It was hot.

Really hot.

I wanted to stop.

The sun was baking me alive.

I needed water.

Fast.

All I could see in the distance was sand. Miles and miles of it. I coudn't remember the last time I had had a drink. Two days ago maybe? I was thirsty to the point of being delirious. Not a good sign.

But I kept on walking. What choice did I have? I hadn't planned on expiring quite yet, so Mr. Grim Reaper would just have to wait. If I was going to die early, I wanted to die of a respectable cause. Dehydration just didn't cut it.

My pack felt heavy. It was almost empty but weighing me down nonetheless. I had been tempted to ditch it, but it was all I had. I would need it to survive in the big city, Napolis, the heart of Corenthia. That is, if I ever got there.

So, you might be wondering why I was alone in the middle of the desert? My own stupidity is the best answer.

Five days ago, the night of my sixteeth birthday, I packed my bags and went off in search of an adventure. I had been planning my escape for the entire year. No, not because my family was awful. They were quite pleasent actually. Nor because I wanted to become something. I didn't really have anything I needed to accomplish.

I set off because I needed some exitement in my life. I wanted to live it to the fullest. Take a walk on the wild side. Typical teenage stuff.

An adventure seemed like exactly what I needed. Unfortunatly, my little village of two hundred, Acantha, didn't offer such things. And my parents didn't like adventures very much. Apparently they lead to danger and disapointment.

So, at the darkest hour while my family was asleep, I departed for Napolis. Napolis seemed like a good start. It was a big city with lots of people and things to see. Very much a place for adventure. I left with a bag filled with food, water, a quilt, a few bars of soap, and some of my jewellery (which I was planning on selling for money). I decided to pack lightly. An adventure was suppose to be spontaneous, was it not?

I should also mention I left wearing my brother's clothing, my hair cropped short, and my chest wrapped so tightly I could hardly breath.

To clarify, I'm not male. My name is Alisa Tully and I am all female. So why was I dressing up in such a way? I had a feeling my parents might send someone to look for me. It was the perfect disguise. I was posing as a boy named Alister Trullee, who was travelling to see his aunt. Hopefully no one would suspect a thing.

I had written a note to my family before I took off, telling them I loved them, and that I'd see them in a while. My family was great, really. But they wouldn't understand why I wanted this so badly. My mother was especially worried about letting me go. It was a big scary world out there, filled with dragons, goblins, vampires, faeries, whitches, immortals...who knew what else. If she were to have it her way, I wouldn' move out until I turned 48. But by then it would be to late. I'd be condemned to my village forever.

Hence, that night I headed west, to Napolis. The quickest way to get there was straight through the desert, so that was exactly the route I took. Deserts seemed adventurous.

What a mistake.

The days were long, hot and hard. The nights were lonely and frightening. Small animals would come and go, but even they seemed to have a hard time with the terrain. I had miscalculated the disctance of the trip, so I hadn't brought enough provisions. I had run out of food and drinking water on my third day. By then, it was to late to go back. All I could do was hope the city was right over the next sand dune. Somehow it never was.

Now, as I trecked accross the blistering sand, barely able to stand straight, I wondered in all seriousness weather I would perish before my real adventure ever started. What a waste. If I hadn't been so dehydrated, a few tears might have escaped my eyes. For now though, I could only cry dry, gruff, tearless sobs. I was frustrated and incredibly tired. I hadn't slept at all last night because I had been so intent on finding water.

My mind was starting to go hazy and I thought of my family. How could I leave them like this? My parents had been right all along.

My thirst was getting to me.

Eventually, my legs gave out. I guess that was bound to happen at some point, I'd been walking five days in total, two of them without any fuel. I crawled on, but after a few hours of this, my knees and palms had taken the impact. So I just gave up.

No more.

I didn't want any more of this.

I collapsed and lay there. Hours passed, and I found myself thinking many interesting thoughts. Thoughts you wouldn't generaly need to think of.

Would my body ever be found.

How long would it take to decay in this heat?

Would anyone look for me?

Lots of fascinating concepts.

Then I found myself thinking much darker thoughts. I hoped it would all stop. I wanted to be comfortable again.

I almost wanted to die.

I was loosing my mind.