Hallucinating giant fallen trees
across the road, she almost speaks to warn
him of the obstacles ahead. She sees
they drive on tracks above a void newborn
of heated evening air; they hurtle west
on shadow rails, and bottomless the night
extends, as her exhaustion forces rest
and her depletion disconnects her sight.

They’d hiked a dozen miles unprepared
for what the heat and altitude demand.
With insufficient water they impaired
themselves – their dehydration built a band
eccentric, radiating through the black,
and hours will pass before their moods come back.