Their gaze was fixed on me, but it was strange because I didn’t feel seen. Their eyes followed me like shadows, yet no one answered, no one blinked, no one moved as if I truly existed. I waved my hands, shouting, but my voice was like wind lost in the desert. Was I invisible? Was I a ghost in this strange land? My heart pounded, confused, restless.

The desert stretched endlessly, dry winds cutting through my skin like knives. Heat burned, and yet my body felt cold. The air tasted like dust, ...