Desert Walk

Staggering through red rocks, hot to the touch in sun, desperately scanning the far, muttered, desert horizon. Looking for anybody, amidst the baking dirt, desperate for a drink, to slake an endless thirst. My wide-brimmed hat is soaked by and endless, grimy sweat. I wish to god my horse Wasn’t lying dead. He fell back on a slope, sliding sideways down. I clung atop his body to avoid the jagged ground. My boot heels hurt my back, not made for long walking. My mind can’t take silence, no noise, clamor, or talking… Just a hot wind blowing, background music to pain, my ribs ache and throb, can’t focus my brain… But wait! A glint out there, distant, but repeating! Something out there, mile off, a faster path I’m limping. Seems to take forever, but I stagger on and on, to the back street, paved, a highway rolling broad. An SUV stops and sees me and they empty out. “My god, you need help!" Of that, have no doubt. We drive on to Vegas, to big hospitals there, have to call the trail-ride place, tell them about their mare.