Desert Fire

She felt something on her face. It was cool, soothing, moist. Her throat burned and constricted and when she tried to swallow, she couldn't. "Ma'am?" She heard the voice, but it seemed so far away. "Ma'am?" It came again, closer this time. "Can you hear me, ma'am?" A man's voice, deep and stern. She attempted to speak, but found it impossible. She tried to nod in response, but her head was pounding like a drum was pinned up inside it. "Open your eyes if you can. Open 'em," the voice insisted. She opened her eyes just a slit and quickly clenched them shut again as searing rays of sunlight burned through her. She sensed movement and the demanding voice came once more. "Now...try again." It was a voice not to be ignored. She tried to lift her hand to shade her face, but her own body would not obey her mind's command. She opened her eyes slightly and when the sun didn't blind her painfully again, she was able to open them completely. Everything was blurry for several seconds but she could make out a dark figure bending over her. "Can you see?" the voice asked firmly. She blinked several times clearing her vision slightly. "Yes," she mouthed, though no sound escaped her blistered lips. A hand slipped beneath her head and lifted it. "Here...keep still and let this stay on your tongue for a minute," the voice said, and she felt the first cool, life giving drops of water moisten her mouth. She couldn't move her tongue at first, but the second time the stranger offered the water from the canteen, she was able to swallow it. After several mouthfuls of water she felt more alert and realized her face, arms and shoulders felt tight and hot. "Now...what's your name, girl? And how'd ya' end up out here?" the man asked. She could see clearly then and for the first time she looked up into the face that belonged to the voice. "I don't know," she answered in a forced whisper. The man let out a sigh, tipped his hat back on his head and looked around with an expression of both bewilderment and annoyance. "You don't know how you ended up lyin' out in the middle of nowhere, with nothin' or no one with you?" he asked, still looking around. "No," she whispered, feeling suddenly terrified at the realization. The stranger stood up and pulled his hat down into place again. "Well...I guess I'll just haul ya' on home and we'll think on it from there." He walked over to a nearby tree and untied a horse. "Come on Bill. Ma will love this," he muttered.