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With every step he took, the shifting sand sucked at his feet and refused to let them go. Sweat stung his eyes and his tongue darted out to wet his parched lips. Stopping to breath, he pulled his wide brimmed hat from his head and ran a hand through his slick dark hair. Returning the hat to his head he took a shuddering breath before forcing his body to continue on its way. As he shifted his weight forward, his leg buckled, and his entire body crumbled down to the unforgiving sand. As the world went dark, he felt his hat slip from his head and flutter to the ground beside him...
Feeling the heat of the desert pressing down on him, he grimaced as he felt sand slide under the collar of his shirt and stick to the sweat on his chest as he gently tried moving. A groan filled the air as his back spasmed forcing him to stop moving. If his pain was anything to go by, he had been unconscious for at lest an hour. Realising that to stay laying in the sweltering sunlight would be suicide, he prepared himself for the pain that moving would bring. With a whimper, he pushed himself up to his hands and knees. Scratchy, red rimmed eyes scanned the area around him searching for his prized possession. He let out a sigh of relief as he spotted it. As soon as the hat was returned to his head, he began to feel a bit more human. With cracked fingers, he pushed himself to his feet and began again his journey. Each step he took made his mind scream and his body cry out in pain. Scanning the area around him, he sagged in relief as his sore eyes landed on a large dune that had miraculously created a small patch of shade. It was all he could do not to sprint towards it. As soon as he reached it, he threw himself down and flung himself onto his back. Eyes wide with pain, he stared up at the clear blue sky wondering what he had done to deserve this. ‘Maybe one those artifacts was actually cursed… that would explain a lot.’ Sitting up he pulled a newspaper clipping from his pocket.
Famous American adventurer Philip Greyson to attempt to find the lost city of Rhythith!
Beneath the article was a photo of a man with his head thrown back in laughter and a laughing woman in his arms.
“You were right babes… this trip was nothing but trouble.” Stroking the image of the woman’s laughing features, he let a tear fall silently down his cheek... Looking around in despair, his eyes caught on a flash of white. Three dunes away was two men clad head to toe in billowing white robes sitting upon camels. Darting to his feet, he began flailing his arms around his head.“Over here! I’m over here!” He sighed in relief as they turned and led their camels down towards him. “Oh, thank god…” And with that, world faded back to black.