Everyone settling into their respective cars after saying their goodbyes to Naro. The final stretch of their journey was about to begin.
Sam in the driver's seat, hands on the wheel, but his eyes glance at the house, a quiet hope flickering inside him.
Would he see her one last time?
Liabilities pulled out first, followed by Julyboy. Sam exhaled and was about to start driving when something from the corridor caught his attention.
There she was.
Naro stood just beyond the doorway, waving at him.
Even now, even in their farewell, she was concealing her face.
Sam gave a soft smile as he look in at her-
she was wearing a red scarf, and covering half of her face with a sunflower hat.
Only her lower face was visible, her nose, her her cheeks and her lips, seeing her half face Sam was stunned yet he thought.
"Even at the very end, you won't show your full face, huh?" he murmured to himself.
For some reason, that made him feel lighter. As if the mystery wasn't over yet-just paused for now.
With one last glance, he shifted gears and drove off, waving back at her, the image of her standing there lingering in his mind.
A while into the Journey
As the car moved along the road, the group slowly eased back into their usual chatter. Jangla, sitting in the front, suddenly turned.
"Oh yeah," she said, snapping her fingers. "We asked Naro for her number before we left, but she said she already gave it to you, so we can just ask you for it."
At her words, Sam blinked, realization dawning.
"Oh, right! She wrote it on my hand," he said excitedly, lifting his hand to show them.
Jangla frowned. "She... wrote it?"
Sam glanced at his palm-and then froze.
There was nothing there.
The ink had smudged away completely.
Sam hit a hard break, making everyone jump from there seat, ori face directly kissed the car seat leaving her makeup print.
We need to go back right now, he said.
Jangla said they are gonna return from the same road so they can ask her that time, there is no need to turn back now.
And why would you even drive without saving it in your phone before, that was so stupid of you.
He apologised saying he was so excited to drive the car that he forgot about the number.
Bori nonchalant said nothing can be done now, so just drive.
Following the remaining of the journey, he only thought about how he promised Naro that he'll call her no matter what and now he doesn't even have her number.
____
As he was lost deep in thought, a bike with two people passed from the opposite direction, riding it was people from his past.
Soon, they reached their destination, a place this is vast stretch of open plains covered in wild grass and heather, where mist drifts low and the wind carries a quiet, endless whisper-this is the Moors, a land of solitude and untamed beauty.