The Ural River stretched in quiet dignity beneath the harsh midday sun, its surface catching the merciless glare of light from a sky emptied of compassion. The air above the water shimmered from the heat, creating the illusion that the river itself was evaporating into the heavens. A sharp blend of metallic tang, wet earth, and submerged algae clung to the banks like a memory that refused to fade.
Occasionally, dry wind rustled the low-hanging branches along the river's edge, and the shadow of the pedestrian bridge crept slowly across the shimmering current, silently linking Europe and Asia beneath a crushing silence.
*Blub blub~
A head emerged slowly from a swirl in the water. Dark eyes glinted faintly beneath the refracted light, scanning the surroundings with a desperation laced in caution. Droplets fell from his drenched hair, tracing the tense contours of his face.
