Washed Ashore

I groaned. Everything hurt. My entire body from my searing headache to my aching feet. I was freezing too. And wet. And hungry, come to think of it. I was in a pretty bad shape. I fought the sleepiness that threatened to engulf me. I tried to get my sluggish brain to think. It didn't seem to want to.

I thought back. But I didn't have anywhere to think back too. I struggled to think of the last thing I remembered. It was just me at my house, falling asleep in my warm bed. I didn't feel anyting remotely like it now.

Slowly, almost painfully I opened my eyes. I stared straight up into the dark, night sky filled with stars. More stars that I had ever seen in my life.

Then I realized why I was so cold. I was lying on a beach, half in, half out of the water. My clothes were crusty and stiff with salt. I struggled to sit up. I was so cold my limbs were frozen stiff. I tried to think clearly. How had I gotten here? My mind was fuzzy and confused. I didn't understand anything. How had I gotten here?

Somehow, I managed to get to my feet. I was shaking violently. I was sopping wet and a freezing wind was blowing gently. I looked around the sandy beach. Where was I? A rocky crag was off to my right, about twenty yards off the shore. And a wide expanse of nothing spread to my left, scattered with small foliage. I wrapped my arms around my chest, trying to keep as warm as possible.

I looked up at the starry sky again. No clouds. no constallations. I didn't even see the familiar Big Dipper. Was I on the lower half of the world? How had I gotten there? Where was I? When was I? I was so confused. What day was it? How long since I had fallen asleep in my bed?

A loud shriek rent the still air. I jumped about a foot and a half. I scanned the rocky crag and the small trees and bushes. Everything was cast into dark shadows. I shivered again, more violent then the others, and collapsed into none-stop shaking. I tried to keep my head from going onto full-on panic.