halter. With skilled hands he quickly pried open the camel’s mouth and shoved the crop down his throat, calling to Alec at the same time to hold the canvas underneath.
The camel bellowed, heaved, then vomited water from the chambers in his stomach. Alec caught the precious liquid in the canvas. Together he and Raj poured it into the canteen, untied the camel’s legs, and without further conversation lay down to sleep, the canteen between them.
The next day was worse than the others. Tired legs faltered and crumpled under the weight of thin, starved bodies. The liquid in the canteen was wet, tolerable. But stomachs cried for food, and crazed eyes lingered longingly on the camel. “We will kill it tonight,” Raj whispered hoarsely to Alec. “He is almost done … we have his water … he is stumbling … it is the only way.”
Alec nodded, and let his tired, heavy head fall upon his chest.
When the sun went down and darkness came, they put a bullet through the camel’s head, and feasted on its flesh. Satisfied, they fell into a heavy sleep.
The next morning they cleaned the camel of its meat, left the carcass for the hyenas and jackals, and strengthened by the food, set out once more.
Mile after mile of sand passed under their feet as the sun rose in the cloudless sky. Alec’s eyes swept continuously across the horizon to the southeast, seeking the mountains toward which they were presumably headed. It was the fifth day and soon, if Raj had led them straight on their course, they should come to them. Night fell and still only miles and miles of white sand lay before them.
The next day was the same, and so was the following one. Feet lagged heavily across the sand. Little camel meat was left. The last of the water was gone. Alec fell and Raj helped him to his feet. “Place your arm on my shoulder for a while, Alec,” he said. “Let us not stop, for it is best that we keep on.”
A little later Mr. Volence fell to his knees, followed by Henry. Alec and Raj stumbled back to them. Theireyes were glazed and swollen tongues protruded between cracked lips. This is the end, Alec thought, the end of everything. Then his mind went blank … he was too tired to care much. The sun was setting and a cool breeze swept across the desert from the east. Alec turned his body toward it for it relieved somewhat the dull ache in his head. He struggled to open his eyes, hoping the breeze would cool the fires inside. His vision, dulled by the heat and glare, cleared slowly until he could see. Rising above the horizon was a dark, jagged shape. He blinked his eyes and tried again. It was still there. His gaze swept to the right. It was there, too. Then to the left. And there! Hope surged through his mind and body. They could be the mountains … they could be!
Alec turned and touched Raj’s shoulder. Feebly he pointed to the east. Raj looked, then rose to his feet. Slowly a smile cracked his blackened lips. He fell to his knees and lifted Henry’s and Mr. Volence’s faces to the east. “Mountains,” he whispered in their ears. “Mountains … tomorrow … tomorrow.”
The cold night descended upon them with Raj’s words still ringing in their ears … “tomorrow.”
It was already light when Alec awoke. He turned his head and saw that the others were still sleeping. Another day and they must get going … he stopped as he suddenly remembered. The mountains! This was tomorrow! Or had it been a dream? Were there mountains to the east or had it been just a mirage? Alec struggled to a sitting position.
The sun was not yet fully over the horizon. But thehorizon! It was not that of sand meeting sky, as it had been for days and days past. Instead jagged peaks pierced the heavens, pierced the sun. They had been right. It had not been a mirage, not a dream brought on by tired, bewildered minds. Ahead were the mountains. Their destination! Water! Food!
A cry escaped Alec’s lips, rousing the others. He pointed a
The camel bellowed, heaved, then vomited water from the chambers in his stomach. Alec caught the precious liquid in the canvas. Together he and Raj poured it into the canteen, untied the camel’s legs, and without further conversation lay down to sleep, the canteen between them.
The next day was worse than the others. Tired legs faltered and crumpled under the weight of thin, starved bodies. The liquid in the canteen was wet, tolerable. But stomachs cried for food, and crazed eyes lingered longingly on the camel. “We will kill it tonight,” Raj whispered hoarsely to Alec. “He is almost done … we have his water … he is stumbling … it is the only way.”
Alec nodded, and let his tired, heavy head fall upon his chest.
When the sun went down and darkness came, they put a bullet through the camel’s head, and feasted on its flesh. Satisfied, they fell into a heavy sleep.
The next morning they cleaned the camel of its meat, left the carcass for the hyenas and jackals, and strengthened by the food, set out once more.
Mile after mile of sand passed under their feet as the sun rose in the cloudless sky. Alec’s eyes swept continuously across the horizon to the southeast, seeking the mountains toward which they were presumably headed. It was the fifth day and soon, if Raj had led them straight on their course, they should come to them. Night fell and still only miles and miles of white sand lay before them.
The next day was the same, and so was the following one. Feet lagged heavily across the sand. Little camel meat was left. The last of the water was gone. Alec fell and Raj helped him to his feet. “Place your arm on my shoulder for a while, Alec,” he said. “Let us not stop, for it is best that we keep on.”
A little later Mr. Volence fell to his knees, followed by Henry. Alec and Raj stumbled back to them. Theireyes were glazed and swollen tongues protruded between cracked lips. This is the end, Alec thought, the end of everything. Then his mind went blank … he was too tired to care much. The sun was setting and a cool breeze swept across the desert from the east. Alec turned his body toward it for it relieved somewhat the dull ache in his head. He struggled to open his eyes, hoping the breeze would cool the fires inside. His vision, dulled by the heat and glare, cleared slowly until he could see. Rising above the horizon was a dark, jagged shape. He blinked his eyes and tried again. It was still there. His gaze swept to the right. It was there, too. Then to the left. And there! Hope surged through his mind and body. They could be the mountains … they could be!
Alec turned and touched Raj’s shoulder. Feebly he pointed to the east. Raj looked, then rose to his feet. Slowly a smile cracked his blackened lips. He fell to his knees and lifted Henry’s and Mr. Volence’s faces to the east. “Mountains,” he whispered in their ears. “Mountains … tomorrow … tomorrow.”
The cold night descended upon them with Raj’s words still ringing in their ears … “tomorrow.”
It was already light when Alec awoke. He turned his head and saw that the others were still sleeping. Another day and they must get going … he stopped as he suddenly remembered. The mountains! This was tomorrow! Or had it been a dream? Were there mountains to the east or had it been just a mirage? Alec struggled to a sitting position.
The sun was not yet fully over the horizon. But thehorizon! It was not that of sand meeting sky, as it had been for days and days past. Instead jagged peaks pierced the heavens, pierced the sun. They had been right. It had not been a mirage, not a dream brought on by tired, bewildered minds. Ahead were the mountains. Their destination! Water! Food!
A cry escaped Alec’s lips, rousing the others. He pointed a
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