Mila stood at the edge of her village, gazing out at the horizon where the dusty road stretched endlessly toward Kiev. Her small bag of belongings hung over her shoulder, and beside her, Leo fidgeted with his hands, clearly nervous. The old wooden cart that would carry them rattled in the distance, pulled by a horse that looked as worn and tired as the roads themselves.

They had already said their goodbyes to their families earlier that morning, but now came the hard part—saying farewell to the people who had filled their everyday lives. Neighbors, old friends, and familiar faces gathered around them, their expressions a mix of curiosity and sadness.

"Are you sure about this?" an elderly woman asked, her voice shaky but kind. "The world outside is dangerous, especially for a girl like you."

Mila smiled politely, but her resolve was firm. "Yes, Babushka, it's time for me to go. There's nothing for me here anymore."

She could feel the weight of the village's expectations pressing down on her shoulders, but she refused to let it shake her confidence. She wasn't a child anymore, and she wasn't afraid of the world beyond Rohatyn's borders. If anything, she welcomed it.

Leo stood beside her, his face pale and eyes darting nervously from one person to the next. His uncertainty was palpable. The same boy who had once been so sure of his love for Alexandra now seemed like a shadow of himself. But Mila was determined that both of them would find what they were looking for.

"We'll be fine, Leo," Mila said, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "This is our chance to do something. To be someone."

He gave her a tight, forced smile but didn't respond.

The cart driver—a gruff man with a thick beard and a voice that sounded like it had been ground down by years of harsh winters—beckoned them to climb aboard. "We leave in a minute. Kiev's a long way, and I don't have time to waste."

Mila turned back to her neighbors one last time. "Goodbye," she said simply, bowing her head slightly in respect. "I'll miss you all."

A few of the women wiped their eyes with their shawls, but most just nodded, their eyes heavy with the knowledge that Mila might never return.

As she and Leo climbed into the cart, Mila felt a rush of exhilaration. This was it—the beginning of the journey.

Leo settled beside her, his hands still trembling slightly. "I'm not so sure about this anymore," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for her to hear. "What if we don't find Alexandra? What if we're making a huge mistake?"

Mila glanced at him, her expression unwavering. "We're not making a mistake, Leo. We have to believe we'll get what we want. If we don't take this chance now, we'll regret it for the rest of our lives. And as for Alexandra—we'll find her. I'm sure of it."

He didn't respond, just stared down at his lap, lost in his own thoughts.

The cart lurched forward, the wheels creaking as they began their journey out of the village. Mila looked back one last time at the familiar rooftops, the dusty streets, and the people she had known her whole life.

But her heart was already in Kiev. In Poland. In the world beyond.

As the village faded into the distance, Leo cast one more nervous glance over his shoulder, while Mila kept her eyes fixed ahead.

"I'm confident," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "We're going to get exactly what we want."