Homage to thee, Osiris

I sprint down the dirt road, each stride a desperate attempt to stay ahead, feeling the sun's golden rays warming my back. The road is hot and dusty beneath my bare feet, each step kicking up tiny clouds of dust that swirl in the air behind me. My heart pounds fiercely, a wild tempo echoing the fierce beat of drums, yet I push forward, unwilling to pause. Behind me, the roar of chariots and the rhythmic pounding of footsteps reverberate, their intent and purpose a mystery that fuels my fear. Panic seizes my chest as if roots have wrapped tight around my ribs —why am I being chased? The answer eludes me, but a primal instinct screams that I’m fleeing for my life.

Ahead, the river shimmers in the bright sunlight, beckoning to me as a place of refuge. As I rush toward the riverbank, I imagine that reaching the water might offer safety—a chance to pause and breathe. The sacred waters will protect me. The spirits and gods, with their ancient magic, will shield me. If I can just make it to the riverbank, I could conceal myself among the reeds, or the river’s currents might carry me away to safety.

The chariots rumbled fiercely, their wheels stirring up clouds of dust that danced in the air as they raced down the parched path. The men bellow commands, each command cuts through the damp air with razor precision, urging their steeds forward. I pant heavily, pushing myself forward in a desperate sprint against uncertainty. I can't afford to stop.

As I finally reach the riverbank, adrenaline surges through my veins, and with a desperate burst of energy, I leap into the cool waters. But as I plunge beneath the surface, fear grips me—I don’t know how to swim. I quickly seek refuge behind a cluster of reeds; shivering from both cold and fear, I fight to control my breathing, each exhale creating tiny ripples that spread across the water's surface.

I listen intently, straining to catch any sound beyond the gentle ripple of the river. Above the subtle gurgle of the current, I hear voices—booming and authoritative—searching for me. They must be close. Sunlight filters through the ripples, casting shifting patterns that danced like shadows and light, making it hard to distinguish where the surface ended and the shadows began. I remain completely still, terrified that even the smallest breath or movement might betray my presence.

Suddenly, an intense pain shoots through my leg. It's as if a thousand needles are piercing my skin, and the agony rapidly spreads throughout my body. Peering through the water, I notice a dark patch clinging to my leg. Another wave of excruciating pain courses through me, and this time, I see blood swirling into the water. The agony is unbearable, and I want to scream, but then I hear a gentle rustling. My breath hitches—could it be them? Have they drawn nearer? I become as still as a statue.

Another wave of pain surges through my body like a sudden rush of molten steel. More creatures cling to my legs; their tiny teeth sink into my flesh, and tears stream down my cheeks. Desperation claws at my mind—it might be better to surrender. I squeeze my eyes shut, “Homage to thee, Osiris...”

“Thou rollest up into the horizon... Thy crown penetrateth the height of heaven, thou art the companion of the stars, and the guide of every god..."

Suddenly, a deafening roar reverberates from the heavens—a deep sound that rumbles like thunder. The sky darkens rapidly; thick clouds gather overhead, blotting out the sun and casting an ominous shadow across the horizon. As the dark clouds thicken, the earth beneath me begins to tremble violently. The ground shakes so fiercely that the river’s surface ripples wildly, sending waves crashing against the reeds. The world around me shudders with a mighty force.

Then, without warning, an eerie mist descends, swirling hypnotically across the river. It drapes over the water, concealing everything beneath a shroud of fog. The mist is thick and biting; its chill seeps into my bones, blurring my vision. The earth shudders once more—a deep tremor that echoes through the ground—and in that moment, I feel the raw power of the gods awakened by the chaos.

The horses' sharp neighing pierces the air, blending with the cacophony of men's voices—urgent commands and desperate pleas tangled together. Chaos surrounds me, a tumultuous storm of noise and movement. Seizing the momentary disarray, my hand plunges into the cold, murky water. Slimy creatures twist and squirm beneath my fingers, each grasp feeling like peeling away layers of skin. More of them cling stubbornly to my calves, their cold, damp bodies pressing insistently against my skin. The scent of unseen blood taints the air, a metallic tang clinging to my tongue as if I've bitten into something raw.

The distant clamor of retreating men barely reaches my ears, their footsteps swallowed by thickening mist. Fog wraps around me like a shroud, closing in with an eerie chill. I must flee the river before the creatures lurking beneath its surface consume me entirely. The ground finally feels still beneath me; the men have fled, their cries silenced by wrathful gods. With deliberate care, I push myself up from the water, grimacing as numb feet make contact with the muddy shore. A strange chill seeps into my bones; toes twitch with unsettling numbness.

After a few steps, legs betray me, collapsing as if they no longer exist. I crash to the ground. Panic surges through me—danger still lurks—it urges me onward. I drag myself forward, clawing at the earth. Suddenly, the air fills with a deafening scrape of a million tiny needles against dirt. Glancing back reveals a monstrous wall of swirling sand moving in mesmerizing waves toward me. The storm transforms the world into a chaotic orange nightmare.

A fierce gust sweeps across my body, kicking up a blinding wall of swirling sand and dust that stings my eyes and fills my nose and mouth with gritty particles. Squinting against the abrasive storm, hands instinctively shield my face. The air thickens with the earthy scent of disturbed ground, and I taste the metallic tang of sand on my tongue. Amid the relentless howling of the whirlwind, soft whispering voices emerge—a tender caress amid chaos. At first, the sound is faint, barely more than a gentle breeze slipping through a narrow crack. But gradually, the voices grow clearer, more insistent, each syllable distinct and charged with allure. "Come to me," they beckon, their words gentle yet compelling, echoing in my mind with the resonance of a sacred call vibrating through my being.

The sandstorm engulfs me in a chaotic swirl of grit and wind, yet my mind remains unusually calm, like the eye of a tempest. The wind's deafening roar vibrates through my bones, but I feel suspended, detached from the earth, floating beyond the realms of pain and fear. Sand grains lash against my skin like tiny daggers, their sting numbed by an inexplicable calm seeping into my core.

My body begins to disassemble, fragments breaking off like a cliffside eroding into the sea. Skin peels away, bones disintegrate—there is no pain—only serene acceptance, a gentle yielding to the storm's pull. I am not just a solitary figure; I merge with the tempest, becoming one with the howling wind, swept into the ceaseless ballet of swirling dust and chaotic energy.

Whispers weave through the tumultuous winds, “Come to me…come to me” vibrating insistently through the chaos, urging me onward, deeper into the unknown. The words ripple through the air like an enchanting melody, echoing in my mind and mingling with the shifting winds.

Fear has vanished, replaced by a thrilling sense of liberation. As I dissolve into the swirling winds, I realize my human form is no more. I have become the storm itself—wild, limitless, everlasting—a whisper on the desert breeze, forever intertwined with the chaos I once tried to escape. Every grain of sand, every gust of wind feels like a part of me. Unbound from flesh and bone, I exist everywhere and nowhere—a consciousness spread throughout the storm—experiencing its raw power from within.

“Thou risest up in the sky, illumining thy mother, thou art seated on thy throne as the king of the gods…Homage to thee, Osiris...”