Chapter 5
Chapter 5: The Weight of the Night
Larry waits for nightfall in Santa Clara, sharing a meal with Rojas that deepens their fragile trust. As they prepare to leave, the sound of an outboard motor signals the arrival of the man in the suit, forcing a hasty escape into the jungle.
The afternoon passed slowly in Santa Clara. Larry sat on the fallen log, watching the village go about its quiet routines. A woman pounded cassava in a wooden mortar. Children chased a scrawny dog through the dust. The heat pressed down like a blanket, and the constant hum of insects filled the air.
He pulled out the map fragment, studying it again. The markings were faded, the ink smudged in places, but he could still make out the rough shape of the river that sang, marked with a small crescent moon. He traced the line with his finger, wondering what he would find at the end of it.
The door of Rojas's hut creaked open. Rojas stepped out, a clay bowl in his hands. He walked over and sat on the log beside Larry, offering the bowl. "Eat."
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