors made of stone. I don't know if they were natural or not. They were smooth as soap.

Once upon a time, water steamed though those corridors. If I followed them, I would find water. Better than nothing. I gave me hope. It make me realize how many embarrassing things I said earlier. 

"Past is past!"

I sat on another journey. Stars, being on my side. How should I had known? I had never read the horospoc back then. Anyway...

I found a light. Yes, a light! I regained my hope again. I dragged myself, holding against the stone corridor's wall. When I got closed enough, I shutted my eyes. The light was that strong. Then... 

I opened my eyes.

"Where the hell am I?"

"Foreigner," a voice called. It was a strange bird. 

"Weird creature!" I said

"Weird creature!" It talked back at me.

It was a whole oasis. A oasis under the second driest place on the land. It was not that all. Ruined buildings, destroyed by the humility and the vegetation. My so-called colleagues would had died from jealousy. Narrow minded idiots. 

I did it. It was all mine. 

Oh! For a brief moment I could understand how King Midas might had felt. It doesn't matter anymore. All I need was to make my staying comfortable. The temperatures were getting low so I sat a fire. I fed on some surprisingly familiar fruit. A man need meat, too. Lizard are good , too. I used to be an army soldier, so I knew how to survive in extreme conditions.  

Fshooo!

“Who's there?”

Silence. Have I gone mad? I certainly hope not. The air became heavier and cold sweats started to covered my whole body. I didn’t know what to think. I wished I never had gone in the that expedition in first place.

Am I going to see my son’s face ever again? I wanted to get away from him in the first place. Am I being hypocrite, now? I miss him. Sorry for having me as a parent!

It took couple of days for me to pull myself together. I needed to overcome the past “me”. I needed to be strong.

It started with exploration of the zone. The vegetation was typical tropical. But where did those plants got their water from? The answer was simple. The dig was filled with underground river. Under that dry soil, tons of water streamed freely. Note-worthy.

During 3 weeks, I had been feeding on fruits and little animals. Three weeks I kept myself alive, until a search party come and found me. Moths later after my hospitalization I intended to continue my research. 

It was all over the news. 

“The infamous philanthropist returned safe and sound!”

“The scorching desert couldn’t beat him.” 

And other titles like that.

Now those dry villages can have cool water anytime. I feel happy now. I helped people of that dry land. Now I could see my son’s face. The most presious oasis of them all!