The majestic Gobi desert stretched for miles, the fine sand swaying almost soothingly across the the landscape. A few vultures circled lazily above, their razor sharp talons casually glinting in the noonday sun. The blue sky appeared almost mockingly over the body walking through the sun-drenched hell, walking ever forward, sloping and awkward, haggard against the backdrop of endless sand.

The tongue felt like sand-paper in the body’s mouth, as it rubbed in back and forth against the roof of the mouth,desperately trying to summon some moisture. Sweat and pus erupted from the body’s skin in large, hot boils. Leathery hands began to grope at the sand dunes as the body slipped into what was almost a crawl, its fingers helplessly clasping at powder to steady itself. Its fingernails were caked with dust and grime. The body gasped as it crawled, the lungs taking in nothing but dust. Hot, unforgiving dust, that brought on several painful sessions of violent coughing. At times, the body would stop, cough, and crawl away leaving a trace of salty blood where he had been. Perhaps it was only sheer adrenaline that kept the body on its path at all, the adrenaline that kept the body crawling towards whatever lay ahead of the sand dune.

“Water,” the mind silently begged with exhaustion and pain. “Water.”

But nothing but the faint whisper of a desert breeze answered. And so the mind attempted again, more urgently.

“Please, I need water.”

But the body continued its aimless quest, crawling amongst the sand, arrogantly deaf to any pleas of the mind. A startled centipede nearby scuttled out of the way, and rested precariously atop a sand dune, watching the body with what might have been a kind of sadistic curiosity.

“Why are you doing this? What do you expect to find?” The mind sounded more anxious now, becoming almost childish in its rage. The body refused to deign to give an answer at all, but continued crawling on.

“Fine, I see how it is.” Angry at the obstinate resolve of the body to “ignore” its will, the mind began to grow resentful. Almost on cue, the sand dune underneath the body collapsed, and the body lay there, its hands closed tightly around fistfuls of white sand.

“GET UP!” The mind screamed furiously. “GET UP YOU FOOL!”

But there is no stopping the body as it decides - it will stay here. Eternally bathed in a blanket of sand.

“Looks like I’ll have to force you back.” The mind whispers desperately. “You can’t...You just can’t sleep here, even if you want to...” But then the desperation became rage.

“So you want to have some dreams, boy? I’ll give you a nightmare to remember.”

Suddenly, the desert landscape changed.Writhing snakes materialized out of thin air, and hover menacingly above the body, hissing and spitting venom the size of golf balls. The body violently cringed, but remained planted firmly to the ground.

“Having fun now, are we?” mocked the mind. “Enjoy your rest, you sack of flesh?”

“Why are you here anyway?” The mind asked, “ The Gobi is a dangerous place. Dangerous, dangerous, dangerous.” The mind’s voice seemed to grow increasingly huskier with each “dangerous”. “Wouldn’t you like to return to what you’ve always had?” Instantly, the body was presented with a painfully familiar image, courtesy of the mind. Home. Comfort. Security. The memory was almost too much to bear. The body could see it all too clearly, the eyes absorbed with the visual recall.

But it wasn’t enough.

The clock ticked down hours, days...and the body never moved an inch from the sand blanket.

....

“Why, why on earth would you leave that life for this? Why on earth would you leave for this?” Defiant as always, the body refused to answer the mind’s concerns yet again.

Suddenly, the body could feel it. Its life was slowly slipping away, being blown far off into the desert like a few grains of sand. It had consumed itself for too long and now - it would soon disintegrate.

The mind could feel it too.

“Now you’ve done it. Gone and ignored everything I told you.” There was no hiding the disappointment and contempt in the mind’s voice.“You’ll die here.”

“Ah, but mind. You forget. If I die, so do you. For we are one of the same” The body murmured, still hopelessly defiant in its final breaths - the only answer it would ever give now.

“If we die, it is not my fault. If you don’t cease your foolish actions, you’ll kill us both! I’ll... I’ll make you stop! After all, the mind is supreme” The mind exclaimed, finding new hope in its proclamation. “I reign over you! My word is law!”

“The mind is but a suggestion.” Murmured the body, rhythmically sliding its fingers across the sand, patiently waiting for his time to come. Any minute now.

“Why do we do this? Why are we in constant argument?” Suddenly the mind sounded so vulnerable, so child-like. It broke the body’s heart, but still the body would not budge from his position.

“Life with you has always been a war for me - a war of wills and wits and impulses. Out here in the Gobi? I guess that was just my last stand.”

“And it looks like you did finally win.” The mind admitted, and then began to slowly fade out, lost in shadow, leaving the body to its own impending fate.

“Goodbye. I really do hope this victory was worth it.” And with one final smile, the body was no more.