Defamiliarization

The heat surrounded me. My eyes felt gritty and it seemed light was coming from everywhere. I squinted, trying to think some sort of coherent thought. Where do I go from here?
I could feel sweat trickling, tickling. "Odd." I remember thinking. "The very process that is designed to cool me is only making me feel hotter." I gasped for breath, licking my parched lips which only served to make them sticky.
How did I get to this place?
On the horizon in the shimmering distance, I thought I could make out some sort of shelter. I pushed on. My body felt liquid. I dragged my limbs along feeling as if I were slinging them ahead of me as I pulled my body to join them.
There was a pounding in my ears; part maddening, yet serving to drive me on. I tried to take each step on beat. Bam. Bam. Step. Step. How much farther could I go before I collapsed?
Faintly, I heard a sound. I tried to sort out what I had heard. There it was again. Was that a voice? What were they saying? I made a supreme effort to concentrate. The pounding in my head was overwhelming. I paused.
Yes. It was unmistakable now.
My name.
I heard my name.
Startled, I turned.
I see a figure standing beside me.
I'm disoriented for a moment, then my eyes regain their focus.

"Oh, hi." I say smoothly, turning to snatch up my water bottle. The pounding ceases abruptly as the music overhead changes and I slow to a walk.