Dehydration

The following is a scene I had to cut from my book, but I still wanted to share with the world.

In one of those hostile areas there were no trees to offer shade, no breeze to cool the sweat droplets that trailed their way down our dusty flesh.  The ground took as much of the heat as it could, hurling the rest at our already superheated bodies.  That place felt as unwelcoming as the dead caves and the depressed forests. 

While my mind was apprehensive about spending too much time there, my body lost interest in getting me to a better place.  My muscles grew more and more fatigued with each step, my lungs screamed that there wasn't enough air and swallowing became an arduous task.  The grooves left behind me were no longer just from my carrier; I wasn't able to actually lift my feet, so I just dragged them.  Finally, they failed completely and I fell to the blistering sand, my cheek slamming hard into it.  My arms didn't work any better than my legs, so I remained where I fell.

The thought of calling to Momma buzzed around in my head, but never actually landed anywhere.  She was too far ahead to hear me, anyway.  Closing my eyes to block out the blinding beams, sleep beaconed. 

Time passed, unnoticed by me.  Had it been a day?  A year?  I couldn't tell.  “Chi!  Chi!”  A voice called to me from far away.  Whoever she was, she sounded scared.  I should reassure her.  It would be nice.

It wasn't important,  I wanted to hide.  To make the heat and light and sound go away.

Something moved.  It might have been me.  I couldn't tell.  It wasn't graceful—more like quick and jerky. 

Noise and movement was bad.  Couldn't it stop?  It bothered me.

She spoke again.  “No!  Not now!  How could you take her from me?!  After all I've done for you!  We've done everything you've asked of us!”  More movement.

Words bothered me—weren't happy.  Ignore them. 

Sound changed.  Words became noise.  Crying?  Moaning?  Mine?  Not sure.  Changing.   

Something cold.  And wet.  Here and there, all over. 

Loud noise.  Screaming?  More movement. 

Sound and movement stopped.  Wet didn't.  Almost asleep. 

More words.  So desperate.  Focus.  Need to hear. 

“Chi!  Swallow!  Chi!  Wake up!  Drink!”

Could I?  Might hurt.  Too difficult.  No.  Don't want to.

“CHI!  NOW!” she screamed.  So much fear.  Don't be scared.  Drink.  Swallow.  Ah.  So cool.  So wet.  Feels good.  Swallow more.  Mmm.

Words faded.  “Good girl.  Sleep now.”  More movement.  Hair being stroked?  Felt good - like drink. 

Sleep.