A Series of Short Stories About My Vision Fast in Death Valley
Into the Wild West- Finding My Soul
Part 1/5 — The Departure Into The Unknown
Out here in the wild west
You will face the test
of life in these magnificent sites
while you met your dark side
and ponder the question
who am I?
The dry air and the serene desert caverns extended into untouched territory as far as my eyes could see. A dark reminder of a past that haunts me from memories in Afghanistan and Iraq.
As we turned off the highway and ventured into the Wild West, I reeked of fear. I’m tense and quiet while the other men chat about the terrain. They had never seen anything like it before. For me, the desert represented darkness and death.
The only way to get to the Wild West was to admit you are crazy enough to drive into the desert where no man has walked for many moons. We are in the middle of Death Valley, and there is no one to be found for at least 50 miles.
Part of me is worried about the resistance to why I am here in the middle of nowhere. It’s been a long few years, and I know it’s going to be a long nine days.
In about an hour, we arrive at our first threshold.
I step outside of the vehicle, searching my surroundings for any sites of threat. One of the guides comes over, touches my shoulder to reassure me I am here in the right place without saying a word. Sean was his name, and he brought hundreds of men across the threshold of life and knew nothing needed to be said.
There was grounding energy about Sean; he felt alive and free. If I were heading back into war, he would be the leader I’d turn to when shit hit the fan. Equal parts of confidence and humility, in his presence, I felt safe.
And I’m glad because it would have been a long nine days if I kept thinking about Afghanistan…
