Kieran‘s swollen feet carried him along the burning hot street. After hours of walking, he slumped down, his back against a rusty old signpost.

He was sweaty, probably smelling like he hadn’t showered in weeks (which wasn’t exactly false) and thirsty, his tongue as dry as a desert. He extended his hand, sticking out his thumb and closed his eyes. All he could do was pray, pray for a miracle.

He thought about what might become of him if noone came to save him now. Would he die? And get eaten by some animals?? He got pulled out of his thoughts as he heard the sound of, what sounded like, a truck approaching.

His eyes shot open and he looked up, instinctively standing back up and waving. The truck halted next to him, the lady in the front agreed to take him with her, saying that she already had someone else in the back.

He didn’t care for other hitchhikers, he was just happy to have been spotted by a passing car. He opened the back door and climbed in, not even taking in the person next to him.

"So? Where are you heading to?" The person next to him said, their voice cutting through the silence. He looked to his left and stared at the person for a few moments.

He cleared his throat after realizing how awkward he must’ve looked right now. "Oh, just trying to pass the border for now." He said, a hint of finality in his tone. The rest of the ride was almost suffocatingly silent.

The driver slowed down once they reached a gas station. She asked the kids to hop off now since she was heading in a different way now. Kieran got out and shoved his hands into his pocket, slowly approaching the gas station to ask for a bit of spare change.

His stepped forward before a voice spoke up from behind him. "Where are we heading now?" He turned to look at them, dumbfounded. What did they mean we?

"There‘s no 'we', you go your way and I go mine. Buzz off and leave me alone" He scoffed and continued walking.