Wet Dunes: Namibic Oeseret

What have I done to receive such hate? What did I do that they’d go this far to rid off me on their lives? Does my life don’t hold any meaning that of to theirs? But what have done though? Life is so unfair—They are so unfair. Had I confronted them, would it result to something more better?

          There exists many beautiful flowers with thorn and are poisonous, as such, I wasn’t aware that Claire belongs to one of them. But why go so far as to bind me with thorns and inflict poison? Since when then have I rendered them so much hatred?

          My whole life has been that of a battlefield; I found myself in the midst of a field of landmines, which lays on the ground by the thousands. One wrong step, then I am gone—but I didn’t die from those horrors lying underneath, rather I was shot from my back, the direction where my allies are supposed to be gathered.

          I could’ve crawled back and inflict upon them my wrath, but I was none but weak; all my courage lost even to the thought of what would I do to them the moment I reach my own trench. Would I let them compensate for the damages? Kill them with my own two hands? Yes I am that cowardly and incompetent in facing all my problems at hand. I am afraid of confronting arguments and shy away into being indecisive instead.

          All these contemplation garnered into my thoughts as I stare blankly on these skies billowed by the smoking gunpowders of the artilleries; or rather, as I succumbed into the darkness of my room as I catch my last breath… Oh, what an unfortunate soul I really am.

        I was, but on a subconscious state, and I swear that what just I had heard was a voice, so eerie and solid that it’d be injustice to deem it imaginary. The voice characterizes familiarity and that of self pity and resentment. From whom, my mind tackled to recall whose voice it belonged to, I know not; yet it feels like it must be from someone that I should know and a very close one to me at that.

          I should be dead, but…

          “Sand?! What the—”

          Vision came back to me and as I opened my eyes, the sunlight piercing through my eyes out of the darkness it was prolonged to, and to my surprise, I am so alive and well. I don’t feel any pain throughout my head and my coughing so as to my bleeding had stopped. I was able to breath freely again, but I was soon suffocated to the fact that—

          “What the f*ck am I doing in the middle of the desert?! And why is it raining and everywhere is so wet!”

          I was flabbergasted by the circumstances that were occurring, that even I forgot the vain that I was in this time past.

          I found myself laying in the middle of this barren yet ever wet desert. What caught my attention was the very peculiar characteristic that this particular tremendous body of sands could offer is that, it contains marshes that would make sense if found near a river or lakes, but there it was, laying by the thousands, bold and proud to destroy the sanity that is of little left on my mind. Another eye-catching peculiarity that this situation could torment me is that, the skies are being hovered by, billowing masses of lightning storms, ever furious, screeching its internal pain , a never ending tormenting pandemonium caused by the charged particles within. The dial of the mini compass that was installed on my watch kept on making circles as if it lost its designated poles. 

          As lost as the compass that I am in possession of, I was walking aimlessly as the hours came, in hopes that I would somewhat find shelter upon this peculiar hell.

          I saw a slope, not that steep, and climbed up to get some vantage point, so as for me to assess the geological position I currently am. Upon reaching the top, I realized that the other side of this lump of earth is a ridge. I looked down at this, somewhat—a forest looking expanse in the middle of this wet desert?! Though strange, I must admit, what was presented in front of me was a blissful scenery, its otherworldly beauty is inadequate of human tongue.

          “What is this? What is going on? If I stare too much at these beauty, I might find myself realizing that this strange world isn’t that terrible itself. ”, said I, mesmerized by the wonder this perils can offer.

          Now I understand what those professional photographers feel when they say that, why is the most beautiful things in our world exists on the most perilous places.

          Dusk came. I find myself surprised that I managed to reach this far, and the day and night cycle of this world is the same as the world as I was from. “What is this place anyway?”, I remarked to myself as I cuddled myself upon this very small rock shelter, in which I found by pure luck. Had I not found this small fort, I may be lost to hypothermia by now.

          A thought then came suddenly to me as my stomach growled out of hunger.

          “Oh no! I am so hungry right now. I must find food or else… ”

          Not that I am only suffering from hunger, but also I am parched as hell.

          I looked through the contents of my bag, in which I took hold for all this time; the reason?, I know not. It was the only thing that was beside me the moment I woke up into this world. To my surprise, amidst all the rain that poured down, not even a single thing of this bag went wet. 

          I hoped that maybe at least I packed a food inside and forgot to bring it out, instead, was the books that I found the other day near the trash bin.

          Destiny was against me this time again. 

          Amidst the sound of rainfall touching the rock of this shelter that I inhabited, I heard small droplets of liquid, coming from the small crack of the ceiling. I am guessing that it’s been a while since this phenomenon started occurring, for the droplets are already forming quite a puddle on the ground.

          I was tempted to scoop some on my hands, but I was also hesitant for, the rain and water here characterizes quite a peculiar color. It is not clear or did not have the same color of water that I had seen back in my own world.

          But I was so thirsty that I felt like someone’s drilling into my stomach for days on end.

          I was doubting at first, but as time passed by, a thought came into me… If I’m just going to die here anyway, wouldn't it hurt to die happy and satisfied then?

          I dared and made a bet with my life. I scooped some of the liquid in question, and slurped and drank quite an amount of it… I mean I already died once, I’m finally freed from the suffering that I had experienced in my past world, why do I have the need to live again just to suffer another hell?

          I accept whatever happens next; come what may, it doesn’t even matter anymore…

Bluueeegghhh…

          “This tastes horrible! It’s like a human piss accumulated on a bottle and is fermented for quite a while just hidden at the back of the board waiting for fate to destroy such absurdity itself. I’m going to die!!”

blluuueeergghhh

          “Ahhh, so it has come to this again. Frank Sied: cause of death, WATER.” said I, as I slowly lay down on the rough stone that is acting as my deathbed…

          Then I closed my eyes.

—

          I was awoken by the sounds of the roaring thunder, and the quick flashes of the lightning. I looked at my watch and it was still 38 past midnight. I didn't pay attention at first, then I realized how I was able to see the contents of my watch at this hour. Maybe I slept for so long that it was morning already.

          But the light outside doesn’t suggest so. It was bright but not that much to the point that you can associate it with sunlight.

          It has already stopped raining.

         I went to take a look outside to feed my curiosity.

          The moment I laid my eyes outside, yet again, my curiosity was fed way too much more than its fill. It was a surprise after another.

         The one who's causing the twilight in question was, what we call in the Arctic Circle, the Northern Lights.

         It was a spectacular feast to my eyes, as I’ve only heard and seen this marvel only on the internet and books. I had never imagined the day that I’d be able to personally see it.

          “It doesn’t make sense at all. I thought these things are only visible to the Northern parts of the world.”, said I, then I realized—

          “Ahhh! That must explain the reason why my compass was acting strange this whole time. I’ve read a decent amount of information about this phenomenon. They exist in the Northern part of Earth because they are close to the magnetic North Pole and some other various factors I can barely recall. The reason as to what makes my compass act that way, I know not.”

          “Maybe, is it because I’m in the most Northern part of this world? That is, if the law of physics that I knew of also rules out this world. I mean what am I even doing, I didn’t have the need to pry deeper into this. I’ll just enjoy this while I still can. If this is going to be the last spectacles that I’m going to witness before I die, then, I have every right to say that I died happy.”

          And so I did. I watched the whole thing in awe. I realized that I was no longer thirsty and then sleep overpowered me.

          I crawled back into the little fort that I inhabited, prepared my bag, acting as a pillow. If I’m going to die, at least I will also die comfortably.

          I closed my eyes, in hopes that this be my final hours and to never wake up tomorrow just to suffer again.