Silva rode his horse through the barren desert, the hot sun beating down as his only focus remained clear: visit a friend. It had been too long since he last saw them—months? Years? Time had begun to blur, days running together in an endless, dusty haze.

The familiar stretch of land was now a memory, and all he could think of was finding that one person, wherever they might be. As the miles passed beneath his mare's hooves, he thought of little else.

Soon, a small but humble town appeared on the horizon, the outline of buildings rising against the endless sky. As Silva entered, unfamiliar eyes followed his every movement, the weight of their stares heavy on him. He met their gaze but didn't stop. His attention was on one thing and one thing only: finding his friend.

He dismounted his mare, the reins held loosely in his hand as he led her by his side, stepping onto the dirt road of the town. His boots kicked up the dust as he walked, the hope of seeing a familiar face pulling him forward, step by step.