After one more hour, the car finally stops.
The engine dies beneath us, a soft shudder running through the frame before silence swallows everything whole. I look outside through the window. The glass is cold against my temple.
Hills.
He brought me to the hills.
Silas unbuckles his seatbelt. The soft click cuts through the quiet. I turn my head slowly and look at him.
"You brought me here to hike?"
Silas smiles softly and shakes his head.
No.
The motion is gentle, almost lazy, like he expected the question and already decided how to answer without words.
I look away.
Fine. I'll figure it out myself.
I unbuckle my seatbelt and push the door open. The air hits me first—cold, sharp, thin enough to make my lungs work harder than they're used to.
It's almost evening.
The sun has already disappeared behind the tall trees, their dark branches tangled against a bruised-purple sky. Whatever warmth remained is fading fast, swallowed slowly by the coming dusk.
