The next morning, I was up before the sun even thought about rising.
The motel room was still dark, that stale pre-dawn quiet pressing in around me. I sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, elbows on my knees, listening to the distant hum of traffic and the faint snore coming from the room next door. Sleep had barely touched me. My body felt heavy, muscles stiff and sore like they had been locked into place overnight.
I dressed quickly, movements automatic. Shirt. Pants. Boots laced tight. I didn’t bother with the mirror. I already knew what I’d see there.
Outside, the air hit me hard. Cold enough to bite straight through my clothes, sharp and clean and unforgiving. It woke me up better than coffee ever could. I hauled my bags out to the car and shoved everything into the trunk, metal
