Desert. Perfect flat, endless sand. Miles upon miles of hot, coarse grains. The heat beats down on his shoulders. Thirst consumes his body. The pulsating sun drowns him in exhaustion.

The sand comes up to his waist. He tries to wade through it, each step brings a heavier being. He's most definitely naked, but feels covered in thick wool, as if his clothes can never come off. He claws at his skin like taking off a winter coat, a futile attempt to alleviate some of the heat. Yet it does nothing.

He realizes as he trudges on that he has become consumed. Immobile and statue-like in the sand. Try as he may, he cannot pull himself up on anything. Objects form in his mind and turn to dust with his touch, falling through his fingers. Of course everything is of no use to him.

Sweat runs down his face and the blistering heat seems to get hotter. A deep, panting sort of hot that leaves you out of breath with one push.

Miles upon miles...

Stranded. Abandoned.

Utterly and terrifyingly alone...

*

Roy felt as if he was suffocating. He pushed himself up on his elbows, beads of perspiration forming on his forehead. Each inhale was shallow as he struggled to catch his breath. He was suddenly quite thankful Dade hadn't offered him a blanket.

He swung his legs over the side of the couch and massaged his temples. It must've been early morning by now. The sun was just beginning to shine through the window and the faint sound of birds could be heard.

Roy wondered if he had actually slept through the night or not, or if he embarrassingly said something whilst sleeping that Dade or Dahlia could have heard. There was no way, Roy tried to tell himself. Dade had always been a heavy sleeper. And drinker. And both had been combined the night before.

Roy fumbled with his suitcase for another shirt. Another one of his fears was either of his friends walking in on him while putting on pants. He felt so stupid. He wondered if anyone would notice if he just wore the same pair of trousers from the night before. Roy decided it wasn't worth risking so he decided on it.

The plans he had for that day made Roy nauseous. Or it could've been because he had drank on an empty stomach. He never ate much anymore and had lost a considerable amount of weight, including muscle. He knew he wasn't healthy, if he ever was in the first place, and he wondered if that was the reason he was constantly tired.

Roy wheeled over to the front porch to watch the cotton candy sky be pierced with the Oklahoma sunrise. To his surprise, he could spy Dade already far out in the distance across the street in the field on his tractor. Roy panicked, knowing that Dade must've walked past him while he was still sleeping, but reassured himself that he probably didn't do anything too embarrassing. He sighed, then nearly jumped; if he could've.

"Coffee?"

"Good morning, Dahlia," Roy breathed.

"Are you okay?" She smiled.

"You're up early," he commented.

"Work at 8. Remember? I work."

"That's right."

"Coffee?"

"Uh, sure. Yeah."

"Y' know my brother will be out there for awhile. Don't know what your plans are or whatever, but-"

"No plans. No, no plans."

"Are you going to see your folks?"

"Later," Roy said. "When Dade is finished I guess."

"Anyway, I was saying, if you'd like you can come to the library with me. It can be quite slow every so often. And I'm the only one working today."

Roy smiled faintly.

"You don't have to if you don't want to. You take your coffee black, right?"

"Correct."

"I still remembered."

"I'd love to come with you."

Dahlia's face beamed. "Really? I didn't think you'd be interested."

"I'm a college man," Roy reminded her.

"Did you know we got an auto?"

"Oh, wow. You drive too?"

"It's a miracle, am I right?"

"Ha. I knew a girl who drives."

"Many do, Roy," Dahlia chuckled.

"So they say."

"How long are you in town for?"

Roy shook his head, pausing to take a sip of coffee. "Uncertain. Maybe forever. Who knows."

"I was gonna say, I'm sure my boss would hire you. For work. If you need it. He's really nice. Kevin."

"Maybe," Roy admitted. Was he really in a point in his life where he needed to accept a job in a library? "The girl I knew who drives wanted to take me job hunting once. Nothing came of it, though."

"That's so funny," Dahlia smiled. "I mean, if the flickers weren't for you, perhaps the pages are."

"You're so funny," Roy commented, monotone.

"It's so great, too. I bet you never knew it but you can come through the back. Because of the stairs in the front, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"But it's great, though. We can totally go through the back."

"Glad you're thinking ahead."

"Let's get going. I'll just leave a note for Dade."