ARIA'S POV
The truck rumbled over the bumpy dirt road, its tires kicking up a cloud of dust that hung in the hot air.
I stared out the window, watching the endless expanse of sand and scrub roll by. The sun beat down mercilessly, and for what felt like an eternity, there was no sign of civilization—just the wide, empty desert stretching to the horizon.
Finally, after almost an hour and a half of driving, something came into view. At first, I thought they were more rocks or ruins, but as we got closer, I realized they were rows of small wooden cabins. They looked old and weathered, like they had been standing there for decades, barely holding up against the harsh desert winds.
“Are those… the homes of people?” I asked, squinting at the cabins.
Kieran glanced at me, a faint smile tugg
