Between the Sun and Us: A Memoir (opening lines)

It was a cold spring night on the six o’clock from Casablanca. The mountains were glazed in snowmelt, and blazed like wildfire across the horizon, and it was all I could do not to shiver from the train’s draft or the waft of chicken shit that filled the air as farmers crowded in tincan train.

I couldn’t help but feel like a fraud. Here I was, leaving behind everything I’ve ever known in the hopes of finding something better. But what if I never find it? What if I spend the rest of my days wandering aimlessly, searching for something that will never come?

I’ve been feeling lost and empty for as long as I can remember. It’s like there’s a hole in my soul that I can’t fill no matter how hard I try. I’ve tried therapy, medication, meditation, everything, but nothing seems to work.

So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I packed a bag and left everything behind, hoping to find some kind of purpose or meaning in my life.

As the train chugged along, I stared out the window, watching the landscape change before my eyes. I saw lush green fields give way to barren deserts, and towering mountains give way to sprawling plains.

For a while, I forgot about my worries and just let myself get lost in the beauty of it all. But as the night wore on and the train rumbled on, my doubts began to creep back in.

What if I’m making a mistake? What if I’m just running away from my problems instead of facing them head-on? What if I never find what I’m looking for?

As the train pulled into a small station, I took a deep breath and stepped off, ready to face whatever lay ahead. The night air was crisp and clean, a welcome change from the stale air of the train. I looked around, taking in my surroundings. It was a small town, nothing like the bustling city I had left behind.

I felt a surge of excitement and fear, wondering what adventures lay ahead. I walked down the empty streets, my bag slung over my shoulder, and felt the weight of my doubts and fears begin to lift.

Maybe this was what I needed, a change of scenery and a chance to start anew. Maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to overcome my depression and find the purpose that had eluded me for so long.

And with that, I took my first steps on a journey that would change my life forever