The man woke up with the taste of blood in his mouth and the sting of sand in his eyes. In an unbearably bright sky, the sun burnt high. Rolling onto his side, he moaned as he felt the rough grains under his fingers. To make matters worse, he had no idea who he was or where he was.
His shoes were worn thin, and his clothes were ragged. There was only one silver key in his pockets. Tracing its edges, he hoped it might reveal something, but no recollections came to mind. His skull began to ache dully.
He was startled into action by the distant rumble of an oncoming truck. He protected his eyes, staggered to his feet, and watched as the car slowed to a stop. A grizzled man wearing a dusty coat emerged, giving him a suspicious look.
According to the stranger, you look like crap.
The man croaked, his voice cracking with thirst, “I feel worse.”
He was given a canteen by the stranger. “Name?”
The man paused. “I’m not sure.”
The stranger’s eyes became stony. “No history, eh?” He rubbed his beard and moaned. “Come along with me.”
They rode through the desolate terrain in solitude. Half expecting a memory-jolt, the man surveyed the arid landscape. It didn’t.
They arrived at a tiny village, which was merely a collection of structures clinging to the desert’s edge. He followed the man inside a dimly lit diner. “Mara,” he called.
From the rear, a woman wearing an apron came out, using a towel to wipe her hands. When she saw the man, her eyes grew wide.
“You’re still alive,” she muttered.
The man tensed. “You recognise me?”
She turned to face the stranger after giving a slow nod. “Where did you find him, Roth?”
“Out in the dunes.” He seems to have been thrown around quite a bit.
Mara took a step forward. “Remember anything?”
He gave a headshake. “Nothin’.”
She gave a quick exhale. “You go by Elias. A couple of weeks ago, you visited the town. claimed to be searching for a partner. Then you disappeared one night.
Elias held the silver key tightly. “Have I mentioned this before?”
Mara’s forehead furrowed. You once showed it to me. claimed it was significant, but you never gave an explanation.
Elias had a brief vision of a dark alley, a scuffle, and hands pulling at him. He clutched his head and winced.
Mara grabbed him. “Are you okay?”
“I believe…” Elias let out a breath. “I believe I was the target of a murder attempt.”
Roth and Mara looked at each other uneasily.
“This was where you stayed.” Elias’s pulse quickened as he approached Room 6. “The key trembled in his grip as he inserted it into the lock. It clicked open. Inside, the air was stale, the bed was untouched, but on the nightstand.” “There was a man asking about you after you disappeared. Big guy, mean eyes. He left when no one could give him answers, but something about him felt off.” Elias didn’t know his past, but his instincts screamed that it was dangerous. “We start with the key.”
