The man was truly exhausted from walking, so he stopped to rest. Just like every other pause he had taken, he used his cane to write those big characters in the snow. He wrote each character with extra care and intention, as if each stroke was written directly into his heart. The morning sun shined from the azure sky, illuminating these characters. Finally depleted of energy, he collapsed into the snow, gasping for breath.
Too tired to move, William Griffith closed his eyes and lay down on the snowy ground.
He had never realized that finding someone could be so difficult.
But Cherish, where are you?
A 'thump' sounded as something hit him, pressing down on his chest with a muffled impact.
His eyelids twitched slightly, and William woke up groggily. Feeling disoriented, he didn't know how long he'd slept or where he was. He only remembered that he had just left a fishermen's settlement, where he had left some information, still searching for his girl.