<div style="text-align: left;">I strode cheerfully along the dusty road, and whistled a jaunty tune. On either side of me rose meadows filled with tall, yellow grass alternating with wheat fields. I had my well-provisioned sack slung over a shoulder, and couldnÂ’t have felt better.

Looking up from the well-trodden road, I saw the path diverge, a fork, that lead left or right. The left path was overgrown, with wild blooms, and tall, rustling meadow grass. The right one had two deep wagon ruts, filled throughout with murky ditch water, and was shadowed by old trees far from the memory of sapling.

I slowed my pace, remembering another fork, through hazy memory lanes. I remembered then, when we separated, my friend and I. He took one path in life and I had taken another. Anger at him slowly bubbled and I thought, He left our wanderings and adventures for that tame and settled life. He married and settled down while I am forced to wander without anyone. My cheerfulness of a few moments before dissipated. At these thoughts I sped up again, striding toward the fork without considering, and I took the leftward road.

When next I saw another memory provoker, I stopped and thought. A tree rose up magnificently from the clutches of the underbrush, like a butterfly taking flight, its branches stretched out like wings. Perfect climbing trees like that one yonder always put me in mind of a friend, seasons ago, who would laugh at my cowardice and climb nimbly up the tallest and most awkward of trees, while I nervously clambered up the easiest. My resentment quickly thickened and I almost didnÂ’t see a family come strolling by.

The three children jumped around, and skipped when they walked, laughing at each and every thing. Their parents smiled and held a picnic basket between them, walking at a leisurely pace. They waved hello and then goodbye to me as they strolled out of sight. Too late, I raised my hand to wave, so, quickly I put it back down by my side. My anger and resentment began to thin, and I wished for a family to call my own.

Exhausted, I finally collapsed at the side of the road I had chosen to travel along. The field behind me rustled in the breeze, and slowly, I began to get myself some food. My sack of provisions contained a loaf of hardened bread and I tore off a piece to eat, though not that easily. As I did this thoughts drifted through my mind. I felt more relieved now, that I didnÂ’t have a family to tie me down. Or even responsibility or duty.

This was what was going through my mind when the viper struck. I had heard a slight rustle behind me, but I made the mistake of just putting it down to the wind in the wheat, or even a mouse. Then before I even thought to double check, at the blink of an eye, I felt something strike my leg. I yelped, or screamed, I’m not even sure, and lept to my feet. I was just in time to see the snake slowly slither away. I gasped as I recognised the snake as a viper and tried to reach out to it with my arm to assure myself that it wasn’t really a viper, just some harmless grass snake. But it had already made its escape by the time I reached for it. “Besides, how could I even fool myself that it was anything but a Viper,” I scolded myself. Then it sunk in.“No!” I cried, in agony at the unfairness. “How could this happen, how can it, after all the time that I have spent adventuring and traveling! A measly snake is all it is, and it will not bring me to my knees.” At that, I got up and stumbled along the road, not even stopping for my pack.

I must have started to hallucinate as I found myself talking aloud to my friend. “Where have you been, old buddy? Why did you leave me and all the adventures we had together?” I implored shadows it seemed, and called to my friend that I could see lurking, always moving farther as I approached.

“Fine, leave me, I don’t care.”

And with that, I started to sing offkey, the song I had made and sung to my friend when he left.

“The endless road is now my home,

And I will always wander,

Through tales of yore,

I do not snore,

I wonder what is yonder,

The trees above,

The fish below,

And all that is between,

The best of luck find you my friend,

Along life’s wandering stream….”

And as I clumsily stumbled along and came to the end of my song, I blearily stared around. Thatched cottages swam into view. It seemed to be a village, and so I located a porch, and collapsed groggily onto it. All I could remember is that I had to findÂ… What was it exactly? Oh yes, a hh-he, Help. Yes that was it.

The comotion I made must have disturbed the owner of the house and he opened the door. I stared blearily into the face of my friend. WhaÂ… was all that ran through my confused mind. My rapidly deteriorating memory had managed to hang on to that face though the poison had such a grip on me.

His face lit up, “Cayo, is that you?”

I managed a groan in reply, and felt my world spinning out of control. The owner of the house seemed to sense that something wasn’t quite right, and he quickly turned and called into the house, “Honey! Call the doctor! My friend from many years past has turned up and he seems to be dying,” He paused, “Children, bring us some cold water too!”

Carefully, he pulled me up to my feet and brought me into his house saying quietly, “You will not come to the end of life’s road, but with us I hope you come to the end of your wandering and stay.” I was deeply touched, but I could only smile weakly and nod. This was what I had truly wanted deep inside.