Growing up I heard rumors of its existence, the old men would stretch stories and spin it’s tales to the eager ears of children in the village. A lost world! One filled with vast riches and resources, abandoned by our ancestors in the great collapse. Some of these children grew into adults who could plainly see the absurdity of such stories; others left our little village with such great hopes and aspirations never to be seen again. I was one of the first ones, the non-believers… That is I used to be. I’m not sure, what age I was when my Ghost first awoken me, or how many days I wandered through the desert mindlessly until I finally came upon the village. At first they did not know what to make of me, as it had been many decades since they had seen an outsider. Some wanted to stone me, calling me a retrograde due to my skin did not share the same vibrant pinks, and blue hues as theirs did. Some after seeing my Ghost were deeply afraid of me, calling me the light of destruction, but one… an elderly widow took pity on me, lucky for me she was also the chief elder and her word was law. She took me into her home, she feed me and she even named me “Sitka” after a great ancient tree, I simply knew her as “Aunt” and my words could never express the love and thankfulness I had felt for her. As the years passed, I was happy there. I mindlessly tilled the ground under the hot double sun, oblivious to my surroundings and the seasons. That is until that fateful day when my Aunt had quietly gone to sleep, never to wake again. The whole town had shown up to her funeral, even the children. As the town all wept telling each other stories of how Aunt had blessed each others lives, I however sat alone in the darkness of my dwelling, simply staring at an empty wall. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. “May I come in young man?” asked the soft reassuring voice behind the long wooden planks. It was Annair the new Chief Elder.”Please come in” I responded, as I finally diverted my gaze from the wall into the general direction of the door. Annair who was huddled by age and hard labor, shuffled himself into the room and planted himself to the closest chair possible. Annair's expression turned grim “I’m sorry for your loss, we all loved her deeply but there is something we must discuss” he said. Concerned and puzzled by his statement I responded “What do you need me to help you with?” Annair then lowered his head in shame and quietly said “You will have to leave the village, it’s time” I stood back astounded. “Why, what have I done wrong?” I asked him with a raised voice. Annair slowly lifted his head to look me in the eyes. “Nothing, you have done nothing wrong” he responded. “Then why?” I pleaded with him. Annair’s expression had now turned sternly almost stone like “There is something deep inside you that cannot dwell amongst the living. The Darkness hunts your kind and devours all in its fury. It’s no longer safe for you to be with us” Deep down I understood what he meant. As the villagers aged I somehow remained the same, I had never even suffered a single day of illness. It was if every molecule in my being had defied nature itself, it was the epitome of the unnatural, it was my Ghost. Annair then presented a small metal case that was hidden amongst his cloak. “She wanted you to have this, but she asked that you do not open it until you leave the village” said Annair as he gently handed the box to me, he then added “Here is also something from me, go there and you may find what’s left of the ships that brought us here” he then handed me a piece of paper to which looked like a map. Annair watched me as I gathered a few of my things, and filled my water jug. Upon finishing, I shook his hand and thanked him for his kindness; I was leaving never to look back. From the desert I came, and now the desert I go back.