He set his eyes to the path, downward, hardly veering more than a few steps ahead in glance. Best to keep going.

I know this, he thought, I know this way. Even though he had never trod the trail before.

An imaginary voice spoke above the din of his dehydrated heartbeat pounding: sure… nose down this as long as you’d like, but you need to find water at some point.

Is this what mirages look like?… his actual voice asked. Reflective surface within a sandscape scene?

He had found it.

It would be alright.

***

Image taken in Joshua Tree National Park.