The runner leads a life he feels lacks substance. He is in a self-imposed trap: debt incurred to maintain the illusion of status. He looks around at different aspects of nature and sees in the actions of each a reason: Perhaps the snake is guarding her young; the birds fly around in order to feed their young; the ants pursue their task with a concern about themselves.
From his observations he gains insight and in the end:
The turn of events planned for the new stage of his life excited him
You handle the skill challenge, show don't tell, excellently. The prompt is the essence of this story. He is not just physically exhausted. He is exhausted by his life.
Thank you for sharing this interesting story with us. We expect our authors to support each other by commenting on stories in the community. These comments are highly valued by writers and help them to develop their skills.
Thank you!
Hi @theinkwell
I am most flattered by your assessment of the short story.
You describe very well the intent of the message I wanted to convey. So I am satisfied.
Thanks for your kind words.