Sand abrades exposed flesh, sweat a sheen under the relentless sun.

Canine shadows dart, ribs like forgotten Greek architecture beneath matted fur.

A tangled knot of warmth against the encroaching chill.

The ocean’s rasp, a relentless monologue.

Time sifts through cracked palms, each grain a castaway of memory.

The silhouette, a crooked question mark against the bruised twilight sky.

Another revolution of the sun. Another turn of the screw.