• She looked at me, eyes pleading, questioning. Her hair hung around her face, dirty and coarse, knotted and frizzy. Tears slowly crawled across her pale cheeks and passed her chapped lips. Her clothes were ratty and torn, and she wore no shoes upon her feet. Her hands were scabbed and raw. As she fell to her knees in front of me, she said only one word in a tired voice: "why?" And as they took her away, I knew I had no answer. "Why?"

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    He spoke with a passion that enraged all, an authority none could deny, a lure none could resist, an emotion that touched all. He preached fluidly and often, grabbing followers from anywhere and everywhere. He was a powerful speaker and influenced every ear that heard him. He hated the world and wanted revenge. His followers would do whatever he would say. He would talk, and they would listen to each and every word. And he smiled an evil smile as he led each and every soul to their doom.

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    Sand flew into my eyes, up my nose, in my ears, and pelted every inch of my shin. It stung like a million little needles pricking me over and over. Harsh winds blew my clothes around and whipped my hair in my face. I had lost my shoes days ago. The sand was everywhere, I couldn't see two feet in front of me. I was alone. My canteen was dry, my throat was sandy, my tongue like sandpaper, my teeth gritty. My eyes stung. I bled all over from the flinging sand, even on my eyelids. My whole body shook. There was so much sand in my ear that I bet had I tried, I would not be able to hear. I could barely breath, my nose was so clogged, and I dared not open my mouth too wide for any amount of time. I was getting weaker. The storm was not letting up. I was alone in the middle of no where, and death was coming fast.