From the patio outside their teahouse, Frank watched Nima lead Sarah and Anne into the tiny settlement. Beside him, Anne’s husband looked on. He could sense Jack’s angst over his wife; worried, no doubt, that his trek would come to an end here. He heard Jack clear his throat, but he didn’t say anything as Anne poled toward them.
Over the last hour, the temperature had dipped, and a damp chill was in the wind. Frank looked up at the overcast sky frowning down at the rumpled land. In the distance, he saw a Tibetan vulture floating high above in the swirling currents. The bird’s long, dark wings teetered like a seesaw as it circled over the dun fields. Watching it, he found himself thinking he was like that bird, circling over his life, searching for answers, wondering at the same time if th
