The First Pathway Through Toad Road

I knew that the exercise I did over the last few days did nothing. I was gasping like a fish out of water. My limbs burned like a fire and my throat kept becoming dry regardless of how much water I had flushed down. I smacked my lips, they were dry and chapped. They did that dumb split lip thing where it stings even when you put lip balm on it but you still have to do it to make it better. I slathered on another layer of lip balm. Minutes later, I could feel my lips chapping up again.

It felt like the walk was taking forever. It felt like hours, maybe even half a day that we’ve been walking in the deep, dark, and stretching forest. However long it was, I wanted to complain about the pain.