The Purple Dune of Erg Chebbi

Greg LeFevere
Aug 23, 2017 · 4 min read

The boy jumped down, his camel nearly pitching him off, and ran to unhook his bag. It was nearly dusk and the sand was dense below his feet and new to him. He quickly shod his bag and shoes and ran towards the front of the biggest tent. Looking around, he saw the owner of the board, and with a gesture, knew he could take it with him. He grabbed the board with its two foot straps and sprinted up out of the permanent swell of sand protecting the tents. The boy oriented himself towards the tallest dune and he ran with his shadow in front of him, disappearing as he came in and out of the swells.

He was used to running at his home, but here the sand was something he’d never run on before: it gave way with every step. He learned to point his toes and pierce the sand. He learned to expect it to give way. He was at the base of the dune now. He looked up. He’d be able to see Algeria from the top, he thought. He resumed his sprint, stopping every few minutes to let the acid in his legs subside. The boy learned the nearly cantilevered ridges which chased their way up the dune were often packed and could even support his entire weight without giving way. Many times they did give way but the boy kept charging upwards. Higher and higher. While stopping he would evaluate his route, something he could not do when he was sprinting. The hill was steep. The board was heavy. The sun was setting and the boy thought about what lay in the sand, just underneath the surface. The boy thought he must reach the summit before it was dark. And so, within the hour, he did.

Out of breath and with the wind raising the sand into the air, pummeling his shins, he knelt at the dune’s summit. He saw the white tents in the distance, swallowed by the frothing sea of sand. The sun had set by now and the boy sat there, his breath recovering, his shins still burning. Cool air came down from the clouds and whipped up even more sand, there were no ridges to protect him at the summit.

He sat there, looking out in every direction as the sun went down. The board at to his side, out of his view and out of his thoughts. He remembered how much time it had taken to get where he was. He remembered all of the people he had met along the way. He remembered the people he had left behind so that he could see this desert. He missed them and he was happy.

The journey was long, he thought. Many times he had been afraid and unsure but the people he had met had made him feel comfortable. The people he had met had guided him and helped him along his journey: they had made every decision seem ok. As the boy looked out to the world, he felt so far away but he also felt like he had never been closer. The boy looked at the board and at the setting sun. He realized he had brought with him his way back home, but he did not want to use it. Not yet, the boy thought.

So the boy waited and cherished the memory of the ones he loved as he watched the sun move. His memory of them sank deeper and deeper into him. He felt it happen with each notch the sun set. As he looked out at the disappearing sun, he began to see something different. He could no longer see the ones he loved out in front of him. Instead, he looked out and thought about the future. He knew the ones he loved were now behind him. They were watching over him. They were supporting him, telling him to keep looking out.

After a while and after the sun had set, the boy boarded down the dune. The air whipped past him as he glided above the sand and descended into the valley. What a thrill, the boy thought. He was moving quickly, but could hardly tell. At the bottom he brushed the sand off him and out of his ears and began walking to his tent. He was guided by the moon. When he walked into the camp everyone was asleep but there was some mint tea left out. He poured himself a small glass and sat down on a pillow. The boy enjoyed the mint tea. He looked back to the dune he had climbed and smiled. It glowed purple in the moonlight. He looked fondly to the board which had brought him back so quickly. I will carry this board with me wherever I go, he thought.

The boy knew he was never far from home.

And he fell asleep under the stars.

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visual designer interested in how we work - and how we can do it better. design @greglefevere.com

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