Nikki ran her hand through her shor dark hair and sighed outwardly in frustration. How the ***** did she up here? She thought. She climbed of the back of the battered truck and saluted a thanks to the driver who ignored her and drove off. Nikki studied her surroundings, complete silence but the distance rattling of the truck she had just disembarked. She was in the middle of nowhere, there was nothing but barren desert around her, not even a shrub. The wind was picking up speed, and the loose sand was swirling in the hot air. Nikki grabbed her backpack and took out a bandana which she covered her mouth and nose with. She then put on a pair of shades and pondered which direction she should take. It didn’t matter either way as she had no place to go to. Settling on walking left, she slung her backpack over her shoulder and started.

Within the hour she was exhausted and thirsty having run out of water. She continued her mantra, "Just keep walking. Just keep walking." Sitting down would mean falling asleep and that was the last thing she could risk if she wanted to live. She picked up pace as she saw mountains ahead of her. If she could get there by nightfall, at least she could have shelter while she slept.

She fell to the ground on her knees, and leaned against the rocks at the base of the steep mountains. She began to sob with sheer exhaustion, eventually falling asleep. When she woke up daylight had hardly broken, and she continued to climb the mountains. She fell several times, bruised and cut as a result. Her shorts and t-shirt becoming tattered and dirty as a result. After two days of climbing she had reached the top. She was starving and near to death from thirst, but relief came to her as she saw lights in the distance. She spoke loudly, "If I can get there, I can get water. If I can get there." She began her descent but half-way down she slipped and fell. Her world darkened and there was nothing.

Nikki woke up and was immediately aware of the softness beneath her. She looked around and saw that she was in a room. Someone had found her. She saw that her leg was bandaged from foot to thigh. She winced as she tried to move it. The walls were white and bare except for a small crucifix. The furniture consisted of the bed on which she lay and a chair where her backpack was placed. She studied her clothing and body. She had been washed and changed into a simple white gown.